Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-21
Music, Declarations and Addresses by
the Pupils-The Comforting Of De-
grees Upon the Graduates-Ad-
dress to the Graduating
Glass by Colonel
Patterson.


commencement exercises of the Christian
Brothers college were held. The audience,
a very large and fashionable one, enjoyed the
proceedings immensely and evidently felt a
deep interest in educational matters. The
programme of the exercises was as follows:
PROGRAMME.
o'sr'ui0' symphony from Lambiilottes. 0 oi'He'''A
Prize Defamation Prim. Dept) 49,. j. NJ luther
''Blngen on the Rhine
The GypseS stephen ,E5Idzgeraid
Music (PianoS~"Charge Of the Huzzars' a. Kenkert
Second Prize Defamation (P. Dep.). b. Richmond
..Rienzl's Address to the Rom ans
First Prize Defamation prep Dep) E. Boyle
"Maclaine's Child"
Music eopera La Cenefentola de Rossini) Col. Band
mon Piw Mesta-"
Third Prize Defamation I'D col. class e. Willet
Ike After the Opera"
"The Mississippi Valley ............. w. Archard
Music PianO Duetl-Jaekson E Miles H. Willett
First Prize Defamation cd col class <. Voegeli
"Parrhasius and the Captive"
MuSic-h0S Selections from william Tell 's' D'-'O
observation-disclosures Names s. Fitzgerald
Music-Duet from Lucrezia Borgia :. Comet Band
Second Prize Defamation S3d col CLASSIFY. Fuchs
"Ancient Memphis ..................E. N. Willett
M MuscQ lfFlanSo College Orchestra s1h
-'-1''' A'-'' Polka Mazourka'' ''''s'
COMFORTING OF DEGREES.
Brother Maurelian, president of the col
lege, appeared and read the diploma in Lat
in, comforting the degree of Bachelor of Arts
upon Master William Archard. The degree
of Master of Accounts was conferred upon
Masters William Archard, Stephen Fitzger-
aid, Chaise Fransloli and Charles Fransioli.
Master William Archard, in behalf of his
fellow-students. thanked the audience for
their appreciation of the exercises presented.
1t was a compliment to the system of chris
tan training as practlced by the Christian
Brothers. He thanked the Brothers for their
kindness during their scholastic career, and
addressed his fellow graduates IN words OF
cheer and kindness. The exercises closed
with an address to the graduates by Colonel
Josiah Patterson.
Address to the Graduates.
YOU'VE GENTLEMEN: l congratulate you
and your teachers on this happy and aus
picious conclusion of the collegiate year
through which you have just passed. 1 only
speak the sentiment of every one present
when | say you have given on this occasion
the most satisfactory assurances of the high
character and efficiency of the institution of
which you have She honor to be pupils, and
the most gratifying evidence CT your own
continued advancement. In the name of
this large, cultivated ands enlightened au-
dienee vino have witnessed these evidences
of your Improvement, | thank you for the
pleasure this evenings entertainment has
given us. You may justly feel proud of the
Christian Brothers college, and | know these
worthy and learned brothers, who have de-
voted their lives to the education of youth,
behold with profound gratitude in you the
fruit of their constant and affectionate labors.
Having consecrsted themselves to your de-
velopment, intellectually and morally, they
now bring you as their offering to society.
If, when you go out from under their foster
ing care and pass into the busy scenes of the
outer world, you should become useful
and honorable men, with Just regard to
social obligations and your duties to heaven,
then they will have accomplished the full
measure of their noble work. At their re-
quest, | am here this evening to speak to you
a few words OF admonition and encourage
ment. Our positions, young gentlemen, are
very different. l come to you like an ex-
plorer of an untried country. You are like
mariners embarking On an unknown voyage.
Life has frequently been compared to bat
tie. | come to You from the field where the
combatants are actually engaged IN the strife.
lou are ike young recruits enhstlng for
the campaign. Life, with all Its hopes
and all its possibilities, lies before
you.. know from my own boyhood expert.
ence that you are on tiptoe in anticipation of
the future, and that you are looking eagerly
forward to the day when, like gallant knight,
you will step into the arena of life and take
your places among men. 1t Is here would
have you pause for a moment and listen to
the voice of experience. There are times
when the young as well as the old, when
boys as we'll as men, should have serious
thoughts; and l would have you on this &C.
casion consider for moment serious ques-
ton. What are the conditions requisite for
becoming honored, useful and successful
members of society? Before attempting to
answer a question of so much gravity and
Importance, IL is proper that l should briefly
state why do not rank mere intellectual
training IN the schools as one of these coudi-
tions. | know that some parents as well as
some students regard scholastic proficiency
as kind of passport to social preferment.
This is not my experience. When look
abroad over this great country, and see on
the one hand SO many men rising to useful
ness and distinction who were deprived of
these advantages, and on the other hand so
many men groveling In the scum Of society
who had them, | know that while it Is true
the path to emInence and successes traVerses
the fields of knowledge, yet it goes beyond
and rises to higher plane, where the badges
of merit are conferred. Our first parents fell
in the acquisition of knowledge. The fallen
spirits are as wise as the angels. The differ
ence lies not in knowledge, but ia innocence.
Far be it from me, young gentlemen. to de-
IIdcI IL6 advantages "a sOAOtdeOiC
cation. 1t is blessing that cannot be too
highly appreciated, but 1t Is only a
blessing when it is accompanied by
moral development. If you possess
the qualities to which | am about to call your
attention, then you will necessarily, either in
or out of school, acquire the learning requi-
site for the attainment of noble ends. II In
school, then you are fortunate IN your oppor-
tunties; and if out of school, then you are
on, n observation-disclosures N attpmnfinO t0
answer the question | have presented the
first, the very frat, idea would impress upon
you Is the necessity, the absolute necessity, OF
the formation of good character. 1t Is un-
necessary for me to waste words In an effort
to convince you, for you are already convinced,
that integrity of character is the browning
glory of manhood. To win this precious
jewel should be the first ambition OF every
youth, for without it all else is but empty
trash. Without it the attainment OF rank
and position is like beng put into
The pillory-it only makes disgrace
the more conspicuous. Without it wealth
only renders its possessor the more contempt
IDLE. Without it education is the mere polish
which adorns the whlted sepulchre. The les
son | would teach you this evening is
not so much the value of good character,
for that you all know how to estimate, as the
methods by which 1t is formed. Need | say,
young gentlemen, that you are now engaged
In the formation OF your respective characters.
Whether consciously or Hnconsciously, the
work is going on, and it will continue to go
on until each one of you makes for him self
that character by which In the future he will
be known and reckoned by his fellow-men.
Character, whether good or bad, is not formed
in a day, and neither is the one exchanged
for the other in an hour. 1t is of slow growth
and in its fabric is interviewer our every word
and every deed. A good name like good
painting is the result of infinite
care. Neither is complete until it has re-
ceived Thousand touches. The one like the
other grows under the hand of its master,
until, in the fullness of its ompletion, it be-
comes thing of beauty and the very glory
of perfection. It is not my purpose to dwell
on your obligations to Almighty God further
than to say that constant and ever present
sense of accountability to the author and fin
lsher of our beings is the highest safeguard
against those excuses and moral obliquities
which unfit individuals for honorable and
useful positions in society. All history and