The colored American., 1903-06-27

Nashville. Tenn, Special.-We are
in the midst of commencement season
and many visitors are in the city
Walden University has just closed
successful years work. There were
1915 graduates, as follows: Teachers,
Dreparatory, 81; Teachers course, IL;
Normal, 2; College, 3; Theology, IL;
law 12: Business. 10; Music, 1; Post
graduates, 2. There were So from the
Medical. Dental, etc, in March, max
ing a total from all departments OF
163 Bishop Walden and Secretary
Tbirkeald, trustees, were present dur
ing commencement week.
The various departments had their
separate graduating exercises, over
which the dean of that department
Dresidenr. Of the five deans four are
cOlored. The white dean, Dr. e. w.
Hubbard, is at the head of the Medlcal
department Prof d. W. Byrd is dean
of the Liberal Arts department, when
includes all but the professional
schools. DIR. E. w. S. Hammond is
dean of the school of Theology. capt.
George T. Robinson is dean OF the Law
department. with a faculty compoSeu
of some of the first members OF the
Nashville bar, of both races, one Oh
This ex-confederate, w. d. COvingtOn,
delivered the address to the class this
year. He takes great interest IN the
department throughout the year, with
out pay. AS a lawyer, he takes first
rank and is one of Nashville'S first
citizens. He is generous to fault,
and is perfectly at home with his Ne
gro disciples.
In introducing him, the Dean said:
Let us turn back forty years, when
the next speaker looked upon a diff
ferent scene from this. Then he was
a rebel, carrying a musket, shooting
the life out of somebody. l myself
was rebel He represented the mas
ter class and | the slave class" The
dean then paid Mr.. Covington high
tribute, calling attention to the great
service he had rendered. The speaker
delivered a most eloquent, learned ad-
dress on "The Lawyer" At the close of
the programme President Hamilton
was introduced and extended congrat-
ulatiOns.
In referring to the introduction of
Mr.. CoVingtOn, President Hamilton
said: 1T reveals one of the most re
markable facts of history. A repre-
sentative of the master class and one
OF the slave class, representing radi-
cally different ideas, meet to-day and
clasp hands, both teaching, side by
side, the science of law and respect
for the law"
Sunday previous, in the forenoon,
PRESIDENT Hamilton preached the Bac-
calaureate sermon; at night Bishop
T. n. Phillips, an alumnus, preached
the annual sermon. The commence
ment address was delivered on Thurs
Day by Rev. M. G. B. Mason, D. o.
MISS M. E. Braden, daughter of the
late President Jno. Braden, furnished
good music for all the exercises. The
Iour colored deans have been reap
pointed for next year.
Among the law graduates is a Japa-
nese, Tokuyiro Shimada The super
lntendent is Mr.. John c. Dimond, of
hampton. President Hamilton faVors
the employment of colored men and
women, and the trustees endorsed his
administration at their recent meet
ing. During the past session more
than 1,1OO students, of all depart
mehts, were in attendance.
The Thanksgiving sermon of the G..
N o. o. F. is over and the members
are happy, not that the speaker made
a long address, for he preached only
nVe minutes; but because the colIec-
uon, S27O50, has enabled them to buy
a loving building, a spacious two-story
Dflck, centrally located with plenty of