The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-06-14
FEMA1E Co11raE CoMMENcEMENT..

1ne commencement exerClhbb VI tuo
Wheeling Female College were held In
the Opera House last evening. Although
an admission fee Of twenty-five cents was
asked at the door, the building was
crowded both above and below, by as tine
an audience as ever assembled within It's
walls. The stage setting vas unusually
fine, the floral decorations assisting much
In giving color and life To the scene, while
several tiny ieathered songters trilled
forth their richest melodies from their
gilded cages overhead. The young
ladies Of the graduating class, dressed
in virgin white, Sat in q semi.
circle, with the College trustees on the
left and the faculty on the right. In the
rear were the juniors, members Of the
examining committee, ministers and 9th
era. Kramer's superb orchestra was
present, and the excellent music rendered
by them between times was feature Of
the entertainment heartily enjoyed by all.
The exercises we're opened with prayer
by Rev. A. G. George, Of the Fourth
Street M. Z. Church, after which Miss
Minnie +. Maxwell, OF this city, read
the salutatory. The address was re-
plete with beautiful thoughts, which
were expressed in good language,
and spoken In pleasing, graceful
manner. Miss Maxwells effort was
rewarded with q shower Of generous ap.
plause and large assortment OF floral
offerings from friends and admirers in
the audience. Indeed, the agile young
African whose duty Il was to carry bou.
queta to the young ladies' was 80 besieged
with orders from the auditorium that
each particular kink OF his African wool
stood upright and he made desperate
effort 10 be in all parts OF the building ut
one time, 4 feat which no one but news.
paper reporter has yet successfully &c.
complished.
Miss Jennie McDonald'a essay on
"CliQues" was next in the order oflilerary
exercises. Miss Mcdonald dwelt parlic.
ularly upon the different classes Of which
Society" il composed, and the prevailing
idea that money alone Is sufficient 10 adj.
nit one into the first circles. Wealth Is
not invariably a standard; respeCtability
and intellect also find a welcome place,
but worth alone should govern ali. In
closing she entreated her hearers to work
for the common good OF all, as "in union
there is strength" The essay was short,
but none the less meritoriouG indeed,
we are one Of those who look upon brew.
ity a. a merit.
"What is It% was the subject oil an
essay read by Miss Olive Annette Stout.
We did not discover what it was, owing
to the noise and confusion OF some lolter.
ers at the door, who annoyed the
audience during the entire evening by
their loud talking and coarse laughter.
Miss Stout's closing words, however,
reached our ears, and they were 30 good
that we reproduce them: "How shall we
make our lives useful and successful ?
The question is only answered by each
days experience. We should leave our
indelible stamp upon all around U.S." etc.
Mics Julia Kraft read an address on
"Signs OF the Tines" which displayed
more knowledge Of the "shams" OF the
day than is usually possessed by young
ladies'. Miss Kraft noted AZ some OF
the encouraging signs OF the times honest
and independent statesmen, the decline OF
intempcrance, aCloscr union OF religious
sects and denominations, and the advance
ment OF women. The much talked OF
Southern policy" Of the President was
considered by the young lady as n hope
full sign indeed.
Miss Mary Adelia ROemer read care.
fully prepared and interesting paper on
National and International Education"
To teach children, the young lady de.
clared, was the command OF God and the
duty Of parents and guardians. In the
United States there can be no excuse for
ignorance-there are TOO many free
schools, newspapers, magazines, etc. She
hoped the day is not far distant when we
shall also have compulsory education.
In our opinion the best address Of the
evening was delivered by Miss i. Virgin
ia Miller on "Thc Heroism OF Passive
Obedience" Miss Miller has strong, clear
voice, IL correct pronunciation, and an al.
most iaultlcss elocution. She spoke Of
some OF the heroes Of the Old World,
and then Of our own heroic Washington.
Character, abe said, ia courage, strength,
bravery. The heroism Of the foreign
missionary Is a good illustration Of the
heroism Of passive obedience, but the
highest Is that Of the Son OF God.
The subject OF Miss Ida May Berger's
address, "Women's Destiny," is so old
that there is but little new to be said
about it, yet Miss Berger had some orig
inal ideas in her paper. She spoke OF the
heavy responsibility devolving upon
woman both in social and domestic rela-
tons, and admonished her classmates to
think for themselves, act for themselves,
and for themselves work out the great
problem oil life.
The address to the Alumnae was deliv.
cred by Miss Mary Lily Simpson, and
contained some excellent advice, which
the young ladies would do well 10 follow.
blowing Bubbles was made an inter.
esting theme by Miss Isadora Pollock.
Miss Pollock read her paper in such a
low voice that we were unable to distin-
guish all she said. What we heard we're
mostly disconnected sentences. Judging
from the applause with which she was re-.
warded, however, we take il for granted
that there was considerable merit in her
composition. .s H..
Miss Matte D. Hubbard's "Prophetic
Vision" humorously porLraying the pc.
sitions Of the class twenty years hence,
was much enjoyed by the audience.
Miss Belle Caldwell, OF ST. Louis, de.
livered the Valedictory, which was an
excellent address OF the kind. The office
Of Valedictorian is always a difficult one
to fill, but Miss Caldwell did il credit,
Miss A. Taylor, President Of the
Faculty, delivered sensible address, full
Of worldly wisdom, TO the graduating
class, after which the report Of the ex.
aiming committee was read. This com.
mittee is composed OF Revs. Armstrong,
Prickett, Anderson, Miller and Prof.
Hervey, who reported that the classes all
showed remarkable familiarity with the
text books, and displayed considerable
clearness and ability in discussing sub.
jects proposed by the committee. The
young ladies answered all questions
promptly and satisfactorily, and the COM
mIttec were unanimous in saying that
they reflected great credit alike on the
teachers and pupils.
The degrees were then conferred BY
Hon C. d. HnhhRrl pPaAilant NJ tho