Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-06-27
OXFORD, MISS.
GEN. Charles Hooker at the Commence
menI Declares This to be WOmhn-s
Century,
And Pays a High Compliment TO Miss
Hill, the VaIedietOriRn and
Medalfst.
IcoRREsroNpExoR or DC ArFEAL.

OAEOhD- lulNS.s - uuG 81 ut hnOlG
week has been crowded with glorious
events-glorious, at least, 10 the expert
ences of many ambitious. aspiring young
Mississippians. Tuesday was the grand
day for junior orators. They gave the
audience some good specimens of cOmpo-
sition and elocution. Mr. Plantus Lip
sey, of Coldwater, Miss, won the hearts
of his audience and was literally over
whelmed with bouquets from the ladies.
In the evening the annual celebration of
the Alumni Association was held. Capt.
McCaskill presided and introduced the
orator, "Mr. w. II. Harper, of the class
of 70, son of Col. A. Y. Harper and
grandson of the University, in whom she
is we'll pleased" Mr.. Harper spoke well
on "SumpiUlry Laws" and more par
ticularly as they apply 60 whisky. His
speech was G pecially appreciated because
he treated in a novel style very hack
neyed subject.
Mr. 7. w. Stockard, of Washington
City, had been elected poet, but being
unable to attend in person sent beauti
full poem, which was read by Prof. He'd
dlestOn. Col. Charlton Alexander, Of
Starkville, was elected orator for next
June, Miss Sallie Vic Hill essayist, and
Mr.. w. e. Martin poet.
On Wednesday tremendous crowd,
gathered from all parts of the State,
were in readiness to hear the orator OF
the day, and we might say, the orator of
the week, the silver tongued Chas. Il.
Hooker. At the appointed hour he was
escorted into the chapel by Gen. A. p.
Stewart and Gov. Lowry, heading a long
column Of trustees, professors and
students. The chapel was hand
sOmely decorated with evergreens,
climbing ivy, and most luxuriant
dollhouse plants placed at each end
of the rostrum, which had the appearance
of a beautiful garden. Gen. Stewart in-
troduced the orator in the most happy
manner. He referred briefly to the
achievements of Col. Hooker as soldier,
patriot and orator; the mention of each
victory was ereeted by the audience with
loud enthusiastic applause. The subject
selected by the speaker was eminently
appropriate to the age, the spirit of our
institutions and to this occasion: 1.-THE
Nineteenth Century is Woman's Cen
tury" He told how the chains which
bound the intellect of woman have been
| broken, how her mental equality with
man has at last been acknowledged; how
in the light of advancing civilization
man has seen that higher education does
not make woman less loving or less Iowa
BILE, or unfit her for social and domestic
duties. He paid high compliment to
| Miss Hill, who has won the first honors
Of her class, and to the trustees, whose
action in opening the university to females
has thus far proved to be wise as we'll as
progressive The address was a power
full argument for the higher education of
woman. 1t was a beautiful blending of
pleasing sentiments, sober thought and
| flashes OF thrilling eloquence which
threw spell over the entire audience.
Such oratory is not heard every day.
That immense audience, which came
with such high expectations, did not go
away disappointed The man who was
already famous, has won new laurels.
The sophomore defamation medal
was delivered to the successful candidate
! by the Rev. DIR. G. B. Galloway, OF New
| Orleans. This duty could not have been
more gracefully performed. Although
| the gold medal was given TO the success
| full one, many golden words were spoken
| to the defeated He insisted that the
prospect for those who had failed to get
( the medal was indeed a bright one.
| Demosthenes, he said, whom, no
| doubt, they all wanted to initiate, when
/ he first appeared was siienced and Kissed
| from the rOstrum, but he shut himself
up in his cave and underwent rigorous
! self training till he came out and was
crowned orator Of the world. DIR. Gal
Ioway has the happy faculty of making
people feel good under almost any cir
| eumstances. Emmett i. Ross, of New
Orleans, author of The Rock the Baby
Wore, delivered poem of coincidence to
the defeated, detected, depressed, down
cast, disheaFtened Hsophs.'
Perhaps the most attractive night Of
commencement week was Wednesday
night, the night of the chancellor 5
levee." The chancellor and his excel
lent wife met with hearty grasp of the
hand and pleasing smile their hosts Of
friends in the spacious chapel between
the hours Of $50 and II 80 o'clock.
Levee night is the night on which chival-
rOus youths are allowed to breathe into
the ears of their Loves" those ineffable
tender nothings, out on the smooth vel
: yet Yerdant carpet Of the campus, under
the unsteady simmer of countless stars,
where one feels that neither the rustliDg
leaves nor the vernal zephyrs will diyulge
his secrets, and where partial darkness
eonceals the bushes that play on the fan
cheek Oxford has been crowded with
, distinguished visitors all the week.
Gov. Lowry is here to preside over the
Board of Trustees. c. II. Alexander, q
fisiag nan ofthe State, who resides al
! Starkyille, is here. When he took {
, large number of medals here sew
eral years ago, DR.. Lyon called him the
,i'modeTp Alexander weeping for more
Latin and Greek TO conquer"
The Hon. Wiley i. Harris gaa th:
Hon. II. Z. ginlrali are here, Blr. "
C.. Martin, of Memphis, is here, the CUES
of d. W. Harris. Capt. Booth, OF saT
dis Prof j. Il. Preston, Of Water Val
} ley; Mr.. j. j. Quarles and wife arr
! aLaong the many visitors.
Baseball is also in full blast. The Stars
} of Oxford, played game yith Grena2;
} team. The young men from hrenaE5
, were gentlemen, but we're badly defeated
MIDLOTHIAN.