The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-26


ING this afternoon They decided to bulld
i, library and gymnasium, and pay fer
the same by a gift to the institution.
Those present and contributing were
Julian S. Carr, j. NJ, j. \. and W. IL.
Odau w n Branson, and John ii.
Ferree.
ALUMNAE REUNION AND AID
DRESS.
Tonight at $50 the alumnae address
was delivered by Mrs. Sallie Southall
Cotton. who was the last graduate of the
institution in the old building, having
graduated in 1865. The exercises opened
with prayer by Rev. w. l.. Grissom. This
was followed by a piano duet by Mrs
Mamma A. Willis and Miss Laura Doub.
Ins. Lucy A. Cunninggim, president,
then introduced Mrs. Sallie S. Cotton,
alumnae orator, who spoke as follows:
Mrs. COTTEN'S ADDRESS.
Anniversaries of events are popular
in proportion to the pleasure which the
retrospect gives. and retrospects should
be made profitable as well as pleaSurable.
Looking backward, when INDUCED in
briefly, is good, and should produce fresh
impetus, because while we look lovingly
on the phantoms of lost effort, and linger
amid the shadows which hover oge. the
Isle of the Long Ago. yet the past Is
ever rcceding and its opportunities can
never again be ours. 1t is the future
which beckons to us, and invites us with
| its half yelled promises, which encour-
age us to press forward. SO the COM
parison which retrospect shows, teach
es progress and continued effort.
In Bible history the 50th or jubilee
year was noted anniversary, celebrated
as Il year of great rejoicing for accom-
pliShcd results, in which slaves partici-
pated in the general joy by receiving
their freedom, and every one took up
the duties of life with renewed courage
and equal impetus. The custom of ccle-
brating jubilees is old and honored. but
| grows no less interesting, for in our
day life has grown fuller and richer
and each year is filled with accomplished
results which move us to celebrate. The
busy present willingly yields of its pre-
cious hours. some time in which to homo"
| the past Today London as active with
preparations for celebrating the jubilee
of the coronation of good Queen Vic
! toria. and while in this country we do
not hear so much of jubilees. we are
quite familiar with centennials and semi
centennials, which embody the same
spirit of commemoration, comparison
| and renewed endeayor, upon those lines
which the retrospect proves to have been
good.
Such an event we now celebrate IN
these commencement eXerciseS-the jul
bilee year of Greensboro Female College
the uioneer mother of higher education
for women in North Carolina and in the
South.
In looking backward, we are prone 10
link ourselves to pleasant events, and
there is one feature of this anniversary
to which / beg 10 refer, even at the risk
Of being called egotistic. That is the
unique links which bind the speaker TO
the history of this COLLEGE. 1t began its
life in the same year in which / was
born. and it was burned the year | gradu-
ated from il. and now in our mutual jill
hilee, | come to greet You, bringing with
joy. 4 daughters tribute to my Alma
Mater who so many years ago. bade me
go forth and render what help Il woman
might in the battle Of life, twiXt good
and evil-ever present in the world.
Gone is that old building. whose chap
, q. adorned With the triumphs of the art
class. witnessed as ! received the last
diploma which was ever given within
its limits The old-time teachers, whose
wise counsels helped to mould our char
acters 10 higher fOrms-many Of them
also are gone-the dear friends Of that
happy time who with me made merry
the corridors and class rooms, and made
the campus vocal with our young joy
some of them also gone, but many re-
main TO help me bear testimony to the
high precept, the careful instruction, and
the Christian example, which was thrown
around us then, the influence of which
fingers around our more mature lives.
This beautiful new building opens its
doors i'll welcome to us, new faces greet
us kindly. new educational methods pre-
sent themselves for our approval, and
the college record bears silent testimony
as to how this school has faithfully car
ried on its mission in the elevation and
education Of woman. The verdict well
done" we accord, and as in the retro
spect we find the blighted years, caused
by that dreadful fire. / standing, as it
were, on the ruins of the old college, its
last educational fiedgling, stretch out my
hand to grasp that Of my sister-she who
received the first diploma in the new col
lege, thus making the unbroken line
which shall mark Us all as the loving
daughters of one Alma Mater.
School girls are divided into two class
es-the new girls, meaning those who
have just come to begin school, and the
old girls, meaning those who have passed
from school life into the wider fields of
action for woman. Both are ojects Of
great interest to the permanent girls,
who have passed the period allotted TO
the new girl, but have not yet attained
to the dignity of the old girl, yet they
are the connecting link. Together they
form quite the three terms OF an equa-
tlon-the fourth term Of which is the
Alumnae Association. Shall / read you
this equation in school girl style?
The new girl; the permanent girl;
fba old girl: Alumnae Association
That Is, the new girl develops in the per-
manent girl the same ratio Of value as
/ L T