Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-20
THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Eightieth commencement.

Athens itself is on a regular boom as to
growth and prosperity. She is classed by the
census as having, 1 believe, only
fifty inhabitants less than Columbus. which
holds the fifth place on the roll in Georgia.
Athens says she can and will be large city
one Of these days.
heard a man, well up in Athens affairs, say
that in only few years five hundred new
houses have been built. Then, too, Athens has
a regular health protector and restorer, in the
shape of mineral spring just at the base of
the Northeastern Railroad embankment, on
the outskirts Of the town. 1t will be remem-
bered the spring made its appearance stimuli
taneouslY with the railroad. Hence, many
doubling Thomases were prone to make light OF
their enthusiastic neighbors, who then thought
there would be absolutely no need Of any more
undertalzers. These incredulous members of
the human race were openly of the opinion
that while constructing the embankment the
workmen left, accidentally, some old iron in a
spring at the place, and hence etc. OF course
they were wrong, for do not little darkieS
still wend their way constantly to this popular
resort and bring back water in anything from
an oyster shell to whisky bottle!
The University of Georgia has, in my opin-
ion, the finest Beard of Trustees in the United
States. There are more prominent men in it
than in five other institutions of its kind. 1t
has for its President c. J. Jenkins, and some
of its members are Gov. Colquitt, Senators
Hill and Brown, Gen. j. b. Gordon, RepreSen-
| tatives in Congress Hammond, stephens and
| Speer; last. but not least Bob ToombS.
But, with all this talent in the Board of
| Trust and the fine faculty which she possesses,
| the university is, as everyone knows. not pros
hurtful to the feeling of pride in his S ate and
| her institutions of every Georgian to view this.
| The university has an ample income, fine
and not careless Board of Trustees, superior
| faculty. Whist is the matter? ausw er that am
ashamed to say it shows a sad lack Of interest
! by our people for a higher education. This is
| a hard, uncomplimentary, plain fact. What
remedy can there be! 1st; Let the Board OF
| Trustees be more faithful than ever; let them
! work for the institution, talk for it and pray
for it. I'd, Let the faculty do the same. Sd.
| Let the places made vacant by death and
| resignation be reflled by capable men. There
| is now no Professor of Geology, whereas Prof.
| g. Fl. Little formerly filed the chair. There
| is no one in the place of Prof. Nor
! ris, one of the most valuable men
! the University ever had. Prof. Waddell hav-
! ing died few years since Prof Woodtin took
| charge of the Latin and also of the Greek de-
| partmentS. Thus he does both Profs. Waddel
| and Morris work Lastly, Prof Leroy Broun
! left Athens for Vanderbilt and left one Of the
! most important and difficult chairs, that of
! Physics, untitled. 1t is almost universally ad-
mitted no one can fill the chair with
| he is willing to return TO his old
! post II this be true, it is the duty of the
! Board of Trust TO Immediately secure him.
! heard an Alumnus of the University say last
| night that he Broun was the finest professor
! he ever saw. During his stay in Athens he had
seen Broun at one time or another occupy
| every professional chair in college, and there
| was not one that he old not occupy with emf
| nent ability BY all means let hum be recalled
1t has been widely noticed by the press that
the two brother professors, natives of Georgia,
and almost without peers IN the world, John
and Joseph LeCOnte, have become dis 'atished
with the University of California, where they
now are, and that the former has resigned the
Presidency. Both are too well known in Geor-
| induced to return to their native State
| and Alma Mater, they would cause
not only great enthusiasm for the institution,
not only on account of their popularity, but
also on account of their superb sch larShip.
| JOS. LeConte would grace any chair OF learn
| ing and especially so that of geology, now va
cant He writes in a private letter that since
| the disgraceful manner in which they nave
been treaf ed on account of their political con-
victions, 'his heart is in neither the university
| nor the State" have no doubt that should
| suitable salar, be offered them, they would
| both return gentleman OF prominence said
| today he did not doubt that they would draw
| fifty students to the university from South
| Carolioa alone. as yet the Trustees have
| done nothing.
The commencement sermon was preached
| to-day in the commodious chapel by the Rev.
| DR., Boggs. of the PRESBYTERIAN Church in At
| Ianta 1t will be remembered that DR.. Boggs
is the successor of Dr. IIeftwich of strong anti
dancing proclivities. The text was from Deu
| teronomy xxi, 81: For their rock is Lot
as our rock. our enemies themselves being
judges - The Doctor is a inelOoking, tail
slenderly- built man. He has considerable ora
torical powers. and made the chapel fairly ling
when he read the grand old hymn "Guice
me, o thou great jehovah" The drift OF the
sermon was TO place before the students the
God Oypified by rocky of the Christian and
the cod of the theorists and gave them the
choice. He advanced strong, irrefutable ar
guments in favor of the Christians. The ser
mon showed great reading and research The
only objection to the discourse was an attempt
in the short space of time for an ordinary ser
mon to state the relative positions OF the two
He succeeded better than would be expected,
in. on the whole, an excellent sermon of sew
enty minutes.
Tonight Gov Colquitt delivered an address
10 the College Chapel before the members of
the Young Mems Christian Association. This
soc ETY. is composed of young men of the
university. The Governor based his remarks
upon the words of David, is the young man.
Absalom safe9" The address was plain prac-
tical, and abounded in good advice to young
men. 1t breathed the true Christian spirit.
ATHENS, July 18 The first exercises of the
commencement in which the students took
part came off in the chapel this morning at
eleven o'clock. The ten select speakers from
the sophomore class decaimed tor the two
medals annually offered. AS whole they did
very well indeed. OF course, there were de-
fects For instance, only one or two had
what could be called good voice In fact, the
absence Of this essential qualification in the
orator was velY marked. The following is the
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
| R M Hin Florida.
- - 49, America-PhiiHps.
prosecutor ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
W. j. Dobbs -. ..:,.....Cobb county.
T. R. Edwards. -. -. -. ozIethorpe county.
Independence-Adams
" - 49, Iiberty-Dewey;
7. S. Garner. .........-.... Stone Mountain.
Excused
The Union-webstor.
An appeal 70 irishmen-Meagher
Excused.
Re Stance Stance to British Aggression.Henry rs"
Reconciliation with America Chatham.
Excused.
n 4; wilson .'..' Atanta-
Washington the Greatest Man of his Age
Everett.
Washipgton t Peter the Great. Frederick the 's
Great, Napoleon-Everett.
j. y. Rountree. e..................B BROOKS county.
Blenheim and Mount Vernon.
At intervals during the speeches the Athens
Brass Band discoursed music. Among the best
declaimeTs of to-day Were MesSrs. Davis Free
man of Savannah, Z. J. Jacobs Of Athens, j.
II Phinizg of Augusta, and J. b. Rountree of
Brooks county. The committee appointed to
award the two meals will have difficulty to
decide who deserve them
There is one serious fault with the sopho-
more exhibitions at Athens. The speeches
have no interest for those of the present day.
They are nearly always from Cicero, D. mos
ry. None bear the impress Of recent thought
and feeling
For the encouragement OF the Mercer boys
will say that their sophomore exhibition some
what eclipsed this. l hear the same thing
as regards Mercer and Emory. SO it seems
Mercer is at present the banner college, as far as
defamation goes, in the State. May she wear
the honor worthily and may her two sisters
not give up the palm again 10 her without a
desperatestru
This afternoon at five O'Clock the two liter
ary societies, the Demosthenean and Phi
Kappa, were addressed by that rising young
Georgian. Albert II Cox, of LaGrange. He is
an alImnus of the class Of 1865. ALI doubtless
remember tn IT- memorable commencement.
Young Cox rose and in calm, dignlfied. vet
eloquent manner delivered a ringing speech
on the supremacy OF the Law, in which he
attacked, in the boldest and most fearless
manner. the direful reconstruction then going
on His speech was received by the sypnpa-
thetic audience with the greatest demenstra-
ton. When he had finished Ben Hill who was
on the stage, sprang to his feet and conapli-
mented him All know The result. Gen. Pope
threatened Coxs arrest. be clGsed the
On this occasion Mr.. Cox returned to his
Alma Mater well advanced In reputation and