Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-08
SILENT ORATORS.
Presentation Day scenes at the National
Deaf Mute College.

Dear Mute College.
Yesterday was presentation day a, the Ms
tonal Deaf Mute College and crowds OF people
went out 20 Kendall Green TO attend the inter-
eS'lng exercises on this occasion There we're
seven members Of the senior class and these
PRESIDENT Gsliaudet presented 20 the board OF
trustees as eligible 10 degrees at the grsdnA-
ton time. fortnight hence. BY O'Clock in
The afternoon. the time set Tor the beginning
Oh the presentation exercises. the large chapella
'he main building was well filled and moro peo-
Pc We're constantly arriving. - that Is Was a
IL" minutes alter the time appointed when the
graduating class filed IN. As tie guests A.
rived they were Received at the door bv a COM
n3lttee OF reception. composed o. Nm Mood
rni. BeadcI Marshall. Nm Dewitt Himrod.
rank q. Nu-drman. Paul Large. jr Amos
Nhi!dsn.
ON rHF rLATFoEN.
The platform NJ one end OF the chanel va.
prethly decorated with Elies palms ana sprinc
flowers On the platform were seated Pre-i-
dent GaliaTdet. Senator Mashburn. Prcsl!,n.
Rankin of Howard University. President Ne
ing of Columbian University. Rev Or Thomas
u'llaudct 81 ~. Ann Church FOR deaf nutes m
New York. Prof Fay. Prof. Gordon. Prot
thicEerlng. Rev. James u. Cloud. Mr. James
r. f.toh and other members OF the board Of
trustees and OF the faculty. In the rear OF the
room. on a sort OF raised platform. were seated
the members OF the under classes of the coll, go
in = position TO see al the motions Of th..
speakers. N such a term could be applied To-
tADsc Who Use the sign language as a means ~
communi'a alton. Most OF the Young ladios
were decorated with rosrttes of pale blue aud
pun the colOrs 81 the college and a great
deal of outlU -Iasm was aroused during the eN-
crclses, which must have been very pleasant
Tor Tie graduates TO look upon. The exercises
were begun by an Invocation by Dr. RANKIN
AZ which he asked a blessing upon the good
work OF educating deaf mutcs and an engaged
IN the work. upon this institution and upon
similar institutions everywhere. HIS PRAYER
Was translated into the sign language by Rev.
lpr. Thomas Ga!Laudot and II was watched with
the closest attention 10y all the students.
THE SILENT ORATORS.
President Galaudot then introduced the first
Of the graduates. Mr.. VIM. Henry Zorn Of
Ohio. who Was down on the program Tor an
Grafton The Almighty Dollar" As ne ns-
cenied the platform he carried a copy OF his
essay tied with blue aud buff ribbons and tins
he handed to Prof Chickering. who read u
aloud Tor the benefit Of those in the Eudienc.
who did not understand the sign Language.
The essay itself was very clever. as indeed thew
all were. and WAS well above the average OF
graduation essays. But the audience gener-
ally Was more interested in watching the grace
| ful motions of the speakers, whose skill and
readers maintained an ordinary speed IN read
| ing the essays, but the speakers seemed 10 ini
no difficulty at all keeping up with them or IN
advance
''I'he Turks in Europe" was the subject
| OF dissertation by Mr.. Frank Abraham Lett
ner OF Maryland. and Mr.. Hobart Lorraine
Macy of Iowa discussed Poverty and the
lfelnedy. and Mr.. Stephen Shuey OF Missouri
The Origin of Rome" President Gallsudet
| and Prof Gordon took turns with Prof CHECKER
IA
tadwalladcr Lincoln Mashburn. a son OF
Senator Mashburn OF Minnesota. 20 speak on
The Mind of the Spider" DIR. Gallaudet said
that the material, Sc. Tor the ESSAY had been
gathered, not from books. but from actual
! observation of these interesting insects Of
| more than a years duration. The Grafton
showed the very closest observation on th.
| part of Mr.. Washburn and was a delightful
account of the habits and powers OF these
\ strange little creatures. MIR. Thomas Hhgcrfy
| OF Wisconsin delivered an Grafton on "Agricul-
| ture." and Mr.. Oscar Henry Eegensburg Of
! Illinois one on The Race Problem"
PREsENTING THE CANDIDATES
| This completed the list of orations and Presi-
| dent Gallaudet then arose to present the caud-
dates for degrees TO the trustees of the college.
All except Mr.. Leitner were candidates for this
degree OF Bachelor of Arts. He will receive
| that of Bachelor of Science. DIR. Gallaudet
| made an address III which he said that he had
| oiIe n been asked what becomes of the stadeni.
| of this college after they graduate. and this he
| wished TO answer. Briefly il had been ms cX-
| perience that graduates of the National Deaf
[ Mute College had no more difficulty in placing
| themselves IN position FOR life work than had
| the graduates of any other institution of learn
| ing. The college has already graduated between
| 3Ot and 400 students. Teachers have been
| turned to thrty-slX schools for the deaf in
\ Other parts OF the country. Several Asd
! founded schools for the deaf IN territories
where there were none before. number ara
ministers, number ia journalism. BetNeeu
ten, and fifteen hold positions under the gov
| ernment. Several OF them are engaged an
scientific pursuits: there are microscopic,
botanlsts, astronomers and architects. Some
| are successful lawyers. while number are en-
| gagged in agricultural and mechanical pursuits.
THE ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATES.
DIR. Gallaudet read telegram from Secretary
Noble regretting that his absence from iowa
would prevent him from delivering the address
! 10 the graduates. he had wished and ex-
| pected 20 do. Senator Washburn presented
! and addressed the students in few happily
chosen words, in which he gave them hearty
welcome out into the world OF workers aud
! wished them GodSpeed along their journey
| through life.
! The exercises concluded with benedichOn
| by Rev. James II. Cloud. NJ A., n graduate OF
| the college aud now an ordained minister ina
| the Episcopal church and a missionary among
! the deaf ia Pennsylvania. His prayer not
translated, hut IL lost none OF Its impressive
ness and solemnity By being confined solely 10
| the spirit world.
| INSPECTING THE SCHOOL
| BY invitation of President Galaudet the
visitors spent quite little time after the eXer-
cises in going through the Kendall school. the
| college building and the gymnasium, all OF
which were thrown open for the day. Ina the
Kendall school several classes were at work and
| the methods of teaching children thor
oughly explained 20 the visitors. In the articH-
| lstion room. Miss Gordon. who has a class of
| twenty-seven. showed how dumb people NAV
| be taught to speak. This was one of the most
| interesting scenes of the day and the room
| kept crowded with people who were close OBJ
| servers of the methods pursued in the dIiicult
! and interesting undertaking.
/ In the gymnasium a class OF young men gave
! pretty exhibition of club swinging and the
| use of dumb bells. The grounds of Kendall
| Green never looked prettier than they did yes-
| terday in the spring sunshine and the scenes
/ and exercises of the day such will not
| soon be forgotten by those who were fortunate
| enough to be present.
| 4 COMPLIMENTARY EXCURSION will be given 10
| ''Fairlawn" on saturday afternoon by b. h.
A. DaaA fh.rr