The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-06-19
RIcIrs1oSD COLLEGE.
Interesting commencement Exercises

l T..
Interesting commencement Exercises
FINAL CELEBRAT1OS OF MU SIGMA RHO
AND pHlLOLOGIAN LITERARY soCIE.
TIES-sALUTATORY BY afR. PAUL Y.TUP-
PER-ADDREssEs OF MEssRS. HOWARD R
BAYNE AND G. W. RIGGAN-vALEDICToRY
BY Mr.. F. BERTsON-ANNUAL MEET
ING OF,THE SOCIETY OF ALUMNI. &C., &C
The anniversary OF the literary societies
! of Richmond: College always attracts q
crowd, aud the occasion is one on which the
good people Of Richmond manifest their
interest in the young men whose orderly,
gentlemanly conduct has always done credit
both to themselves and to the college.
The pouring rain OF yesterday made many
long faces and sad hearts among the bellies
and beaux, as 1t seemed to dissipate all hope
OF the intended promenade, if not OF the
expected attendance at. the anniversary.
About dark, however, it ceased raining,
and there assembled
IN THE BEAUTIFUL COLLEGE CHAPEL
an audience representing the dignity, intel
ligence, beauty, and refinement OF the city.
The ball was very beautifully festooned
and decorated, and one needed not to be
told that the zeal Of the young men had
been aided by the good taste OF their lady
friends. After some very fine music by
Kessnich's band, during which pleasant
chit-chat ran around the room, the graceful
committeeman, who had been politely en-
gagged in seating the audience, escorted to
the platform the orators and officers Of the
societies, and the exercises were opened
with prayer by Rev. DR.. j. c. Long.
Dir. Paul Y. Tupper, Of Richmond, pre-
sidcnt OF the Mu Sigma Rho Society, deliv-
cred most appropriate, witty, and
ELOQUENT sALUTAToRT.
He would meet the audience at the thresh-
hold and throw wide open the door OF well
come to bid the digniied citizen, the
comely dame, the beautiful belle, and even
the good-natured fellow who sits on the
outskirts OF the audience and always ap-
plauds at the wrong time, come in. he eX-
planned that, instead of having as in other
years separate celebration for each So
ciety, the Mu Sigma Rho and Philologian
Societies have decided to have joint cele-
bration, and it was his pleasure to intro
duce the exercises of an anniversary which
closes
SESSION OF GENEROUS EMULATION
and fraternal intercourse between the soci-
cites. With humorous contrast between
the usual quiet which reigns in these halls
and the brilliant scene before him, and with
a glowing tribute to his older brothers who
have come back from the honors they are
winning in the great battle of life to attest
the interest they feel in their old societies,
Mr.. Tupper gracefully introduced as the
orator OF the Philologian Society
MR.. HOWARD Il. BATNE.
hr. Bayne took the degree of Master OF
Arts at Richmond College several years ago,
and has Just won his diploma in the law
school. His friends, therefore, expected to
hear from him sensible, mature speech,
and they were certainly not disappointed.
Selecting as his theme "The Last OF the
Knights" he first gave vivid sketch OF the
days OF chivalry, and then proceeded to a
portraiture of the lives and characters Of
Bayard and Sidney.
Accurate in his historic statements, clear
in his analysis OF character, chaste in his
diction, and striking In the contrasts he
drew between these two pure men, Mr..
Bayne produced an address decidedly above
the average Of college orations.
In the lessons he drew from the noble
men he portrayed Mr.. Bayne spoke as be-
came near relative OF our stainless knight
General Turner Ashby, and gave evidence
of sound Judgment, high culture, and good
taste, which give prophecy Of great success
in his chosen profession. He took his seat
amid the loud applause OF most apprecia-
tive audience.
Mr.. L. P. Robertson, president OF the
Philologian Society, then appropriately in-
troduced rs the orator Of the Mu Sigma Rho
Society
MR. G. W. RIGGAS.
Mr.. Riggan has Just won his degree Of
Master of Arts, and it was a matter of con-
graduation to the societies that instead OF
selecting their "honor men" from those
gentlemen who are too busily engaged in the
Society to meet properly the claims OF the
classroom, they selected them from among
the most earnest and successful students OF
the college. Announcing as bis theme
"The Claims Of the Beautiful" AIr. Riggan
brought down the house with his first sem
tence by saying that he did not propose to
discuss the claims OF the beauty before him,
since Virginia beauties are their own sutfl-
cient advocates, and
..-... VIRGINIA cHIvALRY
is ever ready to admit, without argument,
their claims. He severely satlri4ed the util-
itarian, mercenary, irreverent spirit OF our
times, and especially Of our land, and made
an argument for the cultivation OF our aS-
thetic nature which was at the same time
ingenious, able, earnest, and practical. He
closed with an appeal TO bis college-mates
both eloquent and telling.
Mr.. Riggan's dlction bore the impress OF
the "School Of English ," in Richmond Col
lege, which is sending out SO many men
who know their mother tongue. His deli
very fhe had not evena note before him)
was easy, graceful, and effective; and he
frequently brought down the house in rap
turous applause. >. 80. ....... ......
4 REMARKABLE ADDRESS.
4 gentleman who has been hearing such
speeches at various colleges for many years
said in the hearing Of this reporter that he
had rarely, il ever, heard an address the
equal in every respect OF that OF Mr. Rig
gan. He goes next September to the South
ern Baptist Theological Seminary to pre-
pare for his chosen profession, and it needs
no prophetic pen to predict for him, II he
shall be spared, high position in the min
tstry and bright career Of usefulness.
MR. r. P. ROBERTSON,
president OF the Philologian Society, then
made the yaledictory, in which he bade an
earnest farewell to his fellow-students, the
professors, the citi2 cns, and the ladies.
Mr.. Tupper then announced that the ora
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