Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-06-08
COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT.
Interesting Exercises In Connection with the
Closing of Our Normal School.

mOAOouOHe VI HAS =,
Normal School was held last Thurs
day evening, when a public reception
was given by the faculty and students
of the school. A preliminary pro-
gramme was held in college hall, where
an address of welcome was delivered
by Geo. T. Hodges, Jr. This was fol-
lowed with a vocal duet by Misses
Clara Greenwood and Florence Mil
Ter, and several pantomimes of an IN
teresting character. A "cantata, the
Grasshspper, by W. G. LeMaster, W.
J. Duke, G. C. Hill and A. L. KILLER,
brought down the house. Miss Cum
mings played an instrumental solo,
"The Dying Poet" in splendid style,
and then the calisthenics class held the
close attention of the audience by
most entertaining hoop drill. A clos
ing address was delivered by Miss
Grace Byers. The people were then
invited to the new college building,
where the teachers and students re-
ceived them with a cordial welcome.
The building was Illuminated and
handsomely decorated with flowers,
and the visitors were shown through
the various departments. 1t was a
very enjoyable affair, and those who
attended spent an exceedingly pleas
ant evening.
Friday evening a large audience
gathered in the hall to hear the ad-
dress before the literary societies by DIR.
Jerome H. Raymond, president of the
West Virginia University at Morgan
town. The subject of Dr. Raymond's
lecture was 1.-THE Mission of the Twen-
tieth Century" 1t was an earnest,
thoughtful, well-prepared address, de-
livered in a pleasing manner. The
speaker reviewed the progress of civil
ization in the past years, and then
voiced the hopes he entertained for the
next century. He expressed his be-
lief that if the people were educated
universally the great problems of life
would then be easily solyed-that
education meant the uplifting and the
betterment of humanity. He urged
his hearers to appreciate their lndl-
vidual responsibility for the attain
ment of the ideal life, and appealed to
them to use their best efforts to furth-
er the great cause Of education. APP
propriate music was rendered by the
glee club and the college chorus. At
the conclusion of the exercises IN the
hall, a reception was rendered DIR,
RAYMOND at the home Of Mr.. and Mrs.
H. L. Snyder, whose guest he was. The
two literary societies and the teachers
and officers connected with the college |
were in attendance, besides few 9TH
ers interested in the University. DR..
Raymond is a courteous, genial gentle
man, and made very favorable I'M
preston upon the people of our com
munity who had the pleasure of meet
ing him.
Saturday afternoon the class-day |
exercises were held on the college
campus. The following programme
was rendered Opening address by
the president, Miss Elba c. Hoffman;
class poem, by Miss Edith Donley |
"The Grumbler," by Miss Laura Hof-
man; cart Gallery" by W. Gilmore
Neil; prophecy" by R. P. McGar-
ry; the class will, by Miss Grace A.
Byers: presentation of Mascot, by |
Geo. T. Hodges, Jr. a good-sized
audience attended the exercises, which |
were quite interesting.
Sunday night in the Reformed
church Rev. George G. Eyerhart |
preached the annual sermon to the
graduating class. His text was from
the 18th verse of the sixth chapter |
st. John, Gather up the fragments |
that remain, that nothing be lost.
His sermon was an earnest and a
practical one, an exhortation to the |
students to squander no part of their !
time and talents but to use every op-
portunity for the good Of humanity |
and the advancement Of the kingdom
of truth. The school attended the
service IN body, and the audience
room was filled The choir sang an
appropriate anthem, and Mrs. Legge
rendered as solo the ever beautiful
song Jerusalem"
Monday night the great event of the
year, the contest between the Clce-
roman and Parthenian Literary So
cieties, took place. The rivalry be-
tween these two societies is, to put 1t
mildly, spirited at all times, but when
it comes to their annual contest the
war paint is put on very thick indeed.
A great deal of pains was taken by |
Principal A. C. Kimler to insure alb
solute fairness in awarding the honors.
The Judges were all selected from 9TH
er places-Hon. D. c. Westenhaver,
of Martinsburg, Col. B. D. Gibson, of
Charlestown, and Mr.. W. L. Irwin, of
Harper's Ferry. The contestants were
known by numbers on the programme.
Of course there was intense interest |
on the part of the societies and their
friends when the opening of the con-
test was announced. The first num-
Der was the struggle between the first
year declaimers, Miss Mary Trussell |
and B. c. Snyder; they each did |
themselves great credit, and Mr.. Sny-
der need feel no chagrin that the
Judges awarded his opponent the VIC
tory. The second year declarations
were beautifully rendered by Miss Lu-
tie Allstadt and Miss Katheryn Don
ley, and the former won. We do not
see how Miss Allstadt's rendition of
the arena scene from the Prince of In