The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-06-17
sTEUBENvILLE SEMINARY.
The Commencement Exercises
that Began OH Monday and
Closed Yesterday.
STEuDENvILLE, O., June 10th.
.,.i,i A., ,.r,.nnr,. .tnuco NJ tho TntnIIIuOnpnF

oTEUBENNlhhEj Va JHhu luNI'
Special Correspondence Of tho IntolllgCuccr.
1t was not my privilege to be present
at all the exercises connected with the
present Commencement. But possibly II
may be n qualification TO some OF your
readers to have astrAngCrs' account Oiw hat
lie has actually seen here. Arriving last
evening, after the Concert had commenced,
| was tishered into the densely packed
hall by my old friend Mrs. Ried. Know.
ing that In Pittsburgh, New York, and
Philadelphia, and wherever ! have gone
lately, "Ilard times" Is sad reality, /
could not help wondering how Il was
that these halls still kept lfb, their
numbers Of bright beautiful girls, so Ger
tain, the most Of them, to become noble
wonien--a credit to their alma ma
Ter, to their families and to their
country. The only answer ! can give Is
the marvelously low price at which these
facilities are here offered.
It is we'll understood everywhere in
this region that this seminary IL not
patronized, exclusively or mainly, by the
children Of fortune and wealth, but
rather by that grand middle class, which
has always and everywhere embodied the
best blood Of the nations. And where TO-
day arc to be found the bone and sinew,
the heart and brains, on which the hopes
Of the republic for the time to come so
largely depend. To be sure the flash OF
the diamond on the finger Of beauty isnot
sometimes lacking here, but in its place
are found taste, simplicity, beauty, men.
tai power, the determination to be useful
and to make home happier. How inan-
itely better this, than to bring forth after
q three or four years course, with
plethOric bills every few months, n set Of
petted dolls, unfit to be daughters, wives
or mothers for men OF sense, on whose
physicnl aud mental efforts the progress
Of the world absolutely depends.
The Hall, al have said, was denSely
packed in every part, and yet the most
perfect order prevailed. ! was too weary,
after MI unusually hard days work, to
listen to all the vocal and instrumental
performances. But the reputation Of the
institution for excellence In this depart.
ment art was we'll maintained. Where all
was so good II would be invidiOus to make
comparisons, but to me, the Scotch ballad,
by my young friend, Miss lIettie Reid,
and the roudo, by Miss lIettie McCOok,
struck me very pleasantly, manifesting
musical capacity md promise, rs well rs
faithful practice. But enough OF the con-
cert.
This morning u large audience as
Eemblcd In the tastefIlly Orhamented
Hall for the Commencement exercises
proper. noticed among the strangers
from distance, Colonel J. /. Nevin, ed.
itor Of the Pittsburgh Ledtier, and his
family; Rev. DR.. Swahey, Of Annapolis, o.;
j. II. Shields, Esqy Of Louisville, KY;
Mr.. Condit, Of Cleveland, o. Rev. Mr.. and
Mrs. Gill, Of Allegheny City, Pa; Mr..
and Mrs. David UpdegrulF, Of Mount
Pleasant, o.; Miss BuNitt, Of Keokuk,
Iowa; Dr.. and Mrs. llenningS, Of Spring.
field, Ill.,; Rev. Mr.. Fravclli, Of Kinder.
garten fame about pittsburgli; Mr.. Barr,
Of Erie, Pa; Mrs. Byers, of Minneapolis,
Mimi, and many others.
Among the old pupils who were here
In force, | also noticed Mrs. Sue Alex
ander, who returned from India last fall
with her two noble looking little boys.
But the most pleasant sight OF al was
the venerable looking DR.. Beatty, who
with his estimable lady was able 10 he
present, though both nearly blind, to hear
at least the old sounds and feel the pres.
ence Of this happy throng, the result Of
the tolls and trials Of their young lives,
nearly half century ago. Long may
they live to grace these festal occasions,
and to welcome back to these halls their
old pupils and assistants. How infinitely
more cfeditable such labors than the liv.
ing ofselfsh lives mainly for ones own
ease and comfort. Truly can they testify
that at is better to give than to receive
But | must add a few words as to the
performances. One general remark may
be made, to.wit: That the reading was
ereeiienk II Ia rare even, among profess
sional men, that one hears 30 much clear,
distinct CnunciaLiOn, appreciation Of the
sentiment and ability to impress the
thought upon the hearer as was mani.
ieited by these earnest, simple.hearted,
unpretending girls. ! cannot speak Of
them all individually, but among those
who interested me most were Miss Swa.
ney, who read the salutatory, Miss A. NJ.
Ault, whose theme was "Gems and their
hiding places" some Of whose sentences
were themselves gems, beautifully set and
M of too by her admirable reading.
Also Miss Shields, Of Kentucky, whose
proud and glad father sat near me,
and whom could hardly help envying,as
tears filled both our eyes. Her selection
Of telling anecdotes was very happy,
''Womans real place IL where she can do
the most good" said the speaker. Her
reading was sweet music to me. So clear,
distinct, impressive, and all the more 80
from her apparent and childlikc uncon-
sciousnesS, 40 like her quiet, clear cut and
beautiful face.
The Yaledictoty was nicely conceived,
admirably expressed, and well read. !