The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-23
The Fifty-First Commence
ment at Oak Ridge.
Or. w. E. DODD'S ADDRESS
The Commencement at Buie's Cretk Of Deep
est interest Draws Throng- ---Mr. Camp
baPs Indomitable Energy and
its Results.
Especial to News and Observer)

! Especial TO News and Observer
Oak Ridge, N. c., May 22.-The fifty
first commencement of Oak Ridge Insti-
tute began May 10th with a sermon by
Rev t. M. johnson, President N. c. Con
ference Methodist Protestant church, an
alumnus of Oak Ridge Institute. The ser
mon was eloquent and forceful through
out, and easily one Of the best commence
ment sermons ever delivered at Oak Ridge
Institute
| Glass day exercises We're held at $3.50
lp. m and were one of the most enjoy
able feature OF the commencement,
! The Juniors contest in oratory was held
| in the spacious chapel at 8 p M, and was
OF an unusually high order. The contest
ants were E. S. Welborne, Thomasville,
N. c.; w c. Tucker, Zephyr. N. c.; T.
| Bumgarner, Swanners N c., of the Athe-
mean Society, and G. "A. Bernard, Raeford,
| N. c.; w G. Broadfoot, Fayetteville, N.
! c.; j. c.. Taylor, Fayetteville, N. c.. of
the Philomathean Society. The medals
were awarded to w. c. Tucker and c.. A.
! Barnard The decision of judges was an
nounced by Hon. Jas. w. Forbis of
Greensboro, chairman, in a few well chosen
words
Following the oratorical contest was a
concert by the Oak Ridge Institute Silver
Cornet Band and Orchestra. Prof. c. z.
Whitaker directors, which was exceeding
/ ly creditable.
Thursday, May 81, commencement day,
was ideal. The exercises began at 10 a. m,
with prayer by Rev T. M. johnson, and
music by the Oak Ridge Institute band,
followed by the annual contest for the
Elisha X Gravely medals for oratory by
four representatives each of the Philoma-
thean and Athenean Societies each. The
speakers for the Philomathean were }. ].
Williams, Wilmington, subject Room for
Trained Men in the State; ]. Arthur
Forbis Greensboro, subject "Commercial-
ism; Joseph L. Lee, Laurinburg, subject
! "A Crusade Against Two Evils; and
Warren c.. Stack, Monroe, N. c.. sub
/ ject Gods Last and Best Gift TO Man"
The speakers for the Athenean Society
were Clark Dixon, Monroeton, subject
''Character;" Ira G. Triplett, Hendrix,
subject Light and Shadows of History"
Rush c. Bowman, Oak Ridge subject In
dependentism in Politics. and Dexter
Moser, Burlington, subject mo Place for
a Financial Car in a Political Republic f"
The orators were eloquent forceful. edi-
flying, all acquitting themselves well.
/ The alumni address by DR.. William Z.
! Dodd Professor of History in Randolph
Macon College, was full of thought, and
no one heard it without realization OF
| the greath truths it contained. He began
/ by saying that mo man liveth unto him
| self, is as true a saying now as 1000 years
ago, and no. act of any human thing is
without its influence on the public. One
of the significant signs of the time is the
! tendency to allow might to become right,
to allow crimes against the helpless to go
unpunished 1t behooves us all to love
republican government and believe in
I democratic institutions, for every man who
votes in a free country is responsible for
/ the violation of law, for the perpetration
| of injustice. The eyes of the nations were
upon us. We had been regarded by them
as stanalng for right and justice, but our
national policy OF imperialism was bring
ing upon us their contempt They declare
that our ideal repuonc has fallen, it could
not withstand the temptation to seize upon
and hold foreign territory, and despite our
pretensions we had shown ourselves no
better than they. Another discouraging
tendency is political immortality Changes
have occurred that no man could haYe ex-
pected. Political organization has brought
outA political bosses, and more than $25,-
600, 600 were spent in 1900 by these political
bosses to elect President The
result of this purchasing of votes may be
seen in Rhode Island today where men
is legitimate for a party to pay men for
their loss of time when they go to the
polls to vote for that party. This is all
wrong. st. Louis has been the scene of
recent political crime Unless we can re-
form we certainly cannot hope for the
great things we have been hoping for Do
these things exist in North Carolina? l
have heard that some men sit on the fence
until few minutes before sundown, wait
in gfor some anxious candidate<to place
something in their hands before voting /
have heard these things / hope it is not
true
We should have greater respect for law.
There are too many examples of lawless-
ness We must oe law-abiding if we
would reach the highest development
This has been one of the best Years in
the history of Oak Ridge Institute. In
the Classical Department there We're four
teen graduates; scientific, three; book
keeping, nineteen; shorthand nine.
large and representative crowd attended
commencement 1t would be difficult to
find in any other section Of North Caro-.
lima, or in the world, more strong earnest
Continued on Third Page.)