The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-02
THE SESSION ENDED.
Brilliant Closing of Virginia COL
lege Last Might.

~~AoS hiSuO WtGucSScu buc ClDSIuR eNer-
cises Of Virginia College for the aession
OF 1857. The session just closed has
been remarkable one in many respects
In the annals of the school; for, whilst
many schools of similar character have
lost i'll patronage, Virginia College, de-
spite the money stringency, has steadily
increased in numbers, and the long list
of names from this and other States is
more eloquent than words of its growing
popularity in the South It's founder,
that nestor of educators, DIR. VIM. A,
Harris, laid its foundations on lines broad
and liberal, and when, upon his death,
tho presidency devolved upon his daugh-
ter, Miss Matte A. Harris, the school
found in her successor worthy to carry
to successful completion the policy nj
ready inaugurated, aud to-day Roanoke
can boast of n school in her midst, for the
education Of her daughters, second to
none In the South. One test of the thor
oughness of the school is the comparative
small number of diplomas awarded.
though the enrolment numbers 175. The
healthfulness, too, of it's location is evil.
dencett by the fact that throughout the
year, though the school was so large
there has been no seri GUS case of sickness
All these facts point to a successful
session next fall, and already many rooms
have been engaged Ey those who will re.
turn.
The exercises last night were of an ex-
ceedingly pleasant character, the delivery
of certificates and diplomas being inter
spersed with vocal and instrumental
music. The overture, ''Sakurtala," ar
ranged for three pianos, was an exotic of
oriental gorgeousness that brought out
the cultivation of the graduates Misses
Rust, PersinGer, Carr, Jones, Ball and
Stewart.
Not less brilliant, but of an entirely op.
posite character, was the "Trium phal
March from Aiau," by Verdi, Its wild and
barbaric chords ringing cut like II tocsin
of war under the fingers of the Misses
Johnson, Armand, Stewart, Warren,
Bass Knobeloch, Robinson and DeLacy.
The piano solo of Miss Mary Middleton,
"Au den Fruhling." by Gricg, under her
deit fingers told story of green mead
ows, rippling brooks and June skies,'a
pastoral lyric that was changed in an in
stanI to mournful winds and November
skies by the second part, the Mazurka
i'll G of Saint Saens.
The vocal selections were equally as
good, the duet. "Heralds of SPRING. by
Misses Stewart and Persinger, blending
into sweetest harmony. "Should he Up.
braid, vocal selection by Miss Ruth All.
mand, was we'll rendered and showed a
voice of good compass, clear and full.
The sweet. sympathetic voice of Miss Mae
Stormfeltz, vibrating with soul and pa
thos in the cold Garden won for her n
we'll deserved encore. All of Mrs. Silver.
thorns work is characterized by that
most delightful of all vocal essentials,
clear cnunciation, and her pupils reflect
credit on her training A diploma from
either Mrs. Silverthorn or Prof. Hennin-
ges is intended to mean something, and
to that end the students are trained to
approach the ideal, or lis nearly as possi-
Bile.
In the absence of Hon. w. G. Brantley,
OF Georgia, who was to have delivered the
address to the graduates, but who owing
to sickness could not be present, Prof.
Davidson, of the college, in an appropr'-
ate and graceful speech awarded the di-
plomds. Misses Theodocia Easterling. of
Georgia; Zoia Newman, OF louisiana and
Ruth Almand, of Georgia, were the three
honor students of the college, these young
ladies receiving special diplomas for hav-
lug gained greater number of school Ill
plonas than any other ladies in the col
lege
In Thursday mornings Times will be
found full list of undergraduates and
pupils receiving diplomas lin separate
schools.