The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1888-06-14
The Twenty First Annual Com.
rnencement is 4 Thing
Of the Past.
But It Was the Biggest One We
Ever Had.
Fonr Thousand People Estimated I'd
Have Been in Attendance,
And the Boys Make their Debut upon
Life's Stage
Amid Showers Of Beautiful Flowers and
Kind Congratulations.

Never before was there such a de
lightful commencement week as the
one which closed yesterday. 1t had
rained just enough to cause every
vestige Of dust to disappear. The
days were bright and sunshiny, yet
cool and pleasant.
The crowds on the trains grew
larger and larger each day, until the
one yesterday morning made up Of
several coaches-put down at the
depot q great throng Of people.
Our slumbers were brought to an
abrupt termination at very unsea-
sonable hour in the morning by the
rattle of hacks and carriages and
the tramp Of an army of feet upon
the payements. The town wasialiye
at very early hour. It was already
filled with visitors from all parts Of
the State, but now those # ON the
surrounding country began to pour
in. RI H.. ; !. ~
They came in wagons, on horse
back, and on foot, and all wendell
their way towards the University.
The town people joined them, and by
nine o'clock living stream was
streaming toward our college, r.:
The cadet corps had assembled
under arms, and the grounds were
thronged with people. The livery
stables were empty. Every availa-
BILE vehicle in the place was running
between the town and the University,
and as ! natural result the town was
soon empty and the University oyEr-
flowing
It was bright and beautifnI
morning, and not uncomfortabdy
warm. Commencement Hall was
soon filled, but that didn't make any
diferenee--they continued to come.
When the seats were all occupied,
the ushers squeezed them into the
corners aud stood them arc und the
walls. The aisles were fill ed with
chairs, and even the steps along the
entire front of the rostrum were
crowded. The large vacant space
near the entrance was entirely occu-
pied by closely packed and exceed
ingly patient and accomplishing
multitude, who stood throughout the
exercises. q. ! "
\ At five minutes after ten, Mestre-
Eats orchestra struck up the over
ture, and the procession, preceded
by the ushers, filed up the aisle in
the following order: President Jsur-
ner, members of the graduating
classes in both the Academ mic and
Law Departments, the Faculty and
the Board of Regents. There were
also seated upon the rostrum many
alumni. Altogether, it was quite a
fine-looking and imposing b dy..E
I When the orchestra ceased play
ing, the audience stood up and pray
er was offered by Rev. A. M. Buchan-
an. President Turner then stepped
to the front Of the rostrum, and
spoke as follows; w :.
Ladies and gentlemen: To-day
closes the twenty-frst year of the ex-
istence of the West Virginia Univers-
ity; andI it IS a subject of congratu-
lation to all of us to be able to say
to-day that it has been the most sue
cessful of all the yearsgof the insti-
tuition. There have been 1913 stu
dents in attendance-the largest
number in any year of its history.
4 take pleasure in saying to these
young men that they have been stu
dous, industrious, and of exemplary
conduct. &c has been source of
great pleasure to me to be engaged
in the work of training them for life.
We hope that next year, and all fu-
ture years, will be still more success
full.
Then after announcing the estab-
lishment Of the School of Civil En-
gineering, and the election of an able
practical engineer to the chair, DR..
Turner announced the program Of
the twenty first annual commence
ment as follows:
GRAFTON The Tidal Wave Of Thought. 4
James D. Cox.
ESSAY q ypnotisn,' /
Howard II Emmert.
MUSIC.
GRAFTON Conservatism Il
Christian Hartmyer.
GRAFTON -spestaelss..'
David L. Jamison
MUSIC.
ESSAY The Reserve ii the Battle of Life &
| Henry H. Ryland.
GRAFTON s.The Problem Of Self Governne
Frank snider.
MUSIC.