Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-03
EXERCISES AT NORMAL.

Great Crowds Attended-Fine Showing
 Made by Students and Institute.
 Normal, June 1.--(Special Correspond ence.) .)-The most interesting commence ment in the history of the State Normal and Industrial school has just closed. The exercises were highly creditable throughout and were witnessed by great crowds of visitors from all directions.
 Rev. R. T. Pollard, D. D., of Selma de-
 livered an able, instructive, inspiring commencement sermon.
 George P. Keys of Sheffield gave one of the most excellent addresses ever de- livered at Normal. He spoke on "The Two Roads of Life"
 Rev. G. M. Mcclellan delivered the an- nual address before the Young Mems Christian association.
 Prof. J. D. Bibb of Montgomery ex- celled himself in an address before the literary societies., which called forth round after round of applause from start to finish. He Is one of the most eloquent negroes in the country.
 Prof. b. w. Williams of Huntsville delivered a fine address before the reli- gious societies, and Rev. N. H. Speight delivered the annual address, before the graduates from the industrial depart ment It was an effort worthy the oc- casion.
 On commencement day two great speeches were made, Bishop Turner de- | livering the annual address before the graduating class of the literary depart ment. The bishop was in g. happy mood and made a masterly, philosophical, elo- quent speech, and altogether practical. ". H. Heard, minister resident and consul general to Liberia, was well re- ceived and captured the great audience by his matchless powers of description,
 narratives, eloquef1ce and sound sense. All who attended the exercises were charmed and Inspired to nobler lives by these great sermons, lectures and speeches. -1z r 3h sHss fT
 The exhibits. of the results of the labor | in the literary and Industrial departments were amazing, and visitors went away | convinced that Normal IS doing the work needed to lift up the negroes of the south. Buildings are constructed, hundreds of
 acres of 'landscultivated, carriages, wag-
 ons and buggies built. shoes made and | shipped-all by the students. One of the | finest pieces of work overturned off by any school Is at Normal. It is com l plete surveyors outfit, cut out of the
 commercial material. Even some of the | fine dies were made in the shop by hand. | It is a wonderful piece of work l President Copncill delivered sixty-sev- | en diplomas, thirty-one to the literary re- | partmenteand thirty-six to the industrial | departments. The industrial graduates | include farmers, sblacksmiths, cooks | nurses, seamstresses, shoemakers, laun- I
 There were also two graduates from the | department of instrumental music and | two from the commercial department The reports from the field and the meet 1 ings of the Alumni association show that the graduates of this institution are en-
 terng and honorably acquitting them | selves in the various associations. More than 400 students were enrolled this year, representing half of the counties in Ala
 bama, eleven states of the union and | Monrovia, in Africa.
 The singing at Normal is quite fea-
 ture, the voices of the students being
 highly cultivated, lsRle
 The alumni meeting was great suc-
 cess. The annual address was delivered by Dr. w. G. Mason of Birmingham, and | enough to hear it. The doctor made the effort of his life, and 1t was one of the greatest speeches of the commencement. ! Normal is proud of him. ~