Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-06-27
Reported for The Regisisr.l
Examination and First Commencement
a. Shepherd College.


To those who are about to enter the
arena of active life, Commencement day
is very solemn occasion. To their
friends and the friends OF the institution
Commencement exercises are always
fraught with interest. The students tor
weeks had looked forward neryously to
the last days Of the session, when they
were to undergo the trying ordeal OF a
public examination. We too felt some
what timid as 20 the result of such a
test before the public on account OF the
inexperience of the students in this par
ticular direction, but our fears were
soon dispelled They all acquitted
themselves admirably, and evinced such
tboroughness and mastery of all the
branches in which they were examined
as to reflect the greatest credit upon
their progress and the institution itself
The Examinations commenced on We'd
nesday morning and continued until
Friday evening During this time
nearly the entire prescribed course Of
instruction in the institution was gone
through. 1t was interesting through
out and ATTRACTED great deal Of atten-
ton from citizens of our own and ad-
joining counties. All expressed them
selves as delighted with the commenda-
bic progress of the students, and telt
proud that the youth in this section OF
the State could have the superior advan-
tases of such high order Of education,
Our State officials, Gov. Jacob, State
Superintendent Col. Byrne. Auditor
Bennett, and Treasurer Burdett, all ex-
pressed themselves as highly pleased
with the examinations ana commence
meut exercises, and assured us of their
hearty co operation and support in the
future.
Gu Thursday evening Major II. kyd
Douglas, OF IIagerstown, delivered an
able ard popular address to the mem-
bers of the Parlhenian and CicerOnian
Literary Societies. Prayer was offered
by Rev. J. Hawkins, after which the
speaker was introduced. Space permits
of but an extract Of this literary gem.
After ieciting the story OF Rip Van
Wrinkle, lie added -
This story, quaint aud curious as it is,
was once a puzzle to me, but can I'M
derstand it all now. have learned Its
meaning in the flight OF time aud school
of experience.
Nearly twenty years nave gone since
| PLAYED with ball and cricket, and
thumbed over the book used in my
schooldays, and went through the tire
some daily ordeal of your life. Twenty
wears AGO 1t does not seem so very
long, aud yet what wondrous change
in that score of years, even III tins old
town. Twenty years is a mighty span
in the great bridge which unites the
centuries, over whose arches and piers
armies have marched in triumph and
professions have gone III werplnS-a
period of time crammed with events
without precedent in history, and chan
ging all the current Of civilization. Since
twenty years ago greater revolution
has swept over us than that which ltlp
Van Wrinkle slept through, greater has
been its Woe and vastly greater its dead.
But it is no, with great events we have
to do; they are history. Let lis keep
within a narrower range. How tins
very spot Of ground has changed. Then
there stood here a little old building
and ruined and lettering old mill.
That soon gave way to sprightly
Town Hall, which was in turn convert
ed into a temple where law and justice
took up her seat for while and held
the scales sometimes with uneven hands,
and now we have another and fitting
transformation into this College of lit
erature and learning. Where is the
old Salt Box Gone to more utter
ruin than the home OF Rip Van Wrinkle.
1t lives only in tradition. Its teachers
have departed, the scholars who filled
it in this fashion are scattered and gone
some at the bridal, some to the tomb.
| seem to catch the voices of our COM
panions of those days coming back to
US as a merry or melancholy echo from
the past and there comes, now and
then spectral host of school fellows,
brave boys and bright girls, now III
their graves, who still keep up their in
visible march through our hearts and
across our memories, to teach us lessons
which neither teachers nor books, but
only time and sore trial can make plain
TO Us.
But il ia not with the past and its
memories that we have to do; rather
with the active duties Of the present, in
preparation tor your future.
We regret we have not room for
further extracts from this beautiful ad-
dress which was so well received by
the large audience.
The exercises on Friday evening we're
opened with prayer by Rev. G. ". An
drews, d. D. VIM L. Wilson, Esq,
OF Charlestown, was then introduced
and delivered an able and scholarly ad-
lse IN Tho Paoepte Trusteas friends