The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-03
UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT.
Reunion of the Two Literary Societies
Last Night.

The festivities or commencement are
on. Visitors arrive on every train and
| the crowd promises to assume inn
mense proportions by Thursday. Never
| before has there been such intense
| interest taken in a commencement, not
a centennial. The impulse of last
year fingers in even more widespread
| evidences. making a most suspicious
| beginning for the first commence
ment of the University's second cen
| tury.
The campus begins to swarm with
devoted alumni, gathering again
around their alma mater. They group
i'm squads and tell with delight the
Iwell-remembered "reminiscences of the
past. Many others who have never
before looked on the loveliness of
Chapel Hill are here drinking in its
beauties Fair and queenly women,
gallant and chivalrous men, buoyant
and hopeful students, all mingle to-
gether in gladstone association.
The arrangements for accommoda
ton in the little University village
have been maryeIously well executed.
Nobody need fear the ill-fortune of
unhospitality. All are welcome-for
this is the peoples institution.
The campus has been smoothly
mown, cleared of all rubbish and it
smiles with velvet beauty and its
grand old oaks breathe blessing Of
good will and welcome to all. This
campus is an ideal spot. Sublime in
it's quiet beauty and sanctifed with
the memories of a centurys history,
it stretches out like an ancient vale,
the favored Of many loyal sons and
daughters of the Old North State.
Added to its natural beauty are the
artificial decorations of electric lights.
Over all the principal walks are hung
large arc lamps; the buildings and
streets of the village are luminous al
night with the brilliance of electric
beauty. The night is turned into
twilight and lovers may stroll in arti-
fetal moonlight. In short, nothing
has been spared to make this gala
week for those pilgrims of pleasure,
who yearly turn hitherward as the
mecca of social enjoyment and cultur-
ed entertainment.
This is the fourth time in the his
tory Of the University that its com
mencement has been honored by the
presence of an executive officer of
the nation. Away back in ante-beIlum
DAYS james *, Polk returned to do
honor to his alma mater, and later
Buchanan was here, and still later
Andrew Johnson Not since the war.
however, have we had with us Pres-
dent or a Nice-President. Mr.. Ho<e
Smith, the giant son of Georgia, graced
the commencement of "a, but he was
simply a cabinet officer. He, too. was
Southerner. On Thursday Chapel
Hill will do homage TO Nice-President
Stevenson, who comes from western
nativity, but PAYS us homage in the
recognition of our great University
Mr.. Stevenson also brings with him
his daughter, niece and three lady
friends, bouquet of foreign beauty
to add charm to our own peerless wo-
manhood. General Cox. of Washing
ton, is to accompany the Stevenson
party also. Receptions have been
planned and orders executed for the
most hospitable entertainment of the
guests The Vice President and Gen.
Cox will stop with DR.. Winston and
the young ladies will be the guests of
Miss Gore.
l. The attendance of such goodly
company of distinguished guests
means for the University a. recogni-
ton of its worth, forward step in the
| rapid ascent OF its progress. 1t be-
tokens a perceptible advance toward
| the high standard of education, which
| it hopes to attain in even greater de-
gree. The fact that its patronage now
comes, not from our State only, but
| from many States, both North and
| South, in ever increasing currents,
| shows that this advance is a steady
and wide-felt fact.
Memorial Hall, in which Thursdays
exercises take place, has been better
| equipped than ever. The floor has been
| levelled, new rostrum erected. the
| four chandeliers are suplanted by four
large electric light lamps, and around
| the whole dome of the halls hung
white and blue bunting, thus rendering
| the acoustic qualities infinitely better.
At $3.50 p. M, both literary societies
| held their annual reunion. The even
| the societies Many a pleasant remem-
brance of things done ''in We olden
| times" was related.
The Southern Railway has made
ample arrangements for the occasion.
| 1t has provided an extra official to at
tend to all express and another to as
sist in the receipt and transmission
of kilograms.
The marshals are: From Philan-
| thropic society-Thos. l.. Wright,
chief; Jas. A. Long, Lawrence McRae.
From Dialectic sOciety-W. II. Me
Marry. Vance Whitner, Joe l.. Wray.
DIR. Whitehead has given certificates
to twenty-seven young men. This de-
partment will be heightened to two
years after 90.
The University will confer master
degree on four of its alumni, in addi-
ton to the thirty-seven degrees con
| ferred on the class of 90.
THE OFFICIAL PROGRAMME.
Wednesday. June 3rd. 12 m, meeting
of the Board of Trustees, in Person
| Hall. $3.50 p. M, baseball at Athletic
| field; $3.50 p. m, Senior Glass Day eN-
ercises, in Memorial Hall; 10 p. IN,
| faculty reception in the Gymnasium.
| Thursday, June 4th-Commencement
| Day-10 a. M, meeting Alumni Asso-
citation, Gerard Hall; 1880 a. m, com
mencement exercises, in Memorial
L Toll .at h ,lN.t, &c "a