Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-29
CLOSING EXERCISES.
Roll Of the Y. n. !. Cadets Called for
the Last Time The 66ih Session.
GOVERNOR VPERRALES ADDRESS.
Good Advice 10 tho Graduating Glass and
Medals 90 Honor Men-Promo-
lions and Appointments,


The closing exercises of the fifty-fQth
commencement OF the Virginia Military
Institute took place to-day In the pres
ence OF large crowd. Captain Henry A.
Wise. Company a. was presented with
an elegant and handsome seal-ring, set
with diamonds and appropriately In
scribed, by the members OF his company
who hold him 10 high esteem. AZ Di5
the Cadet Battery, with Lieutenant Blake,
Fifth Artillery, United States army, In
command, fred salute In honor OF me
arrival Of his ExcelleDcy Governor oter-
rail- The last call OF the session OF isSS-si
was sounded at 1890, and the four COM
panies we're formed on their respective
parade grounds In front OF the barracks,
and the rolls called for the last time
until next September. The companies
we're tbsn marched TO the parade-sround
by their respective captains, and the bal
TALON was formed and turned over to
Colonel Marshall by Cadet-Adjutant w.
ii. Cooke.
PASSED IN REVIEW.
Colonel Marshall In a few minutes pass
ed the battalion In review before Cow
ernor O'Ferrail. the Board Of Visitors,
the faculty. and officers OF the institute.
The officials then. followed by the band
and CORPS Of cadets marched 10 the mess
hail, where a large audience, composed OF
the parents relations, alumni, youns
ladies and other friends OF the caoeis,
had assembled 10 witness the delivery OF
the diplomas and the conferring OF the
honors on the graduating class. The eN-
vii
Rev. Giles y. Cooke. Of Maryland, class
Of 1879 of the institute, and then the vale
dictorIan of the day. Cadet-Captsin ii. a.
Wise was introduced to the audience by
General scott Shipp. superintendent OF
the institute. The Yaledictory anofess
was fun Of humOF and pathos, the latter
especially when the speaker referred TO
the parting from ms cIassWaiSs an"
friends at the institute.
DIPLOMAS DEGREES
The class distinctions for the past
session were announced by the supeIlh-
tendent. who afterwards. assisted ny Cap
tam FRANCIS Mallory, post adJutant of the
Virginia Military institute, delivered the
diplomas ard certificates and conferred
the degrees on the graduating class.
General Shipy then announcer the hrst
and second "Jackson-H Hope" medailist OF
The graduating class, Cadet-Adjutant vii
liam II. Cooke, OF city Po,I'. Va, and
Cadet-Lieutenant Charles g, Kilbourne,
Of Washington city. The graduating
class were then addressed by Governor
OTerrall. who spoke as follows
GOVERNOR O'FERRALI's ADDRESS.
Gentlemen The duty just assigned me
by the distinguished Superintendent OF
this noble Institution of learning gives me-
indeed. peculiar pleasure. lie has com
manded me 10 present 10 you me jack
son-IIoue medals. 1 assume. Of course.
that YOU are familiar with the history
Of these emblems of honor: that You know
their origin and the memories that cluster
around the fund dedicated to their pro-
curcment.
You occupy to-day q most enviable Do-
sition. You stand upon a pinnacle above
the heads Of all your fellows. You are
the two most distinguished graduates of
the Virginia Military Institute con
graduate you most heartily upon your
succes.. and trust that 1t is but the Tore
runner Of far greater successes IN ne
am SURE you found the road when
YOU have travelled IN reaching the goal
rugged and rough, ana your voyage beset
with many difficulties. Your progress was
glow. step BY step. This Is the way to
kpoVIedge. vi dom, distinction, fame, ana
glory
Frequently. no doubt. IN the burden
and heat of the day your spirits waned
and your hopes weakened; this has peen
the experience Of every pedestrian up
the steep. But your hearts We're DraVe
and your courage failed not; you strussl'n
onward ana upward. and you found your
strength increasing and the ascent be-
coming easier and your burden Iishteg as
YOU climbed. and now. having reached
the height upon which your eager eye
so long gazed and upon which the desire
of your anxious soul so long dwelt. You
can look back with bosOniS swelling WIN
manly pride and eXclaim In the language
of "A great man, Victories That are easy
are cheap. These only are worth having
which come as the result OF nara HBH'
ing"
But gentlemen, while without thtae
medals Won would leave these walls with
the distinctions you have won, and wear
them through life az inspirations 10 noble
action and high purpose, 1t seems TO me
that as the pOssessors of these memep-
toes YOU would find in them All incentive
TO emulate the example of the iilustrioHs
Niiyginian whose name * carved Oh them.
What am ocean of thought does that name
supply to the mind Of the student. II
Is the synonym of fidelity 10 duty, at
bcrence Ia right. and devotion 10 min
has been said. Fame. like the river, is
narrowest where II Is bred and broadest
afar or" Not so with the fame of this
man of renown. All lands proclaim his
greatness; all climes eNtol his virtues; all
peoples chant his praises; the Word
claims hun az a contribution of omnipo-
tence 80 the mighty galaxy OF stars mat
shine throughout .he universe OF ciViiiza7
ton: but right here on his native heath,
4 a lasat Ion nt.rs
amid the scenes of his youth, here along
the pathways OF his daily life. here within
the walls of the institution wherein he
labored, here upon the fields of his victo-
RIGS aud here around his tomb, his
deathless fame is proclaimed trumpet
like. and Incense 10 his memory is burning
upon the affairs erected by his own proud
ana grateful cOuntrymen, while here ana
there his form sublme has been perpetu-
ated Ia enduring bronze upon pedestals
of everlasting granite. Ills character is
indeed without its counterpart In history.
Amid humble surroundings and without
the advantages of high family station.
wealth or influence, he was born. There
was no herald 20 look after his pedigree,
his rights and privileges Of nobility. or
armoral bearings. There were no geneao-
logical tables with which he could label
himself. no ancestral line to give him
ltSSppAt.
THE GREATEST RESULTS.
But early in nfe he displayed those
qualities which bring the greatest re-
slilts--comlnon- sense, courage sslf-reli-
anee, perseverance, and morality. lie had
the faculty OF discerning the way TO do
IA thing and then the viii 60 do 1.-THE
resolution 10 perform what his judgment
taught him was right Whenever he de-
termlned upon his course there was no
such word In his lexicon as fail-no Al
pine height appalled, him, no yawning
chasm deferred him. the one must be
crossed, the other must be bridged, No
enemy 0aunted him; no foe frightened
him. but the more dangerous the task the
greater his resolution; the more hazard
Gus the undertaking, the frmer his pur-
pose.
Thrown In youth upon his own resources
and buffeted by the surgings of {, selfish
world. he learned early 10 rely upon him-
self form his own conclusions. act upon
them and abide tae consequences; and this
was surely one Of his GROWING charac-
teristeS he was his own adviser, his
own counsellor and when responsibilities