The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-07-19
Il
Commercial 0bertiser.
SATURDAY. July 10.
SMITH COLLEGE, NORTHAMPTON.
MASS

MASS.
To lie Editor Of he PGeJic Commercial AIres Use.
Sir. Those who have attended tic arnrsl cz
animation a. Punahou, and listened to tic part
ing words Of tie hicads VIXEN tic President. a
the close Of the exercises, has asked to . give u
n Few words Of encouragement or advice, woul,
have enjoyed attending these just past annual OK
aminatiOns Of Smith College, and listening to thu
eloquent parting words addressed to the pioneel
class, who have just quilted the collegiate field
Around this, the first Commencement or this We,
infant College, is thrown a halo Of interest which
perhaps will be dimmed in succeeding years,
with succeeding classes. We have had our first
commencement Smith College Las cent out IT.
to the world the first fruits Of her training.
What wonder that this las been, and Is yet, the
great event over which usually staiI Northamp-
ton is excited.
On Saturday, June lab, was tie beginning
OF tbe end. The "Alpha " Society gave an en-
tertainment- An august organization is this
Alpha" and, as its name indicates, the first
society formed in the College. 1t shall not be the
last, however, Already the . Ola Podrida 3 is
humbly following in its footsteps, and / dare not
count the numerous societies Of which this shall
be the pioneer, The " Alpha > is composed en-
tirely Of SOphomOrers and Freshmen, and it's meet
irgs, held once in three weeks, are chiefly devot-
cd to Z" listening pursuits though lighter
amusemen.s are by no means scOrned.
On this particular Saturday evening the Facul-
ty and the Junior class were invited to be present
at the entertainment.
In the Physics room a stage was erected,
which, as the company took their seats, was con-
cealed by q superb curtain, principally composed
ofshawls. FOotlights, however, were notlacking
to the stage, and no one was critical enough to
think of the curtain, especially when it drew
aside and disclosed a beautiful tableaux. The
Bridal of PennacOOk, !" announced the programme
and the mistress Of ceremonies. 1t proved to be
q reading, illustrated by a series Of tableaux,
beautiful in conception and execution. To be
sure, the Indians were rather of the idealized
Hiawatha stamp; the clear bronze of their COM
plexion was unsullied by dirt. and their blankets
were unindianly clean. This, however, though
untrue to life, can hardly be called q defect. The
tableaux as they stood were 4 poem, beautiful as
IS Hiawatha," and if as POLITICALLY false to nature,
what matter? Indian nature, as regards its dirt,
is hardly worth copying, and since there is so
much uncleanness in real life, let Us not have it
dragged into our tableaux. This exhibition end
ed with a death-soDg, composed for the occasion
by one OF the girls. One clear, sweet voice car
ried the sad air, and gave the mournful words,
while several others humored an alto aeconrani-
ment. This, with the minor music, and the fact
that the singers were unseen, impaired a weird
ness to the whole which just rounded out its
strange beauty.
Second on the list came an essay, Daisy
Since Honolulu, with the rest of the
world, has read that most unfair and disappoint-
ing OF bOoks, it is sufficient to say of this essay that
it was a Nell-written review Of the book and its
characters, and Indignantly denied what
James would have US all think,-that Daisy
Miller is a representative American girl.
To ono who has seen on the boards OF the Bcs-
Ton Theatre that bewitching little absurdity,
PinaiOrc," perfect in every detail OF acting,
scenery, and music. the '' Selections from Pima
f" presented on the = Alpha % stage were as
;omical a burlcsquc as they were intended to
DC. y dozen girls, standing in stiff rows, books
n their hands, and alternately hurrying or draw
ng lOrsh the wOrld-lamed - PinaloTe music I" at
rise and fall OF the leaders baton tins was
! novel representation of the play, and hardly the
,ne our reveTcd Professor Phelps intended, when
ie asked what Z. Pinafore - should be on the
programme
Three scenes from = As You Like 1t follow
presented with good acting and better cos
umes.
\ beautiful solo upoI the zithern, and n read
ng and p~antomime from a. Lady Of the Lake"
where Fitz James announced himselfas the King,
,Iosed that part of the Entertainment. Every
hing was done by the girls, from first to last,
md VIC are - free to maintain " that nothing
ould have been done more s~killfuIly by boys
tile various hits against the - Proie, " well
in with a masculine gracefuIness. though
are proycrbially poor throwers.
The company now adjourned to tie parIors of
be Dewey House, where conversation, dancing,
nd supper occupied the remainder Of the even :
ne. One of the p%retticst things of the evening :
vas a minuet danced by eight girls, dressed in =
ye costume OF ye oldcn TYNE" The festivities :
losed with 4 farewell song, abiding mOurnfuliy :
o the approaching " orals," and joyfully to the
dded dignity which each class, especially the
freshman, was soon 10 obtain. =
Sunday was gloomy in the nssning, and :
tormy in the afternoon, but in spite OF the pour :
ng rain there were many who were brave l
nough, when four O'Clock came around, to face y
he storm, for the sake Of hearing the Baccalaure- :
tie sermon, which Pres-Seelye was to deliver.
were reserved for the Seniors in the front
{ the church, and the other classes were seated
immediately behind them. The text was Matt. ,
l.: 80. /" Seek We first the kingdom of God and T
is righteousness, and all these things shall be d
dded unto yOu,' Tie sermon was fine, as is |
verythiDg which comes from the pen and lips of =
resident Seelye. At the close Of the sermon e
roper Game a long, impressive pause, and then b
{ the words, 4" Young Ladies of the Graduating I
lass I'' the eleven seniors arose, and stood while =
be President gave them his farewell words.
hey were the last he should say to them as a t