Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-20
STEWART COLLEGE.
Tine Commencement Exercises Some
Interesting Notes.

| Correspondence Union and American.
GAINESVILLE, Juue IS, 1S73.-The com.
mencement exercises of Stewart College
| closing the session of 1872 %, will long be
remembered IS one of the pleasaEtess Oc-
cGsions in the memory Of many Of our citi-
| zens, proving 10 be the p:Oudest day Of
their lives to many of our young people.
The audience WAS larger than any one as
sambled before, in con. ection with the in.
terests Of the College, since its opening I'M
der the present regime. This was very
gratifying TO its friends, as evincing what is
most earnestly to be desired, an awakening
to higher appreciation of the interests of
education, as well as an improving sense of
the encouragement due to the work, and to
those engaged in it, both teachers and
scholars.
The exercises were opened with prayer,
by Rev. j. W. Lupton, pastor of the Pres
bytsrian Church, who in few earnest, apt
and fervent woIds, implored the blessing of
God UPON the assembly, and especially be-
sought the favor OF the Great Master and
Teacher upon the College and all institu-
tons OF learning
The President, Rev. ]. B. Shearer, then
announced that, II consequences of the I'M
avoidabie absence of Re7. W. L. Boggs, Of
Memphis, who had bean invited By the
Literary Societies TO address them, he had
prevailed on Mr.. II. Ii. Doak, OF the $40.
6dccO Leaf" to perform that pleasant part.
Mr.. Doak then came forward, and addressed
the young men before him, in one of the
most appropriate veins of thought he could
have struck upon, after Gays CT refining,
though we all know, that he had but q few
hours % bestOW on his subject.
He boldly struck at the errstic and fan
tastic ideas of chiValry, as embodied in The
older theories, holding that the leaven of the
true greatness of manhood, issuing from
The great Teachers exposition of character,
had asserted its prophes ed influence on the
human race, and made men better. He
took the ground that the world is better to-
day, than il was a hundred or fifty years
ago, in spite of croskefs, and proved it, by
contrasting the past and present condition
of various nations. lie earnestly sought
to impress upon the young listeners before
him, the obligations resting upon them to
make the world grow better in their day,
by forming their characters on the noble
basis announced to the world by the great
est expounder of char cter, viz: happiness,
the result of making others happy!
Mr.. Dosk's friends knew, from what he
has done for his paper, that he could write,
but they were OF prepared to hear him
deLiUer in such fine spirit, a speech SO well
suited, in every point, ID his hearers.
The President then introduced to the
sudienc5 the graduates, for this session,
Messrs. J. 9. Coldwell, of Shelb7ville,
Tenn, C. S. Mnnford, of ClarksVille, Tenn,
j. j. West, of GAINESVILLE, Tenn, and E.
Brantly, of Rutherford, Co., Tenn, (Vale-
dictorian.)
These young gentlemen, in addition 10
the arduous labOrs of their classes, well cal
culated TO dispirit these Of inferior mettle,
acquitted themselves i'll so happy style
and manner, in their addresses, as TO win
horror for thea selves and praise for their
teachers from our whole commuulty-even
gaining the crowning plaudit of commenda-
ton from the NestOr of the Bar, Hon. G.
A. Henry.
A. the close of the graduating orations the
President delivered their diplomas TO the
graduates, proclaiming in earnest inspiring
terms that confidence of hope and fudness
of trust for their future, kindled in hin and
their other teachers by the developments of
character, intellectually and morally, while |
under their tuition.
uS EICo'ucu'J tECbj P1o'ihS iiOlh SpCSial
to general COPS deIations, proclaimed in
spii'ed and imprisoned manner, and in a
style commended by bis whole audience,
the determination Of the Faculty to bear
alofL il The battle OF enlighte lment and
culture against ignorance, the same motto |
unfurled upon tue banner Of Stewart Col |
lege on her first entrance into The lists, viz
2 high standard Of scholarship He main
tanned (and justly too) that this system is
destined to develop more good, intellectual |
ly, even if it deter the timid and thin the
number of graduates, than tO11 standard,
which can but be ruinous, directly q d
prospec lively, to the trGe interests of edu-
cation.
The President then proceeded to read the
distinctions won at intermediate and final |
examinations, and as they were read many
a mothers heart was gladdened by the lau-
rels her son had gained, and many firm
resolve was made by the unsuccessful to
grapple harder in the struggle for victory |
next session. SPECTATOR.