The Portland daily press., 1869-06-12
Comntencei,ient al Kens's Hiii.
KrNr's HILL, June II, 1850
70 thd Editor Of the Press:

EoMnfeMceltient at Aenps
KrNr's HILL, June II, 1850
To the Editor Of the Press:
TbA animal exhibition and commencement
exercises of the Maine Wesleyan Seminary
and Female College closed yesterday. III
Tuesday the friends Of the institution and
many of the old students arrived on the Hiii'
and the evening was devoted to the prize dec-
lamations and readings, participated IN py
Twenty-Five ladies and gentlemen. 1t IS per-
hans Sufficient to say that these exercises were
nm tn the standard of former years.
The anniversary address before the Gallo
mean and Adelphian societies, Wednesday af-
ternoon, was delivered by Rev. w. F. MALTA
hin, of Chelsea, Mass. The subject, Self
Culture" was presented in an able and enter
tanning manner. 1t was production OF rare
merit, attested by the close attention OF the
large audience present on the occasion.
David Barker, Esq, of Exeter, for half an
hour, read appropriate selections from his
poems. They were interesting and we'll ap-
preciated by the audience :.
At the close of these exercises an Alumni
Association was organized.
In the evening the social reunion Oh Inc
Alumni in the College Chapel was an occasion
not som n ha f,rootten. G. T. Fletcher, Esq.
Of the Eastern State Normal School, presided,
ona conapcted the exercises of the evening in
very pleasing manner. Late in the evening
a descent upon the dining hall was made,
where sumptuous repast was in waiting
Returning to the Chapel the following senti-
ments were presented and responded to:
1-Our Oldest Alasnanus; responded to by
Rev. DR.. Webber.
2-The Profession of the La,o was responded
to by Judge Goddard, of Portland, in very
feeling remarks.
3-The Pulpit; responded to by Rev. P.
Jaques, of Kent's Hill.
4-Our Al,,mne-coming- answered to
by Miss Louise Allen, of Livermore, in most
happy manner
- Sour Alilnani-conae was responded to by
ID. G. Hartman, Esq, of Brooklyn, NY.
6--Kent's Hill in the War, she filed her quota,
was responded to by Capt. Joel Wilson, of
Gorham.
The exercises Of the evening closed with the
presentation to Dr., Torsey of beautiful mas
sive silver tea service, procured from the Cor
ham Manufacturing Company by the Alumni
de u SOSb vi ciA AuuuIcu iiu lllJy uOiiuIS. IL
was a fitting testimonial from his former pu-
: pills, showing the estimation in which he is
held by those who have had opportunities to
know him best. On each piece was engraved: !:
81. p. Torsey. From Old Students. 1862
Joseph I. Woodward, Esq, State Librarian,
with a few choice and fitting remarks, present.
ed it in behalf of the "Old Students" as a
slight token OF their regard and appreciation
of his labcrs in their behalf and the cause of
education in this institution for the past quar-
ter of century,-this being the twenty-fifth
year that he has been at the head of this insti-
tuition.
DIR. Torsey responded, as only he can talk to
the "old students" He reviewed briefly his
own life since his first connection with the
school, of the arduous labors performed to
bring the institution to its present state of use
fulness. 1t is well known that he took charge
of the school in a bankrupt condition, yet his
own efforts, aided by other hard workers, have
caused the school to grow step by step, until it
has reached a maximum of two hundred and
eighty five students No institution of learn
ing in the State has done more for the cause of
education than this, and its present usefulness
has been obtained only through the arduous
efforts of its friends and the self denial of its
teachers, they receiving less salary than many
teachers of our public schools. While other
institutions of like grade have received from
the State ten and twenty thousand dollars
each, this one has realized less than two thou
sand dollars from tho lands given it by the
State. We believe, however, that the Legisla-
ture will deal as generously with this as the
other institutions, and that it will yet do what
we think simple justice demands.
Thursday, at 10 A. NJ, was the time set apart
for the commencement exercises of the gradu-
ating classes, in which twenty-six students
contended for the prizes. Where all did SO
well, it would perhaps be out of place to par
ticularize, yet we do dscredit to none in men
tioning the poem on "Chantilly," by Edgar
w. Preble of Batb,-a soldier of the Sd Maine
Volunteers, who spoke from experience.
A noticeable feature was discussion on the
Female Suffrage question, by Benj f. Leigh
ton of Monmouth and Miss Sara M Wilson of
Gorham, concerning which we can say that
argument was met with argument and logic
by logic.
After the comforting Of the diplomas upon
the graduates of the College and Seminary
courses, the following prizes were awarded
For Defamation, E. L. Andrews of Fairfield;
Reading, Miss l. s. Allen Of Bangor; Gentle
mems Composition, Emory Boardman of Bel
fast-Subject, Dollars and Cents" Ladies'
Composition, Miss e. G. Mills of Readfeld-.
Subject, son the Heights Penmanslsips Mis-
Hattie Graves of Bingham; ;DookkeepIng, Miss
Lizzie, Packard of Manchester. These prizes
consisted principally of elegant volumes of the
standard poets, and were presented by Gov.
Chamberlain, Mrs. S. r. Bearce of Lewiston,
Mrs r. T. Wilder of Lawrence, Mass, Messrs.
Carter & Dresser of Portland.
Thursday evening rare entertainment was
enjoyed in the music discoursed by Chambers
Band, which furnished music during the three
days of commencement NJ