The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-06-24
Mary Sharp Commencement.
Editor Home journal !

In pursuance Of your request, that du~
ring your necessary absence some one
would give this wee, n resume Of thc Com
mcnccmrnt exercises Of Mary Sharp Col
lcsc, | beg q brief space in your valuable
paper, mot after your rcmindrr) to COM
mend to the favorable notice of parents
having daughters 10 educate the superior
advantages afforded for this purpose ut
this institution, now in the 2jth year OF
successful operation, with ample buildings
repIclG with every comfort and conve-
%nloncc, and presided over by II President
and corps OF teachers who, rs you well say,
have given Il character to the College well
known-placlng 1t far above the reach of
envy, and challenging competition the
world over.
But my object is to note impressions
made upon my mind by the exercises of
the day. And although | row live in
quiet retirement, yet ut 0nc period OF my
life having had the honor to preside over
various institutions of both sexes, / claim,
cyen from the 'oop-h0leS Of my retreat, to
possess some powers of observation Of
passing events; and | canditly say that !
was never more iorcib!y impressed with
the commencement exercises of any col
lcgc, of either sex. AS onG of the young
ladies q believe MissMary Sharp, one ofthe
descendants of the noble bcncfictrcss after
whom the college is nNmcd,) beautifully
said, "Mind has no scX,'and the exercises
would have done credit to Yale or Prince
ton, or any other institution Of the land.
Where all did so well, it would be invid-
ious to particulariae. Every Essay spark
led with gems of thought set in golden
diction. Truly a feast of reason and low
OF soul, in which the ambrosial food.
words lltly spokcn-applcs of gold in pic
lures of sllver-was served with graceful,
sylph-likc forms, simply, neatly, artistic
ally attircd, and aiiording Il marked con-
trast to the expensive apparel and jcwclry
so common on such occasions.
The admirably managed music, with
brilliant touch, both voice and instrument,
added II charm to the programme, and
gave i~ndisputable evidence that the shrine
Ofthc MUSES. had received many Il yOtivc
Oilcriug.
President Graves, at the outset, gave no.
tic. of the originality Of the Essays, say
ing that his graduating class had resisted,
to his knowledge, the alluring offers of
the Literary Societies formed for the pur-
pose of furnishing graded compositions
tor graduated prices. But to my mind the
strongest internal evidence of the origin
ality Of the Essays was the unity of
thought, and often of expression, used in
almost every Essay, though the subjects
were widely dissimilar. They clearly
the impress of one master mind in
moulding the plastic clay in his hands.
There were the same classical expressions,
the same scientific deductions, both in
mental. moral and mechanical philosophy,
the same s~yllogisms in reasoning; and
above all the same pure theology, which
as far rs could observe, d%isregarded as
well the mystic philosophy of the German
school as that religion of mere sense re-
CURED by 4 doubling Thomas, yet cvinced
a well-delincd, active faith in the Bible us
the revealed will of God, and the duty of
improvement in moral. not to
intellectual attainmcntS, not only in
time, but through the boundless realm of
ever approaching yet never
the Infinite.
1t was announced in the programme
that Rev. j. X. Graves would deliver the
liaccalaurcatc Address, but just as he was
about to appear for that purpose, the shriil
of the locomotive warned him, and
7omc others, that they must tear them
away to meet other engagements.
This called forth IN %ilupromptu address
from President Graves that was inimita-
Bile, and proved him the true orator.
Though contentious. every word was i
1t came from the heart and went
To the heart. True. oratory. is an art, yet
The p0tlOS cVinccd on this occasion c0uld
be felt, not affected. | would like to pro-
luce some of the ideas he suggested, but
Is you warned your correspondent against
| long-windcd article, ! torbcar.
! agree with you that the Mary Sharp
College is on the high road to prosperity.
She has worked out tie problem ofthc ca
)acity OF the female mind for the highest
,ttainmcnts in science, and certainly COM
ncnds itself to the patronage of those who
their daughters trained in solid and
knowledge; and, as far as !
,ould jutgc, the graceful and refined &C
,omPllShmentS oftheseX. L.
RirerSidc, June 18Th, 1875,