The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-13
VACATION DAY AT DAVIDSON.
Close of Brilliant Commencement and
Successful Scholastic Year.


Davidson. n. C., June H. (SpeciaD
Commencement day, be there rain or
sunshine, cloud or calm, witnesses the
| assembling of tremendous crowd in
the large auditorium. To-day offers
no execution. The hall has a seating
| capacity of 900 or 700 and it is no
| eXaggeratiou to say this large num-
| Der was here to-day. 1t was fitting
| that it should be So. \ noble institu-
| ton engaged in n noble work richly
| deserves generous recognition and the
| support and encouragement that visit
| ing crowds by their very presence Of
| fer. 1t was also fitting that the larg-
| est class sent out for years should see
| their graduating day honored by a
| large audience and that their speak
ers should have all the inspiration that
the sight of listening hundreds lends.
| The exercises of the day were open
ed with prayer by Rev. DR.. 5. NJ.
| Smith, of Columbia-then came the fol-
| lowing orations. Each one of them
meriting high praise.
Salutatory Grafton Second Honor)
-''Thorns Among Flowers" j. Z.
| Mills, Camden, S. C.
Oration-"The Old North State" II.
NJ Williams, Taylor's Bridge, n. c.
Oration-"Dreams." NJ. Wooten,
| Kinston, \. c.
Grafton, (Third Honor)-"Conquer-
ed. Yet Conquering." j. f. Brown, Jr.,
Charlotte, N. c.
The presentation of prizes was now
made by Rev. S. c. Caldwell, of Florida,
who performed the duty assigned him
la1y
in the audience. In explaining the
For or what for?" of these things
he humorously referred to the what
for age in boys and his feeling ex-
perience with his little son who de-
veloped to such an intensity the pas
sion OF asking what for?" in refer
ence to everybody and everything that
even he, as a parent, had his patience
exhausted and said to the boy one day:
II will give you a fine pony, my son,
if YOU will never ask that question "a
gain" 'sWhat for?" came the involun-
tarv and much detested query from the
irrepressible and inquiring youth.
From the phi Society the debater's
medal was given to Mr.. Wooten, Kim
ston. the essayist's to c. II. Bean, Sal
isbury. the declaimer's to A. NJ. Me-
Iauchlin. From the "Eu' the debat-
er's and essayist's to r. T. kirbpa-
trick. Talladega, Ala, the declaimer's
to ]. B. Meacham, Rock Hill, ). {.
At this point in the exercises every
one, at least among the student body,
was alive with keen interest and eager
expectancy as to who was going to be
declared the orator for excellence from
last nights representatives. inns
curiosity was speedily relieved by Mr..
Caldwell. who generously refused TO
hold his audience on the tented hooks
of suspense and pronounced Mr.. I. a.
Spence. IAN Irishman from Cork, as
friends playfully and affectionately
term him, the man.
The only prize now given for prom
cheney in college study is the VIM
Ranks Biblical Medal. This year, as
nearly every year, the competition was
very sharp and the winner was sue
cessful by a narrow margin, so narrow
that i'm addition to the awarding or
the medal-handsom Bibles were
given to close rivals. The medal (pre-
sented in becoming words by Df.
Shearer) was given to n H. McGilvary,
and Bibles to J. Il. Mills and i, +.
| Rowe.
The degrees conferred were as fol-
! lows:
b. A.
William Barry Allison, Tirzah, s. G..
Cad Mercer Bailey, Clinton, $. {.
Ebert Decatur Beatty, MooresVille
| John Fdmunds Brown, Jr., Char
| lotte.
Willoughby Erwin Chambers, States
| Vile
Charles shedd Clifford, Union, S. G..
John Witherspoon Dodge, Jackson
Walter Espy Furr, Sunny Side.
| Arthur Lee CASTOR, Chester, 5. {.
Thomas Dabney Johnston, Elizabeth
City.
Frank Dudley Jones Lowrysyille,
S. c.
c. II. Little Martindale.
| Daniel Patrick McGeachy, Lumber
| Bridge.
Norwood Hodge McGilyary, Chieng
| Mai. Siam.
George Mcintosh Mathis, Clinton.
| George Madison Maxwell, Davidson.
James Edward Mills, Camden, S. c.
/ William Andrew Murray, Greens
| boro.
Willie Everette Phifer, Statesville.
Daniel Kirby Pope, Croft.
Elisha Pender Porter, Rocky Point.
frederick Finger Rowe, Conover.
| Patrick Alexander Slough, David
| son.
John Grier Warner, Mill Bridge.
Marcellus Wooten, Kinston.
William Caskey Young, Atlanta, Ga.
b. S.
James Leonidas Turner, Vance.
/ Edward Smallwood Nass, Savannah,
Ga.
Robert Murphy Williams, Taylor's
Bridge.
A. M.
Frank Arthur Barnes, Davidson.