Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-01-04

B -
schools to give some signs of their
prosperity during the Christmas
season; among these the
FEMALE ACADEMY
is gene ally foremost, but this sea-
son its exhibition OF music and
caIisthenics WAS deferred on account
Of sickness lin the family OF the
Rev. Plumner, Principal of the
establishment.
THE SOUTH WESTERN UNIVERSITY
announced it's senior classes inter-
mediate orations for Dec. oath, at
the New Hall of the College. Eight
young orators were announced, but
it was the coolest day of the season
and it was found impossible, in the
unfinished state OF the hall, TO warm
it to any thing like an endurable
degree Temperature. So after the
three first orators had spoken Presi-
dent Shearer wisely adjourned the
exhibition till next February. The
three who did speak were Messrs.
G. II. Chamberlain, w. NJ. Cox.
F. G. Gilbert.
Mr.. Chamberlain gave an anu
sing disquisition on "The Difficult
ties Of Speech Making.n going over
the hackneyed themes of college
oratory and demonstrating the im-
possibility of braaching a new idea
in rel ltion to any one of them.
Mr.. Cox gave us an account of
HannibaPs invasion of Italy, which
was well expressed, but a little too
long, especially with the thermon-
eterat an infinitesiulal grade above
zero. He would have done better
to refer us to Livy for some of the
details.
Mr.. F. G. Gilbert spoke about
"Party and lis Uses and Abuses"
His address was thoughtful and well
expressed, and evinced a careful
study of history. But human en-
durance gave out under the bitter
ness of the cold, and if Clay, Web
ster and Calhoun had been the
speakers mortal man could have
stood no more, SD we went home
shiveriug to our beds.
THE BRoADHURsT INSTITUTE
amused us with an open session of
the Excelsior Society, which is q
literary club consisting of young
ladies and gentlemen of the Insti-
tute. Their programme was long
and varied, and our space will only
admit of a general account Of it.
The vocal portion of the enter
tainment was chiefly sustained by
Misses Settle, Cabiness, Billingsley,
Merriwether and Lieber, Master
James Hamlet and Messrs. Ed.
Williams and Prof. Parker it was
all highly creditable to the musical
training of the establishment, but |
cannot be criticised in detail.
The other salient features were a
debate by Elijah Beach and Ed.
TURNKEY; Mr.. John LIE Masters
Chronicles of the Conference; a !
German recitation by Master Bailey
Wilson, and many others but over
topping all the Wax Work Exhibit
ton, with Miss Halter as the origi- |
nal Jarley. Lie Beach, who per-
sonated our neighbor Riley in the |
act of laughing at his own jokes, |
was a feature in this, and was done |
to the life, especially rs regards that |
little lugubrious sinking of the |
voice toward the close, which comes
in when Riley finds he is the only |
person laughing. We will only |
specify for emphatic approval young |
Wilson's admirable recitation of the |
old German poem of the 'Erl |
King" Ttspeaks volumes for the |
linguistic training of the Institute, |
and to US it was surprise when we
were told he was not German by |
birth.
The reading of the Excelsior |
Banner" a school journal, by its
editress, Miss Merriwether, was adj
mirable, and we welcome theyoung !
lady to high place in the editorial
corps.
Willie Fits, son of our respected |
Episcopal minister, was the orator
of the occasion. We have never
heard better elocutiUn from a boy Of |
his age than that with which he
delivered Macauley's ballad on the
battle of Ivry.
Nor must we omit the graceful
and efficient presidency of Miss
BilIingsley, who ruled and swayed |
the whole audience as well az the
society as if by magic.
After all this may we venture on
one piece of criticism. The over
ture to the Caliph of Bagdad
given by three performers on the
piano, lost much of its effect through
the Introductory slow movement
being played too fast, whereby the
brilliant contrast at the commence
ment of the allegro was in great
part lost. This, however, was but
q small drawback to what was 9th
wise Il very delightful evening, for
which Prof. BrUadhurst has our
hearty thanks.