The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-06-23


age, lovely matrons and maldens fair, all We'd
in browning with success this, the first annual
Commencement of the Greenwood Female
College.
Distinguished Guests
Upon the large rostrum sat Governor
Thompson, and the excellent orchestra of
Due West, while orcupying conspicuous seats
upon the same were many distinguished
comb, Secretary of State, Gen. r. II. Hemp
hill, Mr. Hugh Wilson, Hon. Ellis G.. Gray
don, Rev. r. D. Smart, Rev w. 7. Matthew'S,
Rey " Il MdSoEs Rodgers, Col Q; T. Calhoun ah, NJ
At ten o'clock the band played, during
which the Faculty and students marched in,
and occupied seats Immediately in front Of
the rostrum.
Prayer by Rev. II. d. Smart.
After the excellent music had ceased,
Rev. r. D. Smart invoked the Divine blessing
in the following supplication:
Almighty God our heavenly Father, it Is In
Thee that we live, and move, and have our
being. We would undertake nothing with
secch Thee that Thou woulds't smile upon us
as we are now assembled. We thank Thee
that Thou hast not only created us physical
beings, but that Thou hast also endowed us
ments and enjoyments. We thank Thee
for the advantages enjoyed by our communi.
ty III having this institution in our town.
May we appreciate more fully, and support
IL more generously. We thank Thee for the
good health OF It's pupils and teachers the
past session. Grant that as the youth who
gather here shall have their minds trained,
and disciplined, and stored with information
that shall be Servccable to them In after days
they may at the same time learn those noble
lessons of virtue and truth that shall make
them wise unto salvation; and may this In
stitution, begun under auspices so favorable,
prove TO be fountain, the stream of which
shall flow broad and deep and pure down
through many generations. Bless, we be-
seech Thee, Thy servant who comes to-day to
encourage us in the great work of educating
and developing the better qualities of our
nature. We thank Thee for the valuable SER
vice he has so long rendered the cause of ed
ucation throughout our land. We thank
Thee for his continued health amid the ardu-
Gus and responsible duties which pertain to
his office as the Chief Executor of our Com
monwealth. Grant him In health and pros
perity long to live. Hear us, our Father, In
these our supplications and thankSsgivinss
which we offer in the name Of Hin who died
and rose again. and TO whom, together with
Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honor und
glory world without end. Amen.
General HemphilTs Introduction of
Governor Thompson.
After prayer Gen. r. R. Hemphill arose and
introduced the speaker in the following ap.
propriate remarks:
"The distinguished success which has attend
ed the first annual commencement OF the
Greenwood Female College must be q great
qualification to the worthy founders Of the
institution and It's friends. Beginning with
predict that it will be a blessing and ornament
10 this place and to the whole State Of South
Carolina. The faculty has been peculiarly
fortunate in the selection or Gov. Thompson
as the first anniversary orator. He has de.
voted years of a useful and honorable life to
the profession OF teaching and Is fully In sym.
pathy with the cause of "femAc education"
which rs now commanding the earnest
thought and attention OF the most distin-
guished educators Of the land. Ills my pleas
Ing duty TO introduce Hon. Hugh 5. Thomp-
son, the anniversary orator."
The Anniversary OratiOn..Chaste in
Thought..Rich in Gems of Litera.
ture--Adorned with the Choicest
Flowers of Rhetoric.
After General Hemphills graceful words Of
Introduction, Governor Thompson came for.
ward ON the platform, amid great applause
and apparent delight on the part Of the au-
dience.
1t is needless to say that Gov. Thompson
fully sustained his reputation as Il polished
speaker, and accomplished scholar. To at
tempt to give synopsis OF his address would
only be to fail, and we regret our inability to
reproduce the speech In full, as contrary to
most public speakers, though to his credit. he
discarded manuscript, and only used 0cca,
siOnally few notes. For an hour lie held
his audience spell-bound by his mastery ef-
fort In behalf of more liberal female educa-
tion, and as he eloquenty presented rich
gems OF thought from the fields of both an-
cient and modern literature, the rapt attcn tion
Of his audience was often broken by rounds Of
applause.
He said If there ever was q demand for a
more liberal female education. this was the
time. By an enactment of legislation, born
of hatred and fanaticism, tue South had
thrust upon her, a problem, the right ana
women OF the land. Being tue coadj jutors OF
all that was good and great, upon them de-
volved the task of keeping inviolate the no
BILE heritage of the Anglo-SaNon race, and of
elcvating and preserving the civilization Of
the Southland. He rejoiced in the fact that
the South, and especially South Carolina, was
rising to the realization OF the necessity OF Il
more thorough and perfect system OF educa-
tion of her women, and so long us the train
ing of the youths of the Land was cOnfided TO
the care of pious, refined and educated wo-
men, there was hope that the bow OF promise
In gloom, would again span our southern sky
and we would attain to that degree OF civil.
Zation which was New England's boast. and
old England's greatness. Woman was mans
true ideal, and the more perfect and lofty the
ideal. the higher would man be raised In the
scale of social being.
The speaker successfully rcfuted the some
what popular impression Of the inequality Of
the mental capacities of the sexes and like
Lord Bacon and TenDyson, contcndcd that
there was not so much an Inequality rs Il diff
ference of mental capacities OF the sexes. lie
conc usively proved from the history OF the
past, as well ns observations Of the present,
that woman had, and does no less adorn the
learned professions than man. Wherever the
higher avOcationS of life have been open to
her she has proven herself the peer Of man.
Ho would not, however, be understood aS en-
dorSing the strong minded women OF New
England. as the term is used in its restricted
sense He wOuld not rob the Southern wo-
man of her own peculiar glory and attraction
and drag her from her lofty throne, only to
incur mans contempt and heavens rebuke,
but he would have her drink from the deep
est founts of science and literature, that her
mind might be strengthened. her influence
more extended, her life more exalted and her
mission more glorious. The speaker also
manifested his deep interest III female educa-