The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-08
THE COLLEGE CONTEST.

CORNELL WINS BOTH PRIZES For SHAKESPERIAN
EssAYs-THE FIRST PRIZE IN oRAToRY
AWARDED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
WILLIAMS COLLEGE GETS THE sEcoND-AN
EVENING OF PLATITUDEs AND MEDIoCRITY.
The first annual contest OF the Intercollegiate
Literary Association was held at the Academy OF
Music last evening. The Rev. DR.. John Hall pre-
sided and the auditorium, which was well filed
throughout, except in the Olympian heights. pre-
scented sight seldom witnessed in the
fashionable opera house o. the metropo-
lis. There were few ladies. comparatively
speaking, and such thing as 'dressing the
house" was not thought Of In place OF the ladies'
however, were some venerable and some disttn-
gulshed men OF letters and the young men OF
fashion in the foyer and cOulisses supplanted
by youthful collegians. The greater part OF the
evening was devoted to oratory, ana the three
judges-Mr. William Cullen Bryant Mr.. George
william Curtis and Mr.. Whiteaw Reid-sat to-
gether near the middle OF the parquet TO hear and
judge the efforts OF the young aspirants for foren
SIC honors.
There were ten orators named on the bill OF the
evening. and all OF them were heard. or these
two were from Rutgers, two from Lafayette TWO
from Williams, two from Princeton and two from
the University OF New York. The 1rst Of them
who dared in his own wealth OF simie to breast
"the winds OF circumstance" that he might
the slopes OF medlocrity" was Mr.. John II.
Salisbury, OF Rutgers. Any luIther descrip-
ee H that MS his 0fI Subject was .Independent
Thought" He was followed by Mr.. Forrest
at u raceh o speed and pronouneed history
history. The third orator was Mr.. Charles B.
oo 81 Noh s saosc was Simply
biography oil Gustavus Adophus, IN which ne
made 10 eaten
Apparently Mr.. Huobell was the Oldest among the
contestants. Ii he was not his infant whlskers
next speaker was Mr.. Waiter b. Edmonds,
9, Williams: His ~ sq n:j, WA was "ine st;
almost without beginning, middle or end; but IN
It's worst ieature-its sophomore philosophical
gave more promise OF the thinking faculty in the
orator than was exhibited IN any or the efforts
which preceded or followed 1t. 1t was q pity,
however it was not delivered IN the college halls
at Wllliamstown, as 1t was not quite good enough
to be heard IN the big outside world. Mr. b. G.
Cooke. OF the University OF New York. followed
but he did not prove himself one OF them His
Grafton was string Of patltudes, rather chastely
college lad should be asking admlraton lelici-
tous illusions TO Sir Galahad, or making quota
tons from CARLYLE IN the academy OF Music. Inc
whose subject was Charles sumner" 1t look
him long time to get TO sumner at all but when
he touched the lamented Senator he at once fixed
Mr.. Summers place in history as the greatest man
who ever sat in the United States Senate. MIR.
Of tn the University Of New York. In the early
part OF his grafton Mr.. Tomnnson spoke
wsn a o. IS Ss Do ans
OF 1.-THE Ga" Unexplored he called ''unex-
poad" and many other words were uttered with
an equally barDarous pronunciation. 1t Is que to
him TO say, however, that when he forgot his
anectations his voice was sweet, gentle and per-
which none OF the other orators OF the evening be-
trayed-the gilt OF oratory. The three speakers
Nicholas, Of Princeton, on "Michael Angelo;" Mr..
N. II. Larzeeor, OF Lafayette, on 1.-THE Truesr
Mr. 1Gsc Sss Of Gc'n En-
ponents OF the Religious sentiment" They
were all Of them Of about equal merit,
the attention Of his audience. The closing nke
was a .iairly considered. essay, BY MI. Samuel N.
Miller, OF Princeton; but the scene IN itself was
enou aa M
patiently while this lad boldly advocated ''Free
Thought" and sought to harmontze the views Of
teachings OF the Bible This closed the exh1-
bition OF precoclous genius. but when all Of them
OF Mr.. salisbury had nty described oil the other
efforts as well as his own. Each OF these young
breasted the WINDS OF circumstance rnat upon
the slopes OF mediocrty he might clothe himself IN
| the rags OF commonplace.
OF MOVERS were sent down the alses OF the theatre
and lifted over the heads OF the band upon the
stage. 1t is to be regretted that the first Of these
! floral offerings was made to Mr.. Cooke, Of the New
YORK University. though Mr. TomlinsOn alterward
! repuked this Ostentatous mode Of showing ad-
miraulon by boldly turning his back upon the
bouquets and baskets intended Tor him. AS he Is
/ the wreath man." the reDuke Is all the more
pronounced. When the speaking was over the
judges of oratory le.t their seats and. preceded
by Mr.. Bryant. started for the stage. As
the venerable poet slowly walked up
the middle aisle he was recognized
and greeted with hearty cheers. While they were
making up judgment the report Of the judges of
essays was read by Colonel Thomas Wentworth
Higginson. Eight ESSAYS were presented i've
being on Snakesperian characters and three on
the unitarian theory OF morals. For the Shake
sperian subjects Cornell University carried or
both tue prizes the first being awarded to George
Ii. Fitch for any essay on Henry W. ana tae
second to James +. ClucE Tor one on "Tne CLOWNS
OF Shakespeare" For the second subject A. Mar
quand, OF Princeton, took tue first prize and the
second prize went to w. r. Thompson, OF the
! University OF New York. Then Mr.. Bryant ap-
peared and announced the first prize In OratOry as
awarded to Mr.. TOmlinson, OF the University OF
New York, and the second to Mr.. EdmOnds or
Williams college. 1hereupon the shouts OF the
| college lads all over the house were almost deafen.
| ing, and in the side scenes some OF the Williams
! boys were so boisterous that the further remarks
! OF Mr.. Bryant were nearly lnaudlble. There was an
| announcement that Mr.. John Jacob Aston had
! contributed sum OF money which would greatly
increase the value OF the prizes. Then the audi
| ence dispersed, many OF them anxtously scanning
their time table lest they should be too late Tor the
! trains out OF town.