Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-08
TAKE NERVOUSNESS
Honors Awarded at the Institute Com
nencement Last Night.
PROFESSOR HUME'S GRAFTON.
He psitvers . Beautiful Addrcss. Taking
MIRA Browning ~ Model for woman
Other Exercise.

last night, and the outside world WAS
dark and dreary, but within the play
house a beautiful scene was presented.
1t was picture Of maidenly loneliness
and girlish happiness. :
The occasion was the commencement
of the Richmond Female Institute. The
ipcleme Mt weather kept away many VINO
would otherwise have been In attendance,
but the orchestra floor was crowded. ana
a number Of persons were IN the gar
leIies.
The Young ladies' OF the institution
occupied seats behind the railing OF the
horseshoe, while the full graduates sat
mon the stage, as did also the trustees
and friends OF the institution. among
the latter were Rev. nr. W; IN, W
Iandrum. Rev. DIR. Theo. Whi'-
field. Rev. DIR. George 90 per, rev
DIR. n. A. Upper, Rev. y. a.. Hutson'
Dr. Paul Whitehead, Hon. II. IL. POI
lard. DIR George b. Steel, Colonel John
r. Cary. Rev. Eldridge Hatcher. Messrs'
T. II. Elicit. B. +. johnson, and JOSIAH
Ryland.
OPENED WITH PRAYER.
Rev. DR.. James Nelson, the president
of the institute, presided. and few
minutes before o'clock he INTRODUCED
Rev. Or. George Cooper, who ofie-ed q
fervent PRAYER, while the audience stood
witb bowed heads. After the Invocation
of Divine blessing the band played
"Nearer, My God, to Thee.
The awarding of certificates 10 the va
rious classes next followed. and as the
charming maids in their sweet white
dresses marched upontb stage In grace
ful columns they were greeted with en-
tbusiastic applause. Professor Charies
II Winston, in his usual pleasant style,
delivered the diplomas and .accompa,-
MED his remarks with several happy a.
lusions.
PROFESSOR HUME's ADDRESS.
DIR Nelson next introduced Professor
Thomas Hume. LII. d., of North Caro-
lima who delivered the address OF the
evening. In his remarks Dr. Nelson
stated that Professor Hume occupied the
chair of English IN the University OF
North Carolina, ana was one OF the most
distinguished scholars and orators OF the
South.
The speaker, who was greeted with
APPLAUSE. expressed his pleasure at adj
dressing q Richmond audience and the
graduating class Of the institute. de
said it was on an occasion similar to this
that he met the fate which led him to the
altar. He announced that the subject
az his address was woman, Poet and
Prophet" =,
Concerning the first, he said he would
sneak but little, as this was well-worn
theme. He presented fiesh-and- blood
illustration Of what woman might do
and might be. and mentioned the name
of some who had become famous IN
history. The orator spoke in terms OF
contempt of the Delsarte system OF cui-
ture. which causes our women to affect
a languid, sickly air. u.
He described Mrs. Elizabeth Barratt
Browning as the ideal of intellectual
and moral womanhood, and gave q beau
tifnl description of her life and work.
She redeemed poetry from the foul
Uvronnic smirch which had been put
upon If. in her verses termed "Sonnets
from the Portuguese she revealed the
deepest sentiments of which the soul Is
capable. and wrote IN strain which in
dicated the purity of her love.
Professor Hume read several extracts
from Mrs. Browning's works and pointed
out to his auditors the beauty, the ten
derness, and the love depicted In her
style. He described her poetry as the
TRANSPORTATION of earthly passion in
which there was not suggestion OF SEN
suous faint
woMAN's CHAMPION.
Mrs. Browning was the champion OF
her sex in the true sense of woman's
duty. hut did not lend her aid to those
WHO wished for rights at the ballot-box.
She exhibited no hate for man. but en-.
deavored to get the sexes in their true
relations to each other. She believed il
home and in the law OF love. "Vary
the occupations of woman" she said
"make her poet, orator, or teacher
but teach her to be motherly, sisterly
wifely, and Christian"
No ideal flights bore her away from
the thoughts of religion. Through hel
one finds that Imagination and faith are
sisters, who hand in hand lead us on t.
the headlight OF that safety which last
through an eternity. She inepires ant
strengthens by proving what woman
NAV do to bless society without forfeit
ing her place as mother, daughter, anC
wife.
Professor Hume in his closing re
marks urges the graduates who wer,
about to go forth into life to remembe
chat deep enthusiasm Tor llteratur
might perfectly accord with the mos
conscientious regard for the details o
social life.
THE MEDALS AWARD.
The next and one of the most pleasan
features OF the programme was the de
livery of medals The prizes for must
were awarded Miss Belle Lynn, of Viz
pinia. and Miss Rena Stuart. of Nortl
Carolina. Rev. Dr. Landrurh made tn
presentation speech.
QllkB Otuulc vi -NOAth SoiOiAo
was the recipient Of the art medal, whicl
was presented by Rev. DIR. Cooper
The French medal. which was won b.
Miss Grace Warren Landrum, was pre-
sented by Rev. DIR. Theo. Whitfield
while the prize for neatness. presente
by Hon. H.. r. Pollard, was awarde
Miss Gertie Slade.
Miss Georgia Quimby, OF Virgins
the winner of the Latin medal, was UT
avoidably absent. and therefore tn
prize was not presented publicly.
Colonel Gary presented the medal wo
by Miss Carolina Brown for map-drav
ing.
DEGREES CONFERRED.
The last feature OF the programm
was the comforting Of the degrees
There were four young ladies who n
ceived the title CT Bachelor Of Liter
tlre, and their names are as follows
Misses Cassie Moncure Lyme and Dais
Hutson. of Virginia Jennie Elizabet
Mann. OF North Carolina, and Mar
Wilson, OF Maryland.
The diplomas were. awarded by ID.
Nelson.
The first and only scholar who he
ever received the degree Of Bachelor {
Arts from tho institute was Miss ANN
Powell. Rev. DIR. Upper presented h
kta Js,,Jcrno The exaYctaaa NIoaad