The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-04
FoR THE cLARIoS.l
commencement Exercises ofthe Iuka
Normal Institute

| much interest was manifested DY the
people of the town and surrounding
community, and the visitors from a dis
tance numbered as many as could have
been expected. 1t was the fourth an
nual Commencement of this excellent in
stitution, and every one whom we heard
| express an opinion regarded these ex-
| ercises a. the best the school has vet
given.
On Tuesday night the Commencement
| Sermon was preached in the Methodist
| church, by Rev J. A. Francis, of Cor
| NTH. He is comparatively a young
| minister, and the enthusiasm which he
| appears to have in his labor, was, we are
glad TO say, in no little degree infused
INTO the young people confronting him.
| He spoke OF the Christian graces as
given by Paul, and showed the necessity
Of their being possessed by every young
man and young lady in beginning active
| ilfe-wOrk. His sermon was highly cred
liable t. himself and duly appreciated
| by his audience.
Wednesday night there were no pBb-
| lie exercises. This was the night for
| the Alumni Association. After a
| pleasant evening Of social intercourse,
extending from nine TO half-past ten
O'Clock, the present and past graduates
| Of the Normal partOOk Of handsome
supper prepared by the ladies of the
| Baptist church. Everyone who attend
| ed the banquet was highly delighted
with it, and pronounced it not the least
| interesting feature of the entire exer-
| cises. Alter this genuine feast, at the
call Of the teacher, some of the young
men responded in short speeches TO the
subjects which he announced, and
| beautiful recitation was given by Miss
| susie +. Dunn: Rock Of Ages AT
one o'clock, the hour of dispersion and
| departure, the evenings entertainment
closed. If there was anyone who Gid
not enjoy himself to the full extent of
The law, he escaped the observation of
your cOrrespondent-was too courteous
| 70 let it be discovered.
Thursday night the students in the
| Teachers Department delivered their
| addresses. The first speech on the pro-
gramme was omitted: "Petruchie and
| dis Kate" by Mr.. j. j. Blythe. This
was regretted by the audience, as Mr..
| Blythe has quite reputation among his
| people as a speaker, and with his fine
stock of humOr never fails to please his
| hearers, at the same time presenting his
| theme in such a manner that it is clear
| ly understood.
| Miss Susie p. Dunn, of Enterprise,
Miss, spoke upon SCOTS Lady of the
| Lake" Had the chivalrous James
| kItz James beheld her this night as she
kuelt pleading tor the release of Roder
Ick Dhu, we imagine it would have re-
| auired considerable effort on his part to
| hlng the chain OF goiG over Malcolm S neck
ana lay the clasp in Ellen's hand, SO
much would he have been attracted by
her beauty. Her elocuuonary talent Is
OF a high order, and joined to her own
beauty, and the beauties OF her adj
dress, she was quite an attraction on the
stage.
Mr.. c. G. Hughes, of Delay, Miss,
spoke of Nihiiism in an address of fl
| teen minutes. His appearance on the
stage was tree from ali embarrassment;
he spoke naturally, with no attempt al
uratury; a simple, plain presentation OF
the history ana principles OF Nlhillsm;
aud in conclusion portrayed its results
should it obtain control OF any govern
ment. lie drew these results from its
principles and Its late aJrCcIous plots in
some Ot our cities, showing that he thor
4
details. Mr.. hughes simple language
and natural gestures show that he Is no
stranger to pubic appearance, or if
stranger, not IN the least afraid of 1t.
Mr.. }. l. Longest next spoke upon Sir
| William Wallace, the Scottish Patriot.
| Mr.. Longest is a handsome man-tall,
straight, and well formed, and in gener
al has the appearance of an orator. But
/ thor
oughiy memorized, and when half fin
lssted his memory proved treacherous,
and there was painful pause of a min
ute or more before he succeeded In re-
covering the lost thread of his speech.
The character and story OF Antonio
were well presented by Miss Nj. Il. Mil
Ter, of Grenada. The noble traits of this
/ Christian man lost nothing in the hands
of the young lady. Miss Miller speaks
we'll.
The Southern Historian, Statesman
and Philanthropist Alex. IL. Stephens"
As the speaker, pronounced him, was
carried from birth to death, and all i'm
portant acts OF his life In his triple
composition fully reviewed by MIR. ). u.
/ Sloane, of Rayne, La. be occupied
| only about ten minutes, yet If any audi
| tor failed TO procure good outline oil
the lie of MIR. Stephens, it was not the
| speaker 5 fault. MIR. Sloane's limited
| ume did not allow Linn to perfect his
sentences or round off his periods, but as
an example of condensing with sound
| iudgment-of putting much in little
we have rarely heard his speech ex-
| celled.
The sad history of Josephine, the
| beautiful, gifted, but i'll fated wife OF
/ Napoleon, was told by Miss Cora ThOmp-
son, of GAINESVILLE, Tenn. The language
used by this young lady was chaste and
| elegant, her sentences all polished but
weighted down with no useless orna-
ments. Her own appearance wonder
| fully composed and natural. She was
the calmest and most graceful of all on
the stage Thursday night.
Considered as a whole, your CORE
spondeut Judged the speech of Mr.. r.
| L. Wilkerson, of Sparta, Miss, on the
| "Crusades' to have been the best deliv-
cred by any student in the Teachers
Glass. We imagine it required much
time and deal of mental labor for Mr.
! Wilkerson to be able to give 50 good a
sketch of the Crusade. BY cultivating
his voice he will make an attractive
speaker.
Friday evening. at o'clock, the
yearly Exposition began. This is an
UNIQUE feature of the Institute. All
| the written papers the students have
prepared during the entire year are
exposed to the critical eye of any
who may wish to examine them
All the visitors have the privilege of
asking questions and the students
promptly answer, or attempt to. Be-
sides, experiments in Philosophy, Chem
istry, and the Sciences are performed.
The manner in which the students
manipulated the apparatus and per-
formed the experiments assigned, re-
vealed that they thoroughly under
stood what they were about.
Friday night the graduates in the
Scientific Course spoke. Miss Nj. j.
Benson, of Rara Avis, Miss, gave a
beautiful sketch of Hinda, the heroine
of Tom Moore's e-worshipers. The
theme was poetical in its nature, and
the speaker extracted all the poetry and
rhyme, presenting it in simple language.
Mr.. stone Deavours discussed Mil
tons Hades. He pitched his voice to
such key in the beginning, that it was
very laborious to sustain it.
Mr.. G. k Dunn, of Enterprise, Miss,
unrolled a large, well-drawn map of the
battle of Waterloo, and with pointer in
hand, proceeded to sell all about it. His
gestures had not been practiced sutfi-
GENTLY, and he required prompting sew
eral times. He talked very pleasantly
in conversational way.