Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-06-28
Iowa CITY, Iowa, June, 20, 1873.

Iowa CITY, Iowa, June, 20, 1873.
TO the Editor: The State University
has just closed the most successful
commencement in it's history. A large
number of visitors have been present.
and this beautiful city has worn gala
day appearance When the half thous-
and and more young men and women
laid aside their text books for the year,
they were confronted by committees
who put them through rigid examina-
tions, and decided upon their fitness for
graduation or advancement to higher
classes. The law school has had an at
tendance during the year of III students,
of which number 81 were candidates for
graduation and submitted to careful and
thorough questioning by bevy of law
yers. Thanks to the instruction of the
law faculty-headed by that able schol-
ar and teacher Chancellor Hammond
these young men were able to stand the
fire to the last man, and all got their
'sheepskins." They are now ready to
practice, and will be an honor to the
country if they but heed the sound ad-
vice rendered them by President Slagle,
and the Hon. Judge Grant, of Daven-
port, who delivered the annual Law ora
ton. The examinations in the Colleg-
late Department upon which there was
an attendance of nearly 400-were also
very strict and impartial, and as in the
Law School, evinced rapid progress and
through culture on the part of the stu
dents. The members of the senior
classes in both the Academic and En-
gineering departments, to the number of
25, were graduated with hOnOrs. The
Medical School held it's commencement
in the winter, and including it's graduates,
the University sent nearly 150'' children"
out into the world this year.
Among the features of commence
ment were the closing lecture of Chan
cellor Hammond to the law class; the
Baccalaureate sermon by President
Fairchild, of Oberlin College, O.; union
anniversary of the literary societies; the
reunion of the alumni and the grafton
by the orator Prof. Nipher, of st Louis
University; the annual commencement
hop and alumni picnic, in which the
generosity of the citizens belonging
to the Woodside boat club fairly out
did itself. Then we had the Masters
grafton by Mr.. Graydon, of Cincinnati,
and the fairwell address of the retiring
President. Mr.. Slagle, and the inaugural
grafton of President Pickard-both elo-
quent addresses.
The University is now ON the high
road of progress The liberal endow-
ment made by the last Legislature has
put new life into it. For years it had
been doing it's work under serious disad-
vantages which are now partially re-
moved The university is the pride of
the people of Iowa and stands at the
head of the educational interests Of the
State. Its graduates and those who
have enjoyed it's instruction are already
a power in the State for good. The
graduates of the law schools form a
circle of strength at the bar of the State,
on the bench and in the halls of legis-
lation; the physicians who were grad
uated from its School of Medicine are
among the foremost in the profession;
the collegiate department and the other
have educated men and
women who are hoporipg the institution
and the State as ministers, educators,
journalists, lawyers, scientists; and the
young generation of the State are being
taught by former University students.
The motto of the Regents is improve
ment, and for several days they have
been holding meetings to consider the
of the University. They abol-
ished the first year of the preparatory
school, and at the close of the present
year will leave the high and graded
schools Of the State to prepare students
for the University very sensible idea,
indeed Then the collegiate department
was somewhat recognized. 1t will now
consist of two branches School of
Letters and the School Of Science
These schools will be independent, in
measure, of each other and will be on
the same footing. The University can
put down new mark in favor of the
co-education Of the sexes, for the Re
gents have elected a woman aproPessor,
who has accepted the position. She
will be the first woman who has ever
had similar honor bestowed upon her.
The fortunate lady is the cultured Miss
2. w. Sudlow, principal Of the Dayen-
port public schools. Our new President
Prof. Pickard-is a whole-souled,
scholarly, genial gentleman; one who