Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-05-19

FOR Com
nenceInent weeE-PrOspects of the
College.
Spectral Correspondence Of state Journal.
NEWARK, May Is. - Commencement
week at Delaware College is just one
month off and already the town is
pleasantly anticipating this, the great
event OF the year. The college campus
has doomed its robe Of summer beauty
and the effect of brilliant sunlight aud
soft shadow upon the rich growth OF
grass is as perfect as one can well
imagine. The linden walk leading tn
the high front Of the college is as densely
shaded as ever and the lindens them
selves have the same equisite freshness OF
greenery that makes them q new wonder
every spring. The tall naples are noisy
with the calls of robin and blackbrd aud
the whole campus is full of pleasant
sights and sounds. Within the next
three weeks commencement visitors will
begin to arrive, and no doubt already the
village dress makers are busy over the
toilets that are to grace the college oratory
during the third week of June.
At this, the eighth commencement of
lHt lhollluliOh ottohu GIG, thti'
eight graduates, as follows-the first four
to receive the degree of A. b., the others
that of PHI. b.. Robert II. Wright, Jr.,
Wilmington, Del; Thomas R. Mcdowell,
Cecil Co., Md; John 5. NJ. Neill, Mime
apolis, Mimi; William IL. Purnell, Jr.,
Newark, Del. Samuel IL. Messick, Bridge
vile, Del; Rodney II. Richardson, Lewes,
Del; Peter +. Meredith, Petersburg, Del;
John f. Pearce, Wilmington, Del.
Next week the graduating class will be
examined for degrees, and at the close of
the examinations will come the senior
vacation, period of two weeks, during
which the nigh-hatched alumnus is sup
posed to prepare himself to chip the shell
before bursting upon the world as a
Bachelor OF Arts or Philosophy.
The following is the calendar for COM
mencement week as far as is now known I:
Sunday, June 12-Baccalaureate ser
mon in the college oratory, by the Rev.
DR.. Read, of Richmond, Va.
Monday, June l3-Under graduates
contest for the Alumni prizes for declama-
ton and reading.
Tuesday, June Injecting of the
Board of Trustees anniversary of the
Athenaan Literary Society, at which
Thomas R. Mcdowell will deliver the
society address, the Rev. John Y.
Mitchell, of Lancaster, Pa, the Grafton,
and Samuel H. Messick the farewell
address.
Wednesday, June 15-Commencement
exercises proper, including the graduates
orations and the comforting of degrees
anniversary of the Delta Phi Literary
Society, at which Robert II. Wright, .lr.,
will deliver the society address, the Rev.
John Atkinson, of Onancock, Accomat
| county, Va, the Grafton, and j. S. Nj
Neill the farewell address.
There will be brief meeting of the
Board of Trustees on Wednesday morn
| ing to consider degrees, and the annual
alumni meeting on Wednesday afternoon
| The commencement exercises begin at II
a. IN. on Wednesday, and the Bacca
| laureate services, the undergraduates
contests and the society anniversarie:
| take place in the evenings of the day.
mentioned. After the Delta Phi ami
versary exercises it is the custom of tn,
young people to adjourn to some private
house and round off the commencement
with dance. Any stranger who is ;
| friend of the graduates or students il
made welcome to these dances, and the,
are generally very pleasant, informa
affairs.
Commencement is made special,
pleasant by the reunion of former student
| and the general open-door hospitalit.
that prevails all over the town. 1t canno
be claimed that the young people Away
get, from the score or more of speeche
that are usually made during commence
ment week, all the intellectual meat tina
the addresses may contain, commencement
being regarded rather as time tor merr.
making. A good and entirely true stor.
| is told in this connection. At q late com
mencement q group OF young people
gathered in the Oratory rather for amuse
ment than anything else, unfortunatel.
| numbered among its members youthful
clergyman. He was felt TO be in the wa.
and presently one of the ladies wrote tn
following note and sent to mem Der
the faculty;
"Please invite Mr.. -- upon tn
platform to make the opening prayer W
don't want him here"
The note was passed round the facult
and with it passed a broad smile. Blu
the end was accomplished for he of til
white choker accepted an invitation
lead in prayer and his place with til
ladies was supplied by one of their ow
set.
President Purnell says that the colleg
is in better condition than it has bee
since the resuscitation, IL years since
rwenty-four students have been entere
this year, more than in any other yes
since 1870. The highest number on I'll
roll this year was As. The President Sc,
in the continued improvement of IL
State school system the promise
increased prosperity for Delaware Colleg
In this connection he points out, as Even
EVENING did only few days since, thu
there has been within the past Is or
years gradual decay of the villas
academi es of this State. These institl
tions were once as good as almost an
others in the country, being the homes
sound learning and excellent disciplin
They are the natural feeders of the ca
lrge, and now that they have become
portion ofthe school system there is a pro
pect that they may be so elevated as
: form an easy stepping stone from u
. lower grade public schools to Drlawa
College.
> In years gone by the college drew mo
of its students from Delaware, Marylan
: Virginia and North Carolina, and No
. once more the names of other Stat
l beside Delaware begin to appear in Il
, catalogue. There are now at the instit
ton students from Pennsylvania, Mar
; land, California, Wisconsin and Rho
9 Island.
2 President Purnell points out that II
| item in the State Treasurer's report Sc
. ting down the sum of about $4,000 as pa
) to Delaware College is misleading. II
| college receives no State aid, but the su
Z named is simply the interest on Il
. endowment of the institution given
the General Government and held. as
were, in trust by the State.