Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-06-22
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FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE %, 1877
Local.
THE LAST COMMANDMENTS.

THE LAST COMMANDMENTS
CoMMENCEMEN AT THE D., D. & B. IN
sTITUTIoN-AN HIGHLY COMPLIMENT
TARY AUDIENCE-THE FINAL EXERCI-
sEs-CLosING EXERCISES OF TIE IVES
! LEYAN FEMALE INSTITUTE.
| &C., &C., sc.
! This week witnessed the last of the COM
mencement exercises at the educational
institutions. The preliminary concert
which took place at the D., D. Il B. lnsti-
tuition, of which Capt. Chas. d. Mccoy is
Principal, took place on Tuesday night,
and was the occasion of a compliment in
the shape of an outpouring Of our people
never before witnessed. Though the con-
cert was not to commence until S o'clock,
visitors began coming by 81 O'Clock and
when the performance commenced there
were eight hundred persons in a hall which
only seats six hundred and the porches
outside were filled with listeners so pleased
that they stood it out till the close of the
evening, 10 o'clock. Prof. A. J. Turner,
the musical director, had selected pro-
gramme with his usual excellent taste and
it was splendidly given by his vocalsts, Or
chestra, and band, besides which two of
his former pupils, Miss Susie Ridenhour
and Miss Catlett, the former vocalist of
extraordinary merit, gave two or three
songs N ISIS Rs singing OF ''IlI follow
| thee,'' was full justification for the furl-
GUS applause which greeted it. When we
say that the overture to ''Stradella' was
perfectly rendered by Prof. Turner's blind
orchestra we let the reader know the stand
ard and the excellence of the music In
the vocal music the choruses were very
fine and q duet ..'Larboard watch ahoy,7'
sung by Misses Taylor I; pupil, and Miss
l.. L. Berkeley, of the Institution staff, in
which the latter lady exhibited a contralto
voice of remarkable excellence. The Swiss
song of Lily White was a wonder Of exc
cution for a child. We think that the
Grand audience present, one of tie most
:,ppreciative We have seen, must have been
a Welcome com pliment to Prof. Turner at
the close of the years labor. The ever
green notices on the wall said Home.
sweet home;'' if the audience had had the
|
''Well donen
THE EXAMINATION.
Wednesday morning the final exercises
took place, an exhibition familiar to our
readers but which was witnessed with
great surprise and qualification by the
large number Of strangers who are brought
here by the Wesleyan Female Institute.
One of the most astonishing was something
not set down i'll the programme and one
for which no special preparation could have
been made, the examination of Ruby Now
lin and Frank Schinault, two blind schol-
ars, on the maps of Europe and this coun-
try by Rev. J. L. Miller, Principal Of the
Staunton Female Seminary, who happened
| to be present. Scores of questions were
rapidly put to the little ones and answered
!: with promptness and accuracy in every
case. The LIST Deaf Mute class was rep
resented by Robt. ChiIes of Richmond and
: Jos. Painter, this being the first session Of
, the former. They wrote sentences, given
them by signs, with astonishing rapidly.
THE AWARDS.
The prizes for general excellence
beautiful gold crescents for the boys and
stars for the glrls-were awarded to VIM.
M. Anderson, of Rockbridge, and lola
Burks, of Lynchburg, in the blind depart
ment, and Jno. A. Starks, of Norfolk, and
| Cora A. Fultz, of Rockbridge in the deaf
mute department. The other scholars
who received prizes were Jno. Ryan, Isaac
Humbert, Jno. 6. Mustard, Barry Owen,
| W. D. Jones, Ewing Starls, Willard Loft
land, Thomas Penn, Ida Hiner and
Amanda Wilfeng, in the department of
useful work, and John Wingfield, Frank
Shinall, Amanda Wilfong, Isaac Humbert,
Virgie Shaver, Ruby Nowlin, Emma Reed
VIM. Anderson, Lilly White, Rebecca
Cardweli, Fred Harris, Virginia Watkins,
Brown Huff, Macca Harvey, Louisa
Peery, Walter Vanhorn, Barney Owen and
Cora Fultz, in the schools.
One prize that was not publicly present.
ed caused great deal Of merriment in the
institution. 1t was presented by Capt A.
n. Breckenridge, the efficient steward,
who had had a loaf Of bread, about the
size of a hand trunk, baked, to be given to
the ''biggest eater" 1t was presented to
u boy who belongs to the band, and who is
fully able to tackle it.
THE CLOSE.
Yesterday morning Capt Breckenridge
| shipped, after a cake and ice cream frolic
Wednesday night, the happy scholars
per rail for their homes. During the SEES
| sion which has closed there have been 100
pupils in the Institution. and there has
| not been in the year single dea tn, and
! but one case Of serious sickness. The pro-
gress Of the pupils has been astonishing.
and the discipline perfect.-More cannot
be said fer an institution which Capt Nc
| Coy and his staff make a credit to the
whole State.
Commencement at the Wesleyan Female In
| stitute.
| The Commencement Exercises of this
institution had their beginning in u ser
mon by Bishop Kavanaugh Sunday morn
ing, and at night Rev. Jno. A. Kern, of
Baltimore preached the sermon of the Y
| L. G. A. The celebration of the Lee and
| Jackson Literary Society followed Mon
| day night, and Oh Tuesday night came the
| annual Soiree. The final exercises We'd
nesday in Grange Hall were witnessed by
| fully 800 persons. The StoneWal band
was present. There were eight full grad
uotes-Misses Alice "A. Coleman, of Miss. ; /
B. Blanche Gilbert, of Va. ; Cornelia Har
dy, OF Miss. Belle o. Harris, of Va. Ma
ry S. S. Grandin, of d. c.; Lula r. Hutch !
iSon of Va. Tahbie H Yelverton of |