The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-06-15
THE SCHOOLS.
Public Schools-Second Night.

Inc exercises Oh tll6 ubllC CChooA O0iA
mencement were concluded on Wednesday
night last at the Opera House.
This night was devoted 10 the colored schools
and was credit to superintendent, teachers
and pupils of every grade. The lower floor OF
the immense hall was crowded by the colored
portion of the audience, while the gallery was
given up to the whites, who filled every inch
of standing room, and who were treated with
unfailng courtesy and consideration. Indeed,
these people have the instinct OF pollteness
and the gift of showing it more readily than
their average white compatriots. There was
never better conducted audience assembled
| in the Opera House than the one which occu-
pied it on Wednesday night of last week to
witness the closing exercises of the colored
schools
The programme opened with temperance
song, by chorus Of boys, we'll sung and we'll
acted dressing Dolly" was nicely recited by
a wee small girl, Laura Dickson. The class
in calisthenics then went through with the
graceful exercise with wands, doing it splen-
didly.
/
ted rounds of applause, and showed how sus-
ceptlble of training these children are The
comic dialogues upon geography by Eddie
Tops and w. Robinson. was very laughable
and finely given. Song and chorus, The
Tempest" was beautifully sung, the voices OF
the singers blending tremendously In the pa
thetic strains of the melody.
| The burlesque upon Literary Societies was
grand take off of the pedantic. Among the
best determinations were 'The Necessity of an
Patrick Henry's orations, both given with a
fire. energy and appreciation of the senti-
ments embodied in them quite equal to that
shown by any declaimer OF their ages to be
| found in the other schools.
| The comic debate upon the question, (Which
was the greater General, Napoleon Bonaparte
or Stonewall Jackson" was given in manner
that would have done credit to Sol Smith Rus
| sell or Artcmus Ward in its inimitable render
| ing of al. the most delicate shades of humOr
and satire. There were many more enter
tanning speeches, dialogues and musical exer
cises, besides the alternating exhibitions Of
calisthenics, and we would be glad to notice
each one as 1t deserves, but for lack of space
we are obliged to make our notice brief.
The gold medals awarded to the two best de-
chalmers, Frank Stevens and Walter Goodwin,
were bestowed by Judge Shelley, who deliver
ed them with warm congratulations and an
earnest charge to the young medalists to sus-
tain in their after lives the honorable triumphs
of this night, and predicted for them a place
upon the Nations roll of honor, where they
have, by the blessing of God, a right to in
scribe their names side by side, if they will,
with the proudest descendant of Puritan or
Cavalier. .-....
At the close of the exercises, Rev. r. II.
Porter, pastor OF the Mt. Zion Baptist church,
delivered an admirable address to the children,
counselling them to. increased efforts after
knowledge, and giving wholesome advice for
the preparation of lifes aftes lessons.
Infant grade, Miss Alice Wilson, teacher, for
scholarship, Luther Newell and Rose HOus-
ton department and attendance, Frank Cor
don; department and scholarship, Geo. Denny
and Sadie Morris. .s
1st Primary grade, Miss Lucy Brown, teach
err department and scholarship, Chas. Dyer
and Mary Ross.
I'd Primary grade, Mrs. Ryan, teacher,
scholarship and department. Cornelia Ware
and Rosa Frame.
Sd Primary grade, Mrs. Smith, teacher.
scholarship, Eldridge Thompson department,
Martha Harris.
4th Primary grade, Miss Agnes Hartman,
teacher. scholarship and department, Hattie
Shelton and Sadie Taylor. ...,.
Grammar grade, Miss MITCHELL teacher,
scholarship and department, Geo. Frame, (clOse
competitor, Fannie Shelton.) Those who dis
tinguished themselves in the grammar grade
are For scholarship, George Frame, Richard
Jackson, Eliza Haines and Fannie Shelton
for department, Emma Kennedy. Richard
Reade, Phoebe Lucas and Jennie Wood.
Gold medals awarded 70 declaimers were
given to Frank Stevenson of the 4th Primary
grade, and Walter Goodwin of the Grammar
grade. Their closest competitors were David
Kinney and DaYid Hemmans.
Wesleyan Female Institute.
The annual commencement exercises of the
Wesleyan Female Institute opened this year
with the Art Exhibition, which took place on
Saturday afternoon and night. The exhibit
of pictures was very fine, showing q remarka-
BILE degree Of industry and talent combined on
the part ofthe pupils, and a high order OF abil-
ity, taste and culture upon the part Of the
teacher. The lady in charge of this depart
ment is Mrs. N Whittier Otis, of Boston, a
near relative, as we are informed, of the poet,
John Greenleaf Whittier, and gifted and
charming woman, as we'll as an accomplished
artist.
The walls of the large exhibition room were
crowded with pictures in every conceivable
style of art in oil, water colors, crayOn, on
china, satin and on wooden plaques. With
one or two exceptions these were all the result
of single years industry.
We regret that the exhibition was not
opened at an earlier date, that we might have
had time to examine and enjoy these works of
srt, as many OF them 80 well deserved. Con-
spcuous among the artists in oil are the names
Misses Minnie Moore, Jennie Deloney, Mamie
Eley Florence Powars, Mary Humber, Ro-
berta Humber, Minnie Smithsen, and Mary
Pollard. "a Moonlight Scene" by Jennie De-
loney "Storm Scene" by Florence Powars
two landscapes, by Minnie Smithson; "Golden
Gate" Colorado Forest" and New England
in Autumn" by Minnie Moore, and Marine
View, by Belle Bassett, of Texas, we thought
among the best, so tar as such hasty examna-
ton of their merits could satisfy the judgment.
The crayon sketches reveal still more remarka-
BILE talent and skill, as these are the pictures
which require such delicate manipulation of
the pencil, close attention to details and nicely
of finish. Among the most noticeable efforts
in this branch are two child heads. "Our JOY"
by Ida Hollingsworth, of South Carolina, and
Our Hope" by Ellie Mallette, of Georgia !;
Head of Girl, by Alice Mcclure. of Staunton :;
Group of Statuary, by Ida Hollingsworth;
Head of Girl, by Mamie Eey, of s. c.; q
Group of Pansies, by Pattie Holley, and a
Landscape, by Mamie Taylor, of Stanton,
the gem of the entire collection being, in our
opinion, "The Stag at Bay" by Mary Humber,
of Georgia. The grand poise of the antlered
head, the fine finish OF every detail of the sur
roundings, the appealing, yet defiant express
sion of the splendid creatures eyes are fault
lessly rendered. This young lady is genuine
artist There were many specimens OF her