The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-06-23
THEFORTY SEVENTH YEAR
At Bethany College Brought tc
a Successful End.
THE COMMENCEMENT TIME,
As Usual, Brings u Big Crowd to the
Little PIace-splcndid Exercises.
The People Who Were There.
Notes About the Events.

Thursday, June 81, marked the close
of another scholastic year, the forty
seventh, ut old Bethany College, that
famous institution Of learning located
away up on the fertile hills of Brooke
county, where it was founded by the re-
vered Bishop Alexander Campbell, the
centennial anniversary of whose birth
was observed in connection with this
years commencement exercises. Com
mencement Day at Bethany is no Ordi-
nary event, and as Mr.. Philips, the vale
dictorian, well said in his opening
remarks, this was no ordinary COM
mencement. The class graduated was
larger and the performances, In the
opinion Of many who have been regular
attendants at these annual red-letter
days for Bethany, better and moro in
teresting than those for Some time past.
As for the crowd in attendance, it was
more like one Of those old-time gather
ings, when prominent people from far
and near were to be found on the campus,
mingling with the residents from the
surrounding country, making the day in
years gone by, IN event OF no small note
in fashionable social circles here, at
Steubenville, Welsburg and elsewhere.
WHAT CAUSED TIE LARGE ATTENDANCE.
Tho attendance Thursday OF an unus-
ually large number of people from here
and points further distant, was due in
part to n desire TO be present at the
Bishop Campbell celebration. Another
and most potent reason is to be
found in the fact that Bethany College,
with the infusion OF new and young
blood,from the Alumni into the faculty,
that was made last year, appears TO have
taken a new lease OF life. The faculty,
headed by that fine scholar, hard work
er, and in every way admirable man,
President W. II. W0olery, firm in the
belief that their Alma Mailer was not
founded to merely enjoya comparatively
short, brilliant career and then grad
ually sink into decay and to an untime-
~ end, us appeared imminent three or
four years ago, started out TO nurse and
revive the institution back to its pristine
glory and strength, and the success they
have had in the short time they have
been so engaged is truly notable.
A REVIVAL IN ATTENDANCE AND INTEREST.
There has been a vigorous and health
full growth about the college in every
way. The attendance Of students the
past year has been an increase OF fifty
per cent over that Of the previous year,
and with the large increase in the num-
Der OF students there has been u cores
ponding increase OF interest in the in
stitution on the part OF the public at
large, judging from the attendance
Thursday. All this bodies well for the
college. President Woolery has been
greatly encouraged over the response
the efforts OF himself aud his able CO.
workers have met with. The BoRrd OF
Trustees at their meeting this week
showed some appreciation oil this new
growth by increasing the number OF the
faculty one, in the person OF Mr. A. Me-
Lean, OF Cincinnati, bright scholar,
who will be assigned to teaching the New
Testament.
The Board would, it is believ-
ed, have done well to have in
creased the course OF study one yeUr.
That is something, however, that will be
likely TO come next year, provided the
Colleges prospects continue to bright
en- as they have the past year, and there
is every reason to believe that such will
be the case. With the interest in the
College that has developed in other
States, there should be more interest
shown in it in this State, and particular.
| " in this Pan Handle. The College is
OF incstimable value to this section
much more so than many imagine, and
there should be a better recognition OF
this fact. The education impaired at
Bethany is thorough, and as shown in
the intelligent minds that compose the
Alumni, 1t ia lasting education.
THE FAMILIAR COMMENCEMENT SCENES.
Tho scenes in connection with this
years commencement were similar TO
those so often seen in the quiet little
village Of Bethany on like occasions.
Everything for the time being was life and
hustle; people in droves commenced TO
come driving in over the surrounding
hills in every kind OF conveyance at m
early hour in the morning. There were
pleasant greetings and interchanges OF
gossip. Men who years ago stepped out
OF the college into the busy walks Of life
hailed with delight those who went forth
with them or else were ut the institution
at the same time they were, and together
they looked approvingly on those who
were soon to follow them. These and
other scenes were enacted all through
the village and about the college. They
were old and familiar scenes, yet they
seemed to lose none of their interest for
the principals or witnesses. They have
all been so frequently described in the
TNTELLfdgHcER before, and are SO well
known to all who attend Bethany COM
mencements that 1t Is not necessary to
further describe them.
The Wheeling Opera House band and
orchestra was on hand as. usual, and
discoursed its choicest selections at OPP
perfume times increasing the good opin-
ion in which it is held by the friends
who yearly congregate there.
GATHERING FOR THE EXERCISES.
The class met the faculty at the man.
sion of ex-PresIdent Pendleton, on the
Heights, about 10 o'clock, and preced.
ed by the band, teachers and students
marched to the pretty Commencement
hall. They found it filled with people
on their arrival. Prominent in the
front seats, were the widow OF the
founder Of the college and her two
daughters, Mrs. Virginia Thompson,
the celebrated postnfistress at Louisville,
aud Mrs. Decima Barkley, OF Alabama.
Mrs. Campbell is quite feeble by reason
of n weight Of years, yet she seemed TO
brighten as she looked at the marble
bust Of her illustrious husband that stood
on the rostruuh, then ut the fine looking
class and then over the large audience,
and probably reflected that there was
not one in all that Number that did not
honor and bear in warm remembrance
the memooy Of her deceased mate.
A GRACEFUL WELCOME,