Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-06-11
C0MMeNG EMENT
At the West Virginia University,
Yesterday.
The CLASS OF SO IN THE ARENA
The Performances --COnfering Of Degrees
---The Board Of Regents---Other
Matters of Interest
Sneeial co,rs,paraenes cr ne Rsoisser.

previous evening, to-day opened up pF!Ru'
and sunshiDy. And early in the morning
the people from the surrounding country
began to pour into the University grounds,
bringing with them their sisters and their
cousins and their sunts. At $50 q, m ,
the time for the beginning OF the gradua-
ting exercises, the commodious Commence.
ment Hall was filed to overlooking with
an appreciative audieLce. While Kramer's 8
band sent out sweet music upon the morn.
ing air, the members Of the grad
uating ca85 marched up the aisle
and took their places upon the
rostrum. On one side were arranged
members OF the Board OF Regents and OF
the Faculty. After q few appropriate
opening remarks by President Turner, IN
which he spoke of the condition OF the
school and its prospects, he declared the
nineteenth nlusl commencement day OF
the University formally opened.
The first performer introduced was Mr.
R. A. Armstrong, OF French Creek, Upshur
county, Who read an essay entitled The
True and False" Mr.. Armstrong; 8 essay
treated of man sstruggle for truth through
out the ages. Human history has been a
! great drama in which the actors have been
men grssping for great principles. Some
Of the great questions upon when ooaY
we are seeking light were set forth.
Mr. Richard w. Dawson, OF Unlontown,
Pa, was then introduced and delivered an
ora,ion upon the theme, The American 8
Perverted Inheritance Mr.. Dawson spoke
of the grand inheritance of physical and
mental powers Americans have received
from their European ancestry. But thls
inheritance has been perverted by wasting
health and overWork and strength OF mind
by the worry and excitement oil the busy,
rushing. reckless American life.
Mr.. w. n. Berkeley of Morgsntown
was the next performer, who read an essay
on the subject. The Hope Of the Twentieth
Century" Mr.. Berkeley showed how
thought in previous centuries has been
more or lees guided by notions and tradi
tions of the post; but at the present the
tendency is 10 reject everything old and
rush into the other extreme OF severlbg
every tie that binds US 10 the past, In ibis
there is great danger, and the hope OF the
twentieth century lies in conservatism.
Tue next on the programme was Mr.. L:
r Shepherd, OF Bsysrd, Va, who delivered
an oration on the subject, The New
South" He treated of the struggle the
South has had since the war regaiaiDg her
los; fortunes and meeting the great social
problem thy has been confronting her
psople in rlsard to the freedmen. The
prosperous present leads to more pros
porous future.
Mr. Il +. Yost, of Basuett, Marion couu-
ty, was then introduced and read an essay
on The Evolution OF Language" Mr..
Yost treated of the growth OF language
from simple sounds By gradual evolution
up to the spoken and written language.
Various methods by which words are crlgl
mated and the elimination and death OF
languages were shown.
The last performer was Mr.. n. NJ.
Waters, of independence, Preston county,
who delivered an orstiou on the subject,
The Common Man" Mr.. Waters showed
that out of the COT fict with tyranny aud the
smoke of battles came the common man,
who is now pushing forward the world IN
its course of progress. 10 our country he
ia the bone and sinew of the LARD, and Is
advancing as q couqueror against the op'
preston Of monopoly, aud is to usher IN
higher civilization.
The orations and essays Of these young
gentlemen, indeed, did them credit. They
were carefully prepared and well delivered
| Considerable reading and original thought
were shown, and they were spoken in way
all the speakers own. The University ls
noted for developing the individuality
of its students. The school Is
comparatively free from that fault OF cut.
| ting out every student according to the
same pattern, as is too often the case IN
some denomiustioual schools. Every
yourg man is given the fullest scope tor
his thoughts and his delivery. The effects
Of this were shown in the addresses OF The
yradus,ipp class aud indeed Of all the per.
E,rmsnces of the week. Every performer
-, uanifestly himself and there was little
80 .ba, tempt of Imitation that 80 often
80 The ,lslvrry cf speskres. Some OF
.ta n,smhprs o. this graduating class Show
,Ss fire. Of true orstary. One adverse crIti'
'So ", aasinst some of the graduating
ns,tormsuces and some OF the others Of
the week. is that the subjects were n't
n,sct;csbls enough 1t would have been
So,,er # some of the performers had chosen
thsmss that appeal mora 10 the sehti-
msnts Of The ueouls People like to listen
- the discussion of subjects that come
=. kor.o ~ ,hoir he1rtg
n COMPARING OF DEGREES.
! Ahe. the graduating performances had
been finished and several prizes previously
auarded and mentioned ip the REGISTER
bsd baeu distributed, President Turner
,ban in the name of the Board OF hegents,
conferred the following degrees upon the
class of SO: Bachelor OF Arts-h2oer'
Alien Armstrong, Richard William DsW'
an, William Nathaniel Berkeley, r..
Thomas Rogers Shepherd, Macy McGee
Waters.
, Bachelor of Sciepces-Zoath Freeman
Yost
: The degree Of Bachelor Of Laws was coz
9 tsrred upon the following: George Cole
man Baker, George Edmund Boyd, Jr
I Luther Melsncthon Boyers, Clarence Brow
l. Dale, Richard Ellsworth Fast, Samue
Morgan Musgrove, Harold Lee Robinson
Also the honorary Masters degree va
conferred upon the class of SO. Diploms
n m separate schools OF the University wer
8 awarded TO many of the students and Gel
I n6ca,es of proficiency granted others.
:. Also the degree OF LII. d. wss bestoxe
= upon Rev. J. E. Smith, Hon. W. I. Willie
: and Rev. DR.. Edgar, as was previously 81
uouuced in the REGIsTER
NJ Presidents ADBsEss
is After the conferripg of degrees, Preside;
Il. Turner delivered an address to the men
in hers of the class now entering upon Il
III GREAT battle of life. The address Was fu
n. Of sayice and encouragement and prscl
cal good sense, and will, ifkept in view
i the young gsntleReu, thFeS light upon Il
Cd ns,bwav nf thar HycS