The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-04
THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
q" PUBLIC DAY"
INTERESTING SCENES AND
EXERCISES.
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS.
vALEDICToRY OF PROF. vENABLE.
Especial telegram to the Dispatch. !

Ihi'hS'ii'ht o"J ~ DCo pniuoh vi tlir tiaut-
tons of the University, ought to have said
"the public day"-dawned brightly, and
although it soon grew warm enough for all
practicable purposes, the rain had laid the
favorable weather for the occasion that |
ever experienced here.
Though repeated from year to year, this day
can never lose its intcrcst-the successful
candidates eargerly bearing off their hardly
won diplomas; the disappointed ones resolv-
ing to work more earnestly the coming ses-
sion; the laborious Faculty rejoicing that
the sessions work has been successfully
completed; the Board of Visitors looking
with interest on the work Of the year,
which they have been directing; the
Alumni, who have come back from the heat
and dust Of life's stern battlefield to Iinger
for a season amid the memories of the past,
clasp the hands and greet their younger
brothers with cordial welcome into the
family circle; the Governor Of the Com
monWeath and Ex-Governor of d sister
State and other distinguished visitors; fond
parents and other relatives, come to see their
" boys" take their diplomas; age, youth,
dignity, manliness, beauty, grace, and chiv-
airy, are all here to give importance and add
interest to the occasion.
At halfpast 10 O'Clock the procession, con-
sisting of the Board of Visitors, the Facul-
ty, Alumni, the graduates, and distinguished
visitors, marched into the hail. and the cX-
ercises were opened with prayer by Rev. S.
A. Steel, the new chaplain. Colonel Ven
able presided, and conducted the exercises
in that prompt, buSiness-like, but pleasant
manner which characteriZes the man. There
has been of late years very great improve
ment on the old order OF things, when we
used TO be held on these occasions in the
rotunda-furnace from 8 A. NJ. to or even 8
L. NJ. Now diplomas are delivered much
earlier, the essays Of graduates are dis
pcnsed with, and we have pleasant inter.
mission.
have sent you the full! list Of graduates,
and regret that you have not spice for the
list of prolicients and class distinctions, for
even the lowest honor won from 4 Univer-
| sity whose standard of scholarship is so high
is worth the striving after, and reflects ere.
dit on the successful candidate. Where so
| many of the students have done we'll it
| would be invidious to discriminate; but be-
sides the degree and honor-men, it may not
| be improper to mention that Mr.. William
Mcmillan Rogers, of StarkcyiIc. Miss, has
| in this his first session borne off diplomas
| in Latin, Greek, History, Literature, and
Rhetoric, and is considered TO have done on
the whole better than any otheracademic stu
| dent.
The delivery Of diplomas was intersperscd
| with the usual applause, music, SC. The
crowd was very large, and we noticed on
the platform or in the audience, besides the
Faculty of the University, Senator Bayard,
| of Delaware Ex-Governor Swami, Of Mary.
| land j. J. Irby, Esq, Of New Orleans
Governor Gilbert c. Walker and Lieuten-
ant Governor j. L. Marye; Judge Lewis, oi
| Wcstmoreland; DR.. Christopher Johnson
of Baltimore Rev. DR.. John A. Broadus
of the Southern Baptist Theological Semi.
nary; Rev. DR.. Curry and Professor f. B.
Smith, of Richmond College; W. r. Abbott,
| of Bellevue High School; l.. NJ. Backford
of the Episcopal High School, near AleXan.
| dria; Rev. Dr.. Law, of New York Charles
NJ. Blackford, Of Lynchburg; Colonel
Thomas jefferson Randolph, Judge William
J. Robertson, Hon. James C.. Southall, A.
r. Blakey, Esq, and Micajah Woods, ESQ
of Albemarle; Major Darlington, of Rich
mond; Colonel W. K. Berkeley, of Farm
vile James I. Campbell, Esq, of Abng-
don; R. H. G. Kean, Esq. Of Lynchburg
Colonel Z. H. Montague, of King and
Queen Colonel Thomas Smith, of Warren
ton; Moses Walton, Esq, of Shenandoah
X. Kemper, Esq, of Alexandria; Professor
j. NJ. Garnett, of Maryland, and number
of others.
We were struck with the youthful ap'
pearance of the three masters Of arts, and
indeed of the degree-men generally. Colo
mel Venable, after delivering the diplomas
expressed the earnest hope that these laurels
NAV never fade. He eloquently eXhorteC
the young graduates not to write on theil
banner that low idea, "Succcss in Life
but to 20 forth with truth, honor, and duty
written on their flag and in their hearts
having as their one motive in life to walk the
path of truth, and the one guidinS-star to
direct them through life and to the port OF
peace.
Colonel Yenablc also said that on laying
aside his Office as chairman OF the Faculty
he desired to thank the students for the high
sense of honor they had shown him, and
their courteous sbearing in all of their inter
course with him, and to express his conf
dcnce that they would do the same in their
intercourse with his honored colleague, Dr.
James F. Harrison, who would succeed him.
He would say in no formal way, but from
the heart. "Farcwcl-God bless YOU" Colo
mel Vcnable was loudly chcered by the stu
dents, who seem to cherish for him warm
affectloll, altnOuan He Has pcth i'Siu III LIE
discipline of wrong-doers.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, July 3.-At l
O'Clock the Society of Alumni convened in
| the Public Hall to hear the annual address
Mr. B. johnson Barbour, the President of the
the Society, in the chair. After prayer by
the Rev. J. A. BroaduS, D. D., of South
Caroina, the President introduced as tht
orator for the. occasion native of Virgins
but adopted son of Maryland, the Hon