The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-07-05
M'KINLEY GAVEDIPLOMAS
Mount Ho|yoke oIlege Also Confers
a Degree Upon the President.
THE FIRST MAN so H0N0RED.

The President the Central Figure OF
Mt. Holyoke's commencenent-He 10
Made a Doctor Of Civil Law-HIs
Niece One OF the Fair GraduateI-
The Presidents Speech.
HoLYoKE, Mass. Special. Mount Hol.
yoke College was honored by the presence
at its commencement exercises OF Presi.
dent Mckinley, and In turn 1t honored him
by comforting upon him In the chapel OF
the college the degree Of Doctor OF Civil
Laws. This Is the first time that such
degree has ever been conferred upon a
man by Mount Holyoke, and 1t came as
a complete surprise to the President.
The Presidents day was given up entire
ly to the attendance at the graduating ex'
ercises. When the Presidential party, In
cuding Governor Wolcott and wife,
reached South Hadley, the visitors immed.
lately ent cred the chapel. where the exer.
cises were to be held, The seniors fol-
lowed. President Mckinley and the other
gentlemen were seated on the platform,
while the ladies occupied reserved seats In
onalrs on the floor.
There was special music by the college
choir, and then the Rev. DR.. Judson Smith
welcomed the President to the college.
DR.. Smith then announced that the
President would present the diplomas to
the seniors. The President descended the
stairs In company with Mrs. E. s. Mead,
President Of the college, who introduced
the members OF the class as they filed by
and received their parchments. Miss
Grace Mckinley, the Presidents niece,
shook hands with him when she received
her diploma.
At the close Of the Presidents deliver
banner inscribed "Mount Holyoke, '99,"
was presented to him by the graduating
class, which also sang the class ode.
Dr. J. L. r. Trask, of the trustees, then
presented the President with the degree OF
Doctor OF Civil Laws. The President, in
response to the hearty outburst Of applause
which followed the announcement. said:
'Mrs. Need, Ladies and Gentlemen:
cannot refrain from making acknowledge
ment in the presence OF the very distin-
guished honor which the Board Of Trus-
been pleased to confer upon me. I want
to assure the young ladies Of the gradua-
ting class that am both delighted and
honored to be q member Of class OF '99;
Massachusetts has been and Is first In many
things, but in nothing more than In educa.
tional institutions.
II count myself most fortunate to have
been privileged to look upon. the faces OF
graduates Of Smith College, that splendid
institution OF learning for the education
OF women, and I count myself most for
tunate now to look upon the faces Of the
graduates OF this glorIously historic instt-
tuition, that has done so much for the ex-
altation OF women, and whose influence Is
felt not only in Massachusetts,, but In
every part OF our common country.
II am glad that we are demonstrating
In the United States to-day that the boy
shall have no more advantages than the
girl, and Mount Rolyoke and Smith, and
the half dozen other institutions OF the
land are dem onstrating that fact.
"An educated womanhood Is an open
school for citizenship every day OF the
wear, and the home Is the training school
for the mother, the soldier and the states.
man. I wish for this graduating class all
good things, and want you to be .as-
sured that all good things walt upon
pure and noble woman"
Miss Grace Mckinley spent her time,
after she received her degree at the
hands OF her uncle, in entertaining Mrs.
Mckinley.