The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-07-17
THE DUE WEST CoMMENCEMENTS

DU0~ W SSu i4olS IbhS& = SA~<SAo
came off on Wednesday and Thurs
day of tho past week, and in tho
largepess of the attendance, the in
tcresting character of the exercises,
and all the attractive surroundings
which make up the features Of these
literary festivals, were fully equal to
the best of their predecessors. There
was the same large and e3pectant
crowd of visitors-gay promenaders
and dasbing eauipages without, and
crowded parlors and densely packed
halls withip-the same literary at
trsetions in the graceful essay, the
vsll-digestedspeech, and the eloquent
oxstiop, eulivened by the charms of
music and song-the same bright
array Of youth and beauty, apd the
ssne joyous throug of happy spirits,
who met to renew past associations,
or to form new and more lasting at
tachments=z-the same happy greetings,
and the pagtings which dash for a mo-
ment tho cup of youthful pleasure.
The crowd has come and gone, and
Duo West like "somo banquet ball
deserted" is shorn of tho brightness
and gaiety which make these Com
msneement occasions 30 attractive.
IA usual her hospitality has been
eenerous and muni6cent, and fully
sQsal to all the demands which have
Hsen made apon her ample stores and
liberia! hearts.
Tho examinations Of the two col
leges began on Thursday, the 4th of
July, and closed on Tuesday of the
succeeding week.
OF the Committee of Examination
of the Female College there were
present, Rev. II. T. Sloan and Mrs.
Sloan, Rev. W. T. Pearson, Rev. ]. O.
Lindsay, Rev. w. L. Pressly, Capt.
Robert F. McCaslan, of Ninety:Six,
Miss Mary Galloway, Mrs. Belle Mar
ltin, and DR.. Boyce. In addition to
these, there were also present tho
Rev. w. S. Bowman, Of Charleston,
Mr.. Tomlinson, reporter of the Char
lesion Nsws, DR.. Miller, Of Due West,
and Rev, J. E. Martin.
The young ladies passed a very
thorough and satisfactory examina-
tion, in Mental Science and English
Literature; in Latin and Natural
Philosophy; in French and Mathe-
matics; and in botany conducted
respectively by President Bonner,
and Prof. Kennedy, and by Mrs. Kate
e. Wideman, and Miss McQurnes.
The Examining Committee of Frs
kline College consisted Of Rev. R. W.
Brice, Rev. D. +. Haddon, Rev. J. G,
Boyce, Mr.. G. II. McMaster, and S,
Watson ReEd, Esq; aud the examina-
ton in the several departments of
Mental and Moral Science; Greek ;
Latin, Natural Science and Mathe-
ratics; were conducted respectively
by President Grier, and Professors
Pressly, Hood and Young. The stu
dents were subjected to the searching
ordeal of written questions and an
swers, which whilst imposing double
duty on the Committee seems to af-
ford the fairest test of the scholar
ship of the student. The examina-
tion was highly oreditable to all con-
cerned.
AT the close of th, Examination on
Tuesday, there was meeting Of the
Board of Trustees under the new
charter Of Erskine College, apd DR..
Boyce was elected Chairman, and
President Grier Secretary. The de-
gree Of A. B. vas conferred on the
members Of the present Senior Class;
A. NJ. on Rev. J. F. Lstimer, and on
~. Darlington and ]. C, Hemphill ;
d. on Rev John Miller, of Wilcox,
Alabama, and Rev. J. P. smeltzer,
President Of the Ncwberry College at
Walhalls.
On Friday evening there was the
Interesting ceremony Of presenting
the Society diplomas to the members
of the graduating class, performed IN
the respective halls, and in the pres
enee of the active and honorary men,
bera.-
The junior orator Of the Euphe-
ynian Society was Mr. W.. q. Mon :
gomery, and the senior orator Mr.. J.
a. White, In the Philomathcan So
ciety Mr.. s. P. Mattheson made the
presentation address, and Mr.. Il. NJ.
Henry the response.
T he annual sermon was preached
on Sunday morning, in the village