Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-08-06
COL. c. v. Balm
OF KENTUCKY.
The Golden Mouthed Orator Closes the
College Exercises.


College Exercises.
The eighth annual session Of the Ma
tiOnal Business College closed last night
atihe Academy Of Music before a mag
nificent audience. The graduates occu-
pied the boxes and the main floor and
balcony were filled with people.
After an invocation by Rev. Thos. J.
Shipman. Hon. John W. Kern. OF In
dianapolis, Ind, was introduced by Prof.
Eckerle and he delivered the address to
the gradu ties. Mr. Kerns was to have
delivered this address the night before
but failed to make connections and did
not reach Roanoke until yesterday morn
ing His address was able, patriotic and
full OF good advice to the graduating
class. All who heard it cannot help be-
ing benefited by the words Of wisdom
and the advice rendered on the occasion.
Mr.. Kern's address was listened 10 with
the deepest interest by the vast audience
present and the graduates themselves
showed their appreciation by manifest
ing the keenest possible interest.
AT the close Of this address Prof.
Eckerle came forward and in a few we'll
chosen words introduced Col. Geo. W.
Balm. of Kentucky. As the orator OF the
evening who would lecture upon the sub
iect. Boys and Girls, Nice and Naughty,
or the Pendulum OF Life"
The Colonel began by paying tribute
to his audience. He said that he was
from the Blue Grass region OF Kentucky
where they had the handsOmest women
in the world and the b st looking men
on earth, and he declared that his audi
ence looked Just like blue grass audi
ence. He spoke of Virginia and paid a
splendid tribute to the Old Dominion as
being the home of his father. Colonel
Bain's address was unique, besides being
thoroughly practical. 1t was one that
appealed to the best instincts in mans
nature. and make all who had the good
fortune to hear him feel that they were
in the presence Of and listening to one
OF natures nOblemen.
He said that he would speak mostly
about the age which lies between that OF
I6 year old boy and his own which he
afterwards declared to be &c.
By an old ancient law founded on idle
ness the greatest successes of the world
have been based. On this Abraham
Lincoln stood splitting rails and wedged
himself to the highest office in the gift OF
the republic. On this Shakespeare
stood weaving wool, and wove for him
self fame immortal. On this James A.
Garfield tramped a toe path with no COM
pany but an honest mule. but that toe
path led in TO the White House in Wash
ington (Applause.) Do not be lazy. |
saw a man once who really looked so
lazy that il seemed to restmc to look at
him.
At this iuncture of his address Col.
Baine referred 10 Prof. Eckerle, Presi-
dent Of the National Business College,
in manner which showed the speakers
thorough appreciation of the man. He
requested his audience to pardon him for
making the personal reference he was
going to make. He said that when he
first met the president of this college that
it was in the far West. He was then
struggling for an education, poor, and
having been reared in a log cabin, was
working himself through college. He
said Il now find him at the head OF a
college OF young men and women to the
number OF two hundred. With the same
Il will'' indelibly stamped Oh his brow
that characterized his younger days and
which will yet axe the membership OF
his college seven hundred
I'm his illusions to his youth the
speaker said: II would not rob You OF
the ideal visions OF youth but | would
have you appreciate the responsibilities
of man. for whom the sun shines,
breezes blow, flowers o)m. the ele-
ments of whose body make him the
epitome Of the universe and the element
Of whose soul Is linked with the eternal
Prof. Eckell e then came to the front
and said that he would not worry the
audience by delivering an address, but
spoke Of the rare treat furnished them
through Col. Bain's address and simply
stated thot the college had risen within
three years from Il students the first
year to IS the second aud l05 the third,
and this year the enrolment numbered
! 1856. A record to be proud OF. Judging
the future by the past. the prophetic
words OF Col Balm that the membership
would yet reach 700 are likely TO come
true. which will be a source OF great
qualification to Roanoke and Roanok-
ers. The catalogues OF the school will
! be issued IN few days.