Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-06-20
The CLASSIC BUFFALO
And the Christian College on It's
Banks.
Commencement at Bethany colege---end
of a Brilliant Week---Handsome
Endowment---Changes in
the Faculty.

Yesterday, over lne OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
at the College. Its meagre hotel facilities
were tested, to accommodate the usual rush
of the friends and relatives of the students,
and the sober one street of the place was
alive with the vehicles which bo<e them GU;
and back. The hospital doors of the Camp
bell and Pendleton mansions had been
thrown wide open, as usual, and their gener-
Gus capacity proved equal to the occasion
Everything wore the gala dress that told of
lis one great annual festival-the commence
meut. Kramer's band, from this city, had
been there since Tuesday and added much
TO the enliyening influences. Bethany had,
too, what Wheeling so much needed, re-
ireshing rain. 1t came at noon and after
pouring down in torrents for an hour, clear
ed away and left the air purified and per-
fumed.
The exercises proemial to commencement
had all been happily accomplished. Class
day exercises on Wednesday afternoon had
been pronounced unusually brilliant and en-
iovable and the old metropolitan wound up
the day with one of its old-time entertain
ments. The students never shone TO better
advantage and the visitors felt the old
Christian College was ia a fair way to re.
turn to the glorics of its palmy days.
THE GROWING EVENT.
Of course the browning event of the week
was the commencement Yesterday morning
Commencement hall, IN the south wing Of
the stately and venerable structure, was
IL al thA
dating usherS, with their courteous hoste
and their bright red baldrics, found album
dant occupation in seating the guests.
The graduating class, thirteen in number
including two Young ladies, sat on the stage,
together with the Faculty, members of the
Board Of Trustees and quite number OF
distinguished gentlemen, including several
Of the alumni who have risen TO positions of
,mincnce. The exercises were conducted
BIZ President W. H. Pendleton, who has lost
none of that courtly grace for which he has
long been distinguished among men. Ma
mer orchestra occupied the balcony opPo-
site and varied the programme with choice
music
PECULIAR To BETHANY.
Commandments at Bethany are like
those of no other place. Of course there is
the same eager crowd of friendly faces
gathered from all parts Of the country, par.
,cularly from the South: there are the same
orations, the same applause and the same
flowers and presents ms elsewhere, but there
is an air, feeling. out there on the quiet
waters of the classic Buffalo, felt nowhere
else. To explain, or even to define this
feeling, would be difficult. but all who have
ever attended Bethany commencement
will realize it, II is not in the college
alone; it is in the picturesque quiet of the
rambling town and in the Southern hospi'
tally OF its principal people and to the
writer at least, 1t is especially pleasing.
But to the commencement.
! do not propose to give any detailed ac-
count of the commencement exercises. The
oraiions were all good, but none were de-
lvercd by Wheeling boys, by any in which
our people are especially interested There
were thirteen of them beginning with
Latin, salutatory and ending with the vale
dctOry. There were few who followed the
eloquent orator in the tongue of Cicero and
still less who comprchended the equally elo-
quent speaker who delivered fluent Grafton
in the speech of Dcmosrhcncs, but these
were evidences of the thorOughmcss Of the
college training and rs such were well re-
ceivcd. The themes in English were all
good notably the review Of the history and
work of the college, by p. Y. Pendletan,
aud the valcdictory by 4. j. Colborn, the
latter being a trife long The essays of
the ladies were enjoyable and they con
Quoted themselves gracefully on their foot
ing Of equality with the sterner sex. The
graduates received many flowers, cards and
presents from their admirers and seemed
correspondingly happy.
In comforting the degrees President Pen
dlcton made short address, touching upon
the future Of the college with special refer
cncc to the coming term. He represented
the college in fine hourishing condition and
enjoying a return Of prosperity. The de-
grees were then conferred and diplomas
presented in the usual style. In the after
noon the junior class gave an interesting
performance and last night the American
Society wound up the week with brilliant
entertainment.
CHANGE IN THE FACULTY.
The Board of Trustees had meeting
Yesterday morning and some important
changes in the college management result
ed II has been known for some time that
Dir Pendletoh has been anxious to retire
from the residency, and this was at least
temporarily arranged. During the next
year he aud Mr.. Isaac Erret will travel in
the interest of the college, and the duties Of
president Of the faculty will deyolve on
Prof d. c. Hagerman, who has held the
Greek chair and has proved himself entirely
worthy the honor and responsibility Of the
new position Dr. Pendleton has generous
| ~ donated 81 Q, 900 to the college fund, and
il is expected nine other gentlemen will
each present like sum, which will form a
handsome endowment The college, with
this stimulus and without further change in
he faculty, will take renewed lease Of life.
| and i'm the wears 10 come will rise to still