The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-05-28

ROLLINS COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT.
Graduates Of Remarkably Successful
Year.

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Graduates Of a Remarkably Successful
Year.
! WINTER PARK, May 2l.-The com
mencement exercises at Rollins col
lege viii begin tomorrow with th
baccalaureate sermon by Presiden
Ward. Then there will follow tn
various exercises incident to a colleg
commencement, and Wednesday th
graduating classes will receive fhei
diplomas.
The following is list Of the grad
yates:
College-Ruth Curlet Ford, a. b.
Fred Patterson Ensminger, b. S.
Preparatory School-Norman L
Baker, j. Harold Dale, Winter Park
Emma n. Dreyor, Tampa; Mary b
Ensminger, Sanford; John II. Gallo
way, Okahumpka; Susie t. Gladwin
Miami; Alma Halliday, Orange City
Anna NJ. Henkel, ID. Ashley Hooker
Winter Park; Louis a. Lyman, Mel
bourne; Arthur Maxon, Winter Park
Mabel Ray Neff, Tampa; George Mel.
son, Atlanta; John II. Neville, Bay
City, Mich. Nina NJ. Walker, Long
wood; Myra G. Williams, Rockledge.
This has been a remarkably success
full year for Rollins in more ways than
one. When thecollege threw its dours
open to students autumn before last
there was but feeble response. The
number of students that applied for
admission was the smallest in the his
tory of the institution. The cause was
not far to seek. The freeze had impov-
erished many prospective students,
and had at the same time robbed the
college os its last remnant of an en-
dowment. Moreover, the college was
without an executive head, and there
seemed to be no one to save it from
impending disaster.
THE NEW PRESIDENT.
1t was fortunate for the college when
the trustees met in March, 1896, and
elected the Rev. George NJ. Ward
president. Mr.. Ward is a compara-
lively young manand endowed with a
remarkable fund of energy and vital
ity. He was formerly general secreta-
~ of the International society of
Christian Endeavor, and he it was
that carried the new organization into
all of the western and many Of the
southern states. R'r. Ward has also
had wide experience as a business
man and lawyer. He impresses one as
a happy combination of the wide
awake man of business and the God
fearing scholarly clergyman. He has
taken the following degrees: A. b.
and A. NJ. from Dartmouth, LII. B.
from Boston university, B. d. from
Andover theological seminary, and
has done postgraduate work at the
Johns Hopkins university.
Mr.. Ward entered upon the difficult
task that confronted him with an en-
thusiasm begotten of the missionary
spirit. He found himself president of
a penniless college and one with an
antiquated curriculum and but few
students. His first care WAS to win
friends for the college, and in this Mr..
Wards success has been phehomenal.
And here let it be said that Mir. Ward
WAS greatly assitted by his wife, a
charming lady and extremely popular
among the students and faculty and
among all the friends of the college.
1t can be truthfuliy said that Mr..
Ward has enlisted The sympathy of
every one OF the wealthy men that live
at Winter Park aud Orlando, and of
whom there are not few. These gem
tlemen have helped the college by their
sympathetic interest, and what Is of
more importance, financially. And
personal friends OF Mr.. Ward in the
north have stepped forward and of
fered to assist him in the good work.
8r. Wards second care was to reor-
ganize the course Of study, and this
wss carried through without delay, so
that Rollins today stands for all that is
best in modern education. This inno-
vation, moreover, was effected with
out friction, and the faculty as now
constituted are thoroughly in sympa-
thy with Mr.. Wards reforms.
a STATE INSTITUTION.
While carrying the financial bur
dens of the college. and putting new
life into its course of study, Mr.. Ward
has not neglected the all-imporIant--
the students He has kept the college
eefore the puh.ir, has helped deScry-
| ing students by evprv means in his
power, a4sd has infused an esprit De
corps into tie student body, nud has
even taken pains 70 see that tie LITTLE
details Of housekeeping, such rs the
foou and the cleanliness of The room $,
have been above reproach. All thas se
| things count. From October /, 1896
almost TO the present day, new stu
dents have been pouring in, and this
spring term. for the first time in the
history of the college, the number o.
students is actually greater than that
Of the preceding winter term.
Another important change has beer
effected by Mr. Ward. Heretofore il
has sometimes been said that Rollins
was yankee" college, aud a Con
eregatioual college, Air. Ward saw
from the first that be must Identify
himself with Florida and the people
of Florida, and also he, while christian
strictly non-sectariau. With hese end'
in view he has come into touch witt
the state teachers and their various or
ganizliions, has engaged as professor: