The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-07-04
HYDE PARK. JULY a, 1877
COMMENCEMENT NOTES.

of having an organ II Ohe 0"ii'io' '0
.ilate bis ideas therein, occasionally.
We started to attend the commence
ment exercises at Burlington, last
week, but, having been quite severely
attacked with the fishing fever, we
were present during but part oil
the exercises, and confine our notes to
the part of which we were an interest
ed listener.
of the exercises on commencement
day, there is one criticism which news
papers can safely keep stereotypeo,
namely, universal lack Of force ana
animation on the part of the speak
ers. If the boys after their long year
ofhard study could take weeks Vaca-
tiou previous to commencement, ana
make fishing tour, thereby securing
n quantity of good blood and muscle
il would add more to their appearance
than the week usually spent hunting
after the instructor in retoric, and
family bowling to him their article,un-
til they become 50 sick of it that what
little enthusiasm remained after Its
composition, evaporates, and tlred'
disguised and physically and mentally
sick, they have little more ambition
than simply to get through the task
and off for home.
Another general criticism to be
made, as it seemed to us, was a dis
position to speak in adogmaticaI man
mer, as much as to say, 81 have settled
this question henceforth and forever -
We venture few criticisms on IN
diyiduals. Had Mr.. French thrown
more force into his article, as he might
easily have done, it would have been
remarkably improved. 1t was very
we'll written and exceedingly interest
ing. Mr.. Thompson also had prac-
teal and interesting piece, and sue
ceeded in firing up rather more than
the average. His enunciation, how
ever, was injured by too rapid utter
ance. We marked him third, Mr.
Henderson second and Miss Sherman
first, on the merit of their orations
In thought and composition we con
sidered Miss Sherman's Grafton as the
finest we had ever heard at a col.
lege commencement, and though, al
first, we wondered that she should
Mawe been given the last place on the
programme, when there were five III
her class who outranked her in marks.
we were satisfied that she earned the
position by the merit Of her Grafton,
We cannot understand, however, why
Mr.. Henderson was not given the
place considered second in point Of
honor. The progressiveness of ou
age was indicated not alone by the fact
that a lady should present the bes'
Grafton in her class and that a coloreC
man should have led his class in schol.
arship for four years, but in the orches
ira, which furnish as good music as has
been provided for years, there was
lady violinist who played remarka
bly, we'll and did not unsex herself t
do it: ode day of jubilee am comm.
All may as well prepare for it. Ii
the not distant future woman will
stand in her proper position, possessed
'of all the rights and responsibilities
supposed to be peculiarly the peroga
tive of the other sex.
Quite newspaper confab has beer
aroused by the action of the Phi Bet;
Kappa in taking in Mr.. Dennison, wht
stood eighth in his class, in preference
to three others, to whom the homo
rightfully belonged, according to tn,
previous custom of the society.
We clip the following from the Ere
Press:
Few college-bred men, we fancy
are SO ill-informed as to suppose tina
the honor of membership of the Phi
Beta Kappa is either conferred or de
MED by the Faculty, or Corporation
or enlargement" of the University
For the benefit of others, less familia
with college matters, who may hav,
heard something said about the cleo
tions to the Phi Beta4kappa, at til,
late Commencement here, we ma,
explain that the Phi Beta Kappa is
literary society, having chapters in
number of colleges. 1t is not the col
lege, or the faculty Of the college, o
the management of the college.
is not under the control of the facult,
or trustees or management Of the col
lege, nor responsible to them. Estab
lished at the college, and compose,
of its alumni, it is still a very indie
pendent organization, accepting dicta
ton from no quarter, and bound b
its own rules and usages, which ar
generally not settled by any singl
chapter. 10 blame the management
of the college for the acts of the SC
'ciety, therefore, shows gross miscon
.centi0n Or nrnssnr malice