Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-18
GREENSBORO.
Commencement cfoses-The Prize Win suers-'NIiss Maggie Pickett Frs Girl
 Graduate of Southern University.

Greensboro. June 16-(special Core spondence.)-The osatorieal contest for the sociey medal came off last night Four speakers, two fo7n each of the so7 cidaies, wers elected to deliver original addresses, and the medal is awarded by q. committee to the speaker who aequits himself in delivery and composition best on the occasion. The following were the subjects and speakers viz: Heart Pow CT In Civiliza. .ion," c. A. Williams, Do than: "1ne Conservative MidGl- Class the Hope of the Nation,' l. Il. Leonaru' Longview; optimism" P T. Kerr, GaylesviIle; "The Mill Will Never Grlnd With Water Thai. Is Passed, W. J. haF- Ian.
 The medal was awarded P. T. Kerr, or Gavlesyille. Today was the last ana the big day of the commeneemeht eXele eAs.ss'
 Promptly at 1050 a. m. lhe largest au- dienc= that eyer melt in the chapel assem- bled to hear the oradons of the graoo- ating class, the baccalaureate address py hlhe president and to see the degrees eVll- ferred. There were thirteen gradu@tes, oni, W. J. Harlan, was a graduate ID three schools Three, T. P Abernathy, s. c. Meigs and A. C. Smith, took the de- gree of B. F. Four, J. A. Barley, I. IL Henry B. M Kindrick and c. P. Mattln, took the degree of B. $. Two, 1. Il. Lson- ard and Miss Maggie Pickett, took the degree of A., B., and two, w. F.. Tu1nap- seed and c. A. Williams, took the degree of A. M Seven of the graduates dellv- cred orations, viz: s. c. Meigs, whose theme was. Latter Day Literature NOT Degenerai ing J. A: Baxley, ay4 n M1lei snn3er Thought" B. M. KendIick, "A Fixed Ideal" A. C. Smith, ''Mt. Vermont" W. D. Turnipseed, Public Opinion;' c. A. Will liams Dangers of Collegiate Educalloh' For the best written alnd best delivered ora ion in the graduating class, J. A. Baxley was given the prize. The trustees medal for the best written essay was awarded J. H. Leonard. George StorSs was awarded the faculty medal for the best original speech for The juniors. Ine art prize, a gold medal, was awarded W. H McNea al, and l,he second prize, a book, to I. W. Cureton, for the best sophomore Reclamation.
 Miss Maggie Pickett. of Greensboro, bears the honor of being the frss girl graduate that ever received diploma at the hands of thetlustees of the South ern university The degree of A. B. was conferred upon h,r today, and no sweeter,' brighter girl ever wore the honorS Of an institution of learning. When the degree was conferred upon her the act was greeted with laundering applause by the audience and at the close of the exercises she was the recipient of congratulations from hosts of friends.
 The bacca1aureate address by the presi dent was short, to the point and in good taste. He impressed upon the graduates. the fact that their succ:ss in the institu- tion in which they have just graduated was achieved by hard work and constant struggle, and they would make the great mistake of their lives if they thought thsir efforts were over with Many of us" said he, ives sevenJtenths fail after we succeed, and that there were numbers of men now before him awho are utter failures after splendid successes" That much was said about the foundation for the structure of life, very lFjtle about the finishing, bu. the latter was as important as ths former. If they expected to make successes i'm life ',hey must continue to toil and struggle as they had toiled and struggled TO reach their present stage of existence. a,
 Dr. Newman, on the pant of the board of trustees, in the absence of Hon. P. G. Woods. the president, announced that t1he institution was rlsvsr in more four ishing condition; that 1t was not only out of debt, but had money in the treasury, and that .he board of trustees had au- thorized the president to continue the im- provemsnts he had already begun on the college building, to build a new hall to eSta blsih a gymnasium and to beautify and adorn the college grounds. The sureeit sign of the success of the South-. erm university was the interest taken. in it by the people of Greensboro. Never had such large audiences attended the commenc ,ment exercises. The present. chapel was mol large enough by half to accommodate the crowds that had focked to hean the exercises, and he could say to the fathers of Alabama, Send your sors 10 tn; Southern university with the full confderce that their mental and moral training will he carefully attended to, and that they will be made finished schol- ars and Christian gentlemen. He also announced there would be no change in the faculty, and that the neXe session would open on the 22d of September next and close on the 18th of June, 1898.
 Thus has closed proba bly, the most suc- cessful sSeion of ilhis institution. N is decidedly on the up grade, and with pro- pitious seasons. bountiful crops and the advent of that nong looked for pno'perlty, there is no reason why it should not be one of rhe most fiouriShing institutions in our broad land. It has achieved success because it deserved it.