National Republican., 1884-06-12
Gives It's Sixty-SOCond Annual Commencement
Exercises at Lincoln Hall,
With the Usual Flow of Oratory From
ncipient Ciceros
The Contest for the Davis Prizes and Faculty Medals
Proves Of Interest
Names OF the Graduates and the Degrees
Won by Each.

IHt blAlN-StCOllu uunudl NOlAlllbuCblhbhb VI
tho Columbian college was held last night at
Lincoln hall Tho spacious room was we'll
filled by tho relatives friends, and we'll
wishcrs Of tho young gentlemen who wero
tho heroes of the occasion. The lavish dis
play of floral tributes filling tho front of
the stage made it vcritablo bower
Of beauty more fit to be occupied
by the pretty girls in front of the barrcade
of flowers than by tho bearded and grizzly
professors who sat behind it. The stage was
occupied by Prof. J. G. yelling, president of
the college; Profs. A. J. Huntington Saenuol
NJ. Shute, j. Howard Gore, A. L. Montague,
Anthony James, y. II. Fristoc, and Mr.. Hodg-
kns, OF tho faculty. DR.. Meador, Rev. MIR.
Kelly, Rev. Mr.. lngersoll, Messrs PondeXter,
Govin, and Paul, and the members of the
graduating class.
The exercises opened with prayer followed
by well-rendered selection by Wobber's
band. after which Mr.. Samuel Il. Church, of
the District of Columbia, advanced to tho
footlights and delivered the salutatory in
Latin. Mr.. Church has a fairly good voice.
and seemed to please tho professors. The au-
dionco looked delighted, and applnudcd
as If they knew what it was all
about. This disposed of Mr.. Raleigh Sher-
man delivered an Grafton, taking as his
themo Public Judgment" Mr.. sherman,
Mr.. William A. Hedwick, Mr.. Lewes ID.
| Wilson, Mr.. Charles ii. Gardner, Mr.. Clinton
Gage, Mr.. Joseph q. Falck, and Mr.. Samuel
r. Church of tho graduating class were con-
testants for the Davis prises in elocution and
composition.
| After Mr.. Sherman had been awarded a
round of applause at the conclusion of his
effort he was succeeded by Mr.. William A.
Hedrick, the first honor man of the graduat-
| ing class, whose Grafton was entitled "Quis
| Custodiet Ipsoo Custodes." Mr.. Hedrick
seemed to take rather jaundiced view of
things in general. Judges, juries, lawyers,
and public officials wero incompetent,
ignorant, faithless to public trusts. or corrupt,
and politicians in particular the very type
of all that is despicable. Still in the genera
| tiOn that Is growing up and in a few faith
| full preachers and teachers he was in mea-
sure willing to think there was an clement of
| good that might serve to leaven the gloomy
present condition of the body polite. When
| Mr.. Hendricks adds few years to his age
| and fixes his regards on desirable office he
| will probably discover unsupported virtues
in his fellow citizens.
Next on the list was Mr.. Lewis d. Wilson,
of this district, who took for his topic "Our
Opportunities" The gist of Mr., Wilson's
discourse was to the general effect that mems
opportunities in life were the results Of their
own acts, without much dependence upon
the element Of luck" Mr.. Wilson seemed
somewhat abashed and uneasy, but his effort
was rather thoughtful.
Prof yelling announced that Mr.. Orlando
G.Wales, the next orator, was not q contestant
for the Davis prizes for the reason that he
had been successful in former competition
for them. Mr.. Wales then came forward, and
was greeted with a little ripple of haud-clap-
ing. He discoursed of silent impress
sions;' that is the effect of impress
sions forced upon our consciousness by
agencies other than speech. His effort was
slightly metaphysical and somewhat in
volved, but everybody applauded when he
retired, and then sat back and enjoyed the
music during the intermission that followed.
The first orator after the intermission was
Mr.. Charles IL. Gardner,a u handsome dark
haired young Texan, who delivered a highly
imaginative discourse on "Ghosts"-not the
vulgnr ghosts of ordinary superstition, but
the phantom thoughts born of remorse, re-
grets, lost and neglected opportunities, broken
friendship and severed loves that throng
to sadden the heart of man in moments OF
solitude and reflection. Mr.. Gardner's voice
and manner made good impression, and
when he retired it was amid the most hearty
applause yet given any of the contestants,
He was followed by Mr.. Joseph q. Falck,
whose subject was Curiosity" He illustrated
the benefits conferred upon the world through
the impulse of that particular mental trait
in melting men to investigation of questions
scientific and geographical. Mr.. Falck, on
the whole thought curiosity quality to be
encouraged, and the audience thought 80 also,
wherefore they vigorously testified their ap-
proval of Mr.. Falck's opinion.
Mr. Clinton Gage, of Illinois, made his bow
and proceeded to deliver his views concern
ing "rho Office Of History" Tall and slender
possessed of . clear strident voice that filled
the hall with ease, and perfectly self
possessed, Mr.. Gage instantly made
II good impression. His theme was
well and thoughtfully handled, the
central idea being that only by carefu
l,N,, e ,l,a v.Nfe nuN ~,
value of modern ideas and sciences be justly
estimated and the tendencies of the future
, predicted. When he retired it was pretty
evident the audience had made up its mind
as to tho winner of the first Davis prize.
Mr.. Samuel X. Church then delivered hi
Grafton upon The Dark Ages" His eilor
was recital of tho conditions under Whlcf
men lived and were governed during tn,
long centuries of Ignorance, superstition, ant
brute force. Tho speaker is nearly blind
and memories his studies by having then
read to him. He was the recipient Of gener
b Gus and sympathetic paudits.
I. The orations closed with the delivery of {
nicely turned valedictory by Mr. William A
q Hedrick, and while the audience wa
listening to the music that followed the jur!
. made up its award Of the prizo medals.
d The presentation was made by Rev. Mr.
:. Kelley who announced that Mr.. Clinton
Gage had been awarded the FIRST Davis priz
# in elocution and composition the Enosinial
d sOcioty's gold medal for excellence in debate
S and the Weting prize in metaphysics, thu
0 making him quite the hero of the evening.
Mr. Charles III. Gardner carried off tn
o second Davis prize; Mr.. William A. Hedrick
Il the Elton prize in Greek; Mr.. Samuel i
y Church the StouFhton prize in Latin, an
! Mr.. Lowes ID. Wilson the prize in mathe
II matics; said prizes in the shape of medal
o attached to blue ribbons bein
d handed over to the blushing, happy winner
h as their names were called. A special prize
= given by Prof Gore for proficiency in parlia
10 mentary law, was given to 9. ID. Lodge, q
y Maryland.
Prof Gore then delivered certificates {
proficiency to tho following successful STU
dents; School of English, |. t. Davis, Il.
d Hosmer, J.. d. Lodge, @. d. Rhodes, +. Room'
a II. Sherman, f. H. Stephens, G. J.. Sturtt
want H. Suter; school of Mathematics, Il. D
: Colby, +. Ii. Cleaves, III. B. Hedrick, p.
o Hills, O. G. Wales, Il. E.Winslow, s. II. ChuTcl
% school of Creek +. NJ. Colby II. b. Hedricl
i Il. Spalding, L. T.. Winslow; school of Latil
+. II. Cleaves, Il. Il. Winslow, p. b. Hills,
10 Sherman, F. M. Colby q. T, Riley, II,
70 Hedrick Il. Spalding, j. Christyi school {
modern languages, f. Suter, +. $. Hosmer,
,r w. Darby; school of natural sciences, l.
10 Davis, Il. s. Hosmer, l.. ID. Lodge,
Roome, @. ID. Rhodes, II. Sherman,
II. Stephens, O. l.. Sturtevant, Il, Suite
school Of philosophy, l. Il. Davis, i.
b. lIosmer, l., d. Lodge, Q. d. Rhodes, /
N Roome, II. Sherman, Il. H. Stephens, q.
Sturteyhnt and Il. Sutor,