Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1899-07-13

Histsrt~st >k~s~s-tts rrv<--.--N -
ees.ral Com nanasnr.n~nt.

>txrkvill-; aud a. some notes Of he
occasion may interest the public they
are here submitted.
The college was established By act ap-
proved Feb. -, ISIS The eornsr.soue
Of iss charel was laid sept Es. tsp. and
the college was opened. with go stu
d~nts. Oct. 8, ts,1. II owes it, origin
- IN act of congress. f-sss. TO eacssur-
age the establishment of industrial cob
iege< tn the States 20 benefit a.rrieuI-
tur- and mechanic arts rhe lanI
"Trip allotted 20 Nussissippi represented
s0-.s acres. wlich was scld hv sso~
Aicoru at % cents per acre. calling
stss.sss. This. BY good management.
was increased 10 s..s so. whieh was
Invested in state bonds. placed 4, the
credit of Alcorn and A. and " colleges
The sum Of $50 of the amoan. TO
the credit OF the A. and NJ was used in
the purchase Of lands The interest AZ
per cent yields an annual income Of
sn9t4s0.
The general scope OF the college il
expressed in the act of congress donat-
ing the lands, and in the aet % the
legislature accepting the scrip The
establishment and maintenance Of
hrSt-elaSs Institution. at which the
youth ot the state may acquire cum
mon school education aud 4 scientific
and practical knowledge Of agriculture.
horticulture and the mechanic arts. also
the proper growth and care % ~tocIs.
without. however. excluding other
-ciratise and classical studies. ineiud-
ing military tactics.-
IN the selection Of faculty. General
stephen n Le- was chosen president.
ant he continued A. saeh 10 May /.
i~a9. when he resigned FOR another. but
net more exalted sphere % usefulness
He kept the college within the sphere
* IL creation. and il is recognizrd a.
among the very best Of j. class in the
nite,i states. AL that j. needed 70
cumplese iss equipment > a textile
-ehooL which il i hoped the next lessis-
AZURE VIII establish. The mechanical
apartment has been substantially de-
vcloped within the last few wears. aud
with textile school added, iss G-rasEn-
ates VIII not euly be able to give IN
struction in scientific and practical
agriculture and horticulture. ami the
mechanic arts, bat many viii be quali-
led to direct the operations Of great
manufacturing plants To be hereafter
established in our Stale
The session Just closed. considering
the interruptions Of last fall was very
prosperous. The eurolIment was 81.
Il whom l. graduated in the agrieul-
tural course and s in the mechanical
course.
The commencement EXERCISES were
very interesting throughout. and there
vas an unusually large attendance of
visitors, and froci all sections Of the
state.
The commencement sermon was
preached by Bishop Thomas = Gailor.
ct Memphis. He measured fully up 10
the high expectations that his r~puta-
tion had created. His text Matthew
RTE. And be saith unto hsm. Friend.
how eamest thou IN bither not having
wedding garment And be was
speeehless.- furnished him with a
theme for discourse that delighted al
who heard it. This was not my privi-
eye. but | heard him sunday nishs.
when he preached for the Y. NJ {. A.
from Isaiah. ass Also I heard the
voice Of the Lord saying. Whom shall
send. and who viii 20 for u.s. Thea
said |. Here am l: send me" After
responsive exercise. and splendid music.
the bishop elaeidated his text IN a dis
course of thirty minutes. He spoke
without notes. and with such rapIality
that no stenographer could possibly
keep pace with him He Is an original,
a profound thinker. but before YOU can
grasp one grand thought he gives you
others in such rapid succession. you
hardly know. when he gets through.
where you are. He IS a man af COM
handing presence born bishop.
had a special personal interest in see
ing and hearing Bishop GaiIor- lie was
born in Jarirson-the son of Frank VI.
tailor. who was printer and Publisher
n Jackson from Is5.; 70 the war period.
when he enlisted in the Confederate
service and was killed at the battle Of
Perryville. Frank tsailor WAS foreman
of the True Witness in the spring Of
is'iS, and it was in response 10 an invi-
tation from him that Ileft New orl~s n ;
and accepted cases under him. His
wife was Charlotte Nofatt. Ou tbs.
death Of her husband she removed 20
Memphis aud educated her 500 for the
ministry. They are pleasantly remem-
bered By some of the Older citizens Of
that time.
The regular program of commence
nent exercises began Noaday morning
AZ II O'Clock The chapel could not az
eommodate more than one-half the vis-
nors- and the students simply entered
one door and passed cut through an
otner. Except those who took part Ia
the debates. essays and ora1ions, the
students were unable ID witness aHE of
the exercises. or To hear either of the
sermons The necessity for larger
and better arranged bGildinS IS very
apparent
Tue sophomores occupied the plat
form Their orasions were original.
and all were well declained. and IN
tensely practical The speakers and
subjects were: H. L Winston Ma
lures Gifts to Man. Z e. Whitehead.
Farming and Prosperity 7. e. Han
nah, Farming TO Supply the Wants OF
Man. Miss r " Miller. The Science
of Eiueatiols~ J. ID. Guyrou. Farm
Labor. Industrial and Scientific; T. y
kerd- Our Seuthsru Forests j. T.
Rogers. The Relation of Agriculture
TO Government l. ellis. Progressive
Industry in the South
The Magruder medal for best de-
eiaimer of an original essay was won
oy Mr. z g. Whitehead. Of Wfroua-
Battalion drill and dress parade was
the special attraction Monday after
nnna- There was no shana-bAttle owing
70 the faet that the college gurs had