The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-06-14

commencement EN- ercises Of the August;
Male Academy.
This most deservedly popular school
/ the pride of the Valley, and especially o
Augusta county, brought its session 0
| 1878 to a close on Wednesday night TIN
9th inst, by public final celebration o
the Jeffersonian Literary Society of thu
Academy and the announcement by TIN
principal of the honors and distinction
won by the students.
A great deal of interest is always man
ifested bv its host of friends and patrons
| in the commencement of the Augusta
Male Academy. This occasion was by M
means an exception, and long before TIL
hour set for the opening of the exercises
people began to arrive from every dlrec
ton and soon filled the spacious hall to it
full seating capacity. 1t has been the prac
tice of the society heretofore to send ou
beautifully engraved special invitations
to particular friends and the boys" were
)nsiderably disappointed and chagrined b,
the failure through the rascality of {
Philadelphia printer" 10 receive the CARDS
in time to send them out before the com
mencemept must come off. However, il
spite of any disappointments occasionec
by this incident, the exercises were opened
at the appointed hour before. probably The
largest audience ever assembled at TIT
Academy.
Hoary sires were there encouraging theil
sons ~lth hearty approval OF the brave ant
SUGGEST I'll efforts made during the session
for Improvement. Doting mothers wert
there. with hearts throbbirg with thai
pt cnllar pride which only a loving
mothers heart can know. and with coun-
tenance glowing with wondering delight
J to see the timd boy who had left her side
! only nine months ago, and of whose awk
wardness she had sometimes been almost
ashamed, marching boldly and gracefully
to the stage and winning round after
round Of applause from large and intel
ligeDt audience. Fond sisters and brothers
were there nodding affpctionate approval
to their idols. SWeethearts were there
every school boy must needs have sweet
heart to reward with their smiles the
achievements of their fayorites. It is
superfluous TO say the program was an at
tractive one. everybody knows it was. 1t
was appropriately interspersed with music
| by the Mt Sidney Cornet Band. The
officers of the society. w. l.. Reeves, pres
ident; e. b. Tutwiler, vice president, and
| 5. H. Ruckman, secretary, occupied seats
Oh the stage. After prayer by Rev. Mr..
| CrickeDberger. of the Lutheran church,
the president announced the opening Ut
the exercises. w. M. Slower delivered the
salutatory. The question, Resolved, that
the United States is destined to become
The greatest of nations" was debated by
| 5. B, Seig and G. D. Shreckhise for the
affirmative, and j. F. w iIiams and Chas.
| d Forrer for the negative, Well select ed
declarations were delivered by James A
Crawford, j. L. Sanger, j 2. Marshall, L.
A. Merritt, f. b. Kennedy. d. Bell Kerr,
J.. A. Lanier, Formwalt Hood, c. H.
| RevercoInb. Chester A. Story, A. NJ. Byrd
Final Grafton by B. y. Bell, It would be
difficult for the most exaeting to criticise
unfayorably the performances of any OF
the participants. The officers performed
their respective duties with an ease and
dignity worthy of the most experienced
| The salutat0rian was most happy in his
efforts TO extend q cordial welcome to all
| The debaters displayed unusual talent and
historical knowledge, and argued with
much ability and eloquence from their
respective standpoints. The DISCLAIMERS
measured fully up to the high expectations
of their most sanguine friends, and the
| final orators efforts were rewarded by well
deserved applause and the hearty congrat-
ulations of his friends and fellow students.
n or is the courteous and accommodating
conduct Of the marshals. Messrs. Dick
Lappington, A. P. Walker, John A. OFT.
A.. j. Beyille. Frank w. Bell and H. G
Gum, to be overlooked. Each OF the
! young orators was the recipient Of a
| shower CT handsome bouquets as he left
the stage as tokens OF the appreciation OF
his efforts. Prof. Roller announced that
distinctions were conferred on each exam
| ination in which the student answered
correctly IS per cent. Of the questions, and
also that scholarship at Washington and
Lee University had been offered to the
member of the senior class who should at
tain the highest average on all his studies
F. B. Kennedy was the successful con,
testant for this prize. The following is
the list of distinctions conferred:
/ LIST OF DISTINCTIONS.
| David T.. Andes-Latin, German Arithmetic
English grammar and rhetoric, spelling.
! B. N. Bell--Latin German, geometry, tfigo-
| nometry and surveying.
| F. w. Bell-Latin, algebra German.
| Al. Beville-Latin, analysis, German.
! w. e. Bowers-English grammar and rhet