Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-30
CLOSING OF SCHOOLS.
THE COMMENCEMENT SEASON IS
NOW WELL UPON Us.
At RICHMOND COLLEGE.

Hencc-FinaIs OF the Womnn's Coll
reac Vow I'm Progress-Our Puoi'c
Schools ana other Institutions
a great many good people have oeen
exercised more or less 10 Know just WHY
Commencement is used 20 designate 'he
finals OF a college or school They argue
I that II is the closing and rot the pesln-
! ming and that by all rules and reasons
I a rriori and a posteriori commencement
should be he'd at the opening Of the ses-
! atom and not M rs close. Notwithstand-
inc thie serious complaint. Richmond mas
gradually become an educational centre
/ and commcncements have become popular
and Measurable to her cultured people.
The beelnning Of the end of the session
Of 1ses-'s7 at Richmond College is Sunday
nlght. June 10Th. when the annual sermon
| will be preached in the college chapel.
! 1he minister OF the occasion is Rev. W.
| r. Chase. u. D.. Of Fifth BAPTIST church
| Philadelphia, and a scholarly, thoughtful
eloauent divine he is reputed 10 be-
y Monday evening following is turned over
TO the Mu Sigma Rho and Philolosian
| Literary societies. There will be two
! oratons a salutary ard yalcdictory'
and the medals awarded by the societies
viii be delivered.
Tuesday is college-day. The class Of
1897 is well organized, and TO it Is due the
proeramme OF the evening. There VIII be
an grafton by a representative OF the
academic department and one By rep
resentative of the law department. FOL
lowing these exercises VIII be recep-
ton rendered the students and extended
/ 10 the public in attendance by President
| Poatwrirnt az his residence, on the col
lege grounds.
The trustees Of the college will meet in
I semi-annual session on Wednesday, ana
the banquet OF the alumni VIII be he'd
mat evening Thursday will occur the
comm encement exercises proper, includ-
ing The award of diplomas Of graduation
in the various schools, conIeTilng OF de-
grees. and delivery OF college honCrs'
Besides the presidents address 10 the
graduating class. there VIII also be an
other address by some distinguished edu-
Gator who has not yet been announced.
As always. the friends of the college and
D
al these interesting exercises, and II
there Is anything in presidents, this in
vitation will be heartily accepted.
All Of the exercises viii take place In
The college chapel which has been re-
Gently made very neat and attractive.
The Womnn's College Finals.
The finals Of the Woman's College are
even now IN progress. Friday evening
/
cultured people Of Richmond were intro
duced to an excellent expression Of the
college drama This evening at sis
o'clock the commencement sermon viii
be preached by Rev. DR. w. V. Tudor,
in the First Baptist church. DR.. Tudor
is pastor Of Centenary Methodist church,
and an eloquent and scholarly man.
Those who have heard DIR. Tudor, and
in whose regard he has made for hlIn-
self & large place have no fear for HIM
on this occasion, but know full well that
his lips will speak words Of soberness
and truth"
The main body Of the church will be re-
served for students Of the school, while
the president Of the college, Dr. James
Nelson, with many Of the trustees and
prominent men of the city and state,
viii be on tho platform of the pulpit.
college chapel will take place perhaps
the most interesting exercises in these
closing days The whole day. in fact.
viii be a students day. At the morning
hour viii be the class exercises. These
will be opened by an address or well
come by the president of the class of
1895 and 1897. ana there Will. follow in
succession the orator, historian, poet
prophet. tree orator. and bonfire orator.
The orator will not be confined to moods
and lenses. but will tell Of the present
glory of the class, its future growth and
usefulness. its past struggles and tri-
umphs The historian will draw the cur
tain Of the past nine months, OF tho
past FIVE years, and picture the class
when. as simple, wee maidens, they be
gan 10 come into touch with the great
inte}lects that have burned before them
They had then just registered theil
names among that noble list Of students
whose ambition IS to develop the human
soul. refine II and draw 1t into a fuller
life and more like the great Soul OF
which every human soul is a part. Sh'
will tell Of their battles. Of aching heads
and Of bright eyes that would be cur
I tafncd by heavy lids. ana which nc
amount Of mental pictures Of dragon:
and rebuklng faces of instructors would
Nft Then the triumphs will come, anC
the 10y OF tasks well and honestly done
The poet will sing the praises Of the
class; the prophet will tear aside thu
veil Of the years that are to come anc
show the pathway beautiful pathway
which pure and lovely women have trod
Beside young tree the class vii
stand. and this emblem Of growing
beauty and symmetry shall the tree
orator herald 20 coming years. TIT
morning will close with the bonfire ora
tor and the eyes of audience and stu
dents will then look forward to tn
musical concert in the chapel at 81
that evening II is the final OF the in
stumental and vocal music classes-th
former under the direction of Mr. Unke
and Misses Jones and AVcrett the lat
ter directed by Miss MoOmaw.
Tuesday morning at $3.50 O'Clock eXer
cises will be held in the chapel an,
distinctions in the intermediate and pr
mary classes viii be awarded. In tn
evening the commencement proper vii
tak0 place at the Academy Of Music
The ADDRESS Of the evening will be de
/ llvored by Rev. DR.. IL. W. Battle, o
Petersburg, and diplomas will be award
ed in the several classes and degree
conferred. Medals for scholarship ant
best attainments in various schools vii
gieo Ne awarded Or Nelson will thel