The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-26
DIR. Ivey's Address Warmly Praised
Music and Essays.


Music and Essays.
Especial to the News and Observer
Oxford. N. c., May 25.-Thursday the
class day exercises were held at oxford
Female Seminary. After the opening
prayer the following program was rend-
, cred:
Duo-Miss Hudson and Miss Hobgood.
Some Aspects of Womanhood in Shake
speare and Tennyson" Elizabeth
Pace Tewellyn.
Some Thoughts About Sidney Lanier"
Miss Sarah Elizabeth Taylor.
Song" Sunset" (poem by Sidney
| Lanier) (Buck)-Miss Thurman.
Essay" Music; It's Influence on Life
| Miss Lydia Passmore.
Essay Golden Keys"-Miss Jessie Lee
| Hobgood
Next came the comforting of diplomas.
Song-"L'Ideal d'Amour," (BendeD-
Miss Lydia Passmore.
AFTERNOON EXERCISES.
In the afternoon the following theses
| were read:
Queen Victoria as Wife and Mother
Miss Lou Nicie Bridger.
"Silas Warner; a Character Sketch
Miss Annie lola billiard.
what Education Should Do for Wo-
man"-Miss Annie Rachel Rogers.
| i"Elizabeth as a Ruler"-Miss Mary
Rebecca oliver.
fm the art room were the paintings by
the girls of the art department. Those
competent to judge pronounce the paint
ings very fine well designed and we'll
! produced. But in observing the different
departments of this very excellent in
stitution, it is difficult to say in which
department the work excels. In every
! department is seen the effect of that
thoroubh and efficient training which is
! so characteristic of the distinguished
educator and president of this institution
and his able CORPS of instructors. The
departments of music, art"and the CLASH
| cal departments are alike noted for thor
ough work and careful training. The
| essays were a high order and showed
depth of thought and real intellectual
| culture. Thoroughness in work and not
| mere superficial culture is and has been
] one of the distinctive ideas carried out
| by the Oxford Female Seminary. While
music and art are not neglected, they are
| not allowed to take the place of train
! ing in the regular branches. While space
| forbids us making mention of many OF
the essays, they were all excellent, yet
we think the essay by Miss Taylor on
/ Sidney Lanier the much beloved though
much neglected poet of Georgia, deserves
! tolbe ranked high, both as to the literary
merits of the composition and the criti-
| cal taste displayed in the defense of this
| great Southern poet. In our opinion he
! is one of Americas greatest poets. The
| theses read were also we'll written and
ranked high in literary merit.
EVENING EXERCISES.
| After prayer, the opening exercises OF
| the evening were the delightful vocal
| strains by Mrs. B. S. Register Miss Taur-
man and others. Then came the address
before the Calliopean Society, which was
| delivered by DR.. T. n. Lyey, of Raleigh
| We cannot, for want of space, attempt
even good synopsis of this most admir-
! able address. Suffice it to say it was
worthy of the man and the hour. 1t was
practical forcefuI, advanced modern
| thought. His subject was THE Work o.
] the Pioneer" The speaker showed that
all great reforms all advanced thought
all great dicoveries and invention were
the result of the efforts of the pioneer
! He showed also that the pioneer was al
| ways in advance of his age and his time
that his will knew no failure, and thai
his determination succumbed to no diff.
ticulties. His is the work of exploring
new fields, graphing with new questions
! and soling new problems. He paves the
way for progress while others follow.
THE pioneer" said the speaker, lis not
worshipper of the old, yet he does no
reject the old altogether" In closing hi
admonished the young ladies to go out il
the world with determination that theil
influence shall be felt. He commended
to them a life of devoted, unselfish anC
ardent. effort for the unlifting of hu
| manitv He lauded the work of womeI
who go out among the masses and en-
gage in the noble profession of teaching
DR.. Ivey spoke for near one hour, ant
received the closest attention of those
present.