The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-07-05
AT YALE UNIVERSITY.
A NORTH CAROLINA BOY IN YAM
KEE-LAND.
toms, the Speeches and People he
Sees at the Great Northern School.

He Tells of the Commencement Gus
toms, the Speeches and People he
Sees at the Great Northern School.
Especial Contribution to The Sentinel
New HAVEN, Conn, July 3, 1888.
There is such variety in a COM
mencement at Yale University that /
venture to interest your readers there
upon. Although having spent some
time in Yale, | had failed to witness
University commencement The
reason of this being that the Theolog-
ical school closes its work in May,
and the students of this department
an in their vacation mouth before
the general close.
OF course there is here a large
amount of speaking, as at all COM
mencements: 1t is of the peculiar or
characteristic features that I desire to
speak. The events extend over about
ten days. The celebration begins
when the Seniors have finished the
last examination. Tue class march
in single file around each building
and give it the college cheer" then
cheer the President and the favorite
professor. The Sophomores present
in a formal manner the college fence"
to the freshmen. The so called "fence
orations," of presentation and accep
tance, are frequently very keen. The
fraternity men return to enjoy the
annual elaborate and elegant suppers.
The university Nine" are expected
to defeat the Harvard nine on the ball
field. The University crew is expect
ed to treat the Harvard crew in a
like manner The .Nine' and "crew"
of the freshmen class are expected to
treat their Harvard enemies even
likewise. The Yale man has a pas
sion for athletics. Stagg, the captain
of the ball nine, is a poor young man
and waits On a table of students for
his board but he is nevertheless the
hero of Yale. They count him 'Y ale's
greatest pitcher" He is member of
the oldest and most honored secret
society in the University.
There are two interesting features
connected with the class day exercises.
The class smoke long pipes and drink
much lemonade and are very free and
jolly. There is great care in securing
and planting the ivy. The twig plant
ed this year was secured from the
chateau of Henry ". (France).
A few years ago he class secured its
twig from Parnassus. On commence
nlent day the President wears a gown
and an "oxford cap.', He speaks in
Latin. There is stiff formality in ev
cry thing on this day. The exercises
are held IN the old and famous "cen-
ire church" The ladies are admitted
to the galleries and by card only.
The Latin Grafton receives profound
attention and its complimentary ref
erence to the ladies is vigorously ap-
plauded.
The concert by the Glee Club is a
highly priced event. Everybody en-
joys the music of college boys. This
concert draws the learned and the
beautiful and fills the largest opera
house in the city-The Alumni dinner
is another enjoyable event. The Sen
iors pay for the dinner and every
graduate of the University eats it.
There is crowd, of course. The class
of 1915 was represented in man 93
years old who stood upon the rostrum
and spoke clearly. He is Rev. j.
Pickham.-In the seat of honor sat
Prof. Dwight, on his right sat Mr..
Justice Stanley Mathews, on his left
sat Gen. w. 7. Sherman In front of
him sat Comd. Goodrich, of the Navy.
After dinner came the speeches. Suf-
fcient Yale enthusiasm was manufact-
ured to tell nightly for the University.
The hero in this meeting was Gen.
Sherman. Stanly Mathews was hea-
Wy and personal iu his speech. The
best hit was made by Senator Gibson,
of Louisiana. He made manly
speech as a Southern Senator and was
given an ovation. 1t was amusing to
read the garbled report of this speech
by the leading Republican paper Of
this city.
A brilliant event of this commence
ment was reception given by one ol
the Secret Fraternity. The fraternity
has this spring completed large
stone mansion for the use of its mem
bers. The building is three stories
high and has basement. The mem.
bers of the Society are to live in thii
building. The janitor occupies the
basement. Each student room is fur
nished with an electric bell. There i.
a large reading-room and a convenient
general library. Each floor is provi
ded with cold and hot bath tubs and
"closets. in short, these young mer
have built modern mansion. Thil
is the largest work yet achieved by
any Fraternity in the University, anc
they were honored in their reception
by the President and other elite Of tn,
University and city. The name 0
this Fraternity is "Book and Snake.
The President holds a reception fol
each department of the Universit,
and then holds University reception
These receptions are elegant ant
stiff. In addition to these is the 'Sen
Tor Promenade"-the event of the sea
son for lovers of the dance.
The men at this commencement
were distinguished-but the ladie
were not handsome.
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