The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-27
23RD COMMENCEMENT
ExERc1sEs AT BOOKER T. WASH
 INGToN's INSTITUTE.
Dedication of Douglas Hall--Address of the Occasion Delivered by Charles R. Douglas, Son of
 the Negro Orator.


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 Tuskegee, May 2s.--tspeciai.) )-The 1srd annual commencement exer- cises of the Tuskegee Normal and ln' dustrial School closed to-day with the graduation of the largest class that ever went out from the institution.
 The old time commencement enthu- siasm prevailed to-day. The people have been coming for more than q week and many are here who came from cities in the Northern States who have children in the senior class.
 Before o'clock this morning many people and teams were on the grounds, The farmers have their crops in good condition so they came in large num- bers to enjoy the day, and see their children in school The shops and class rooms were visited early in the morning and at II o'clock large number gathered about Douglass Hal to witness the dedication of the ouiio- ing. The exercises were very interest," ing and impressive. Mrs. F. J. Penney offered the invocation. Ehzaoeth Thompson of the A middle class from College. Hill, Ohio. spoke for the stu dents in a very appropriate address, Mrs. J. B. Bruce spoke for the asso- ciates of Douglass. Her words were full of appreciation and heartily en- loved by all Sadie Waterford of the B middle class recited Dunbar's Fred erick Douglass"
 The address of the occasion by Ma for Charles R. Douglass followed. It was difficult to realize that the son Of Frederick Douglass was addressing the audience. His words were full or sound sense and not unlike the great thoughts of his father. though the fa- ther's ringing eloquence was wanting. After dinner which was served all over the grounds, In all the dining rooms with private families and in front of Rockefeller Hall. where crude tables were built and coffee and sand- wiches served to all who were not able to enter the dining rooms.
 At 1:30 p. m. the procession formed in front of the Carnegie Library and had but to stretch itself out, and II was at the chapel door. In addition to the immense numbers from the coun- try and small towns nearby, nine full coaches came from Montgomery Among them were the Capital City Guards and one whole car of white people. It is doubtful whether there has been such a large number in at tendance at commencement since the visit of the senior Douglass many years ago.
 At the chapel the following pro- rramme was carried out. Before the beginning of the speaking, Principal Washington read a telegram from R H. Baldwin, Jr., of New York city sending greetings to the graduates ; students and teachers of the school:
 Dixie" the school.
 Music, Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" the choir.
 Overture, Up from Slavery" the band.
 Prayer. Rev. M. P Mayor. Old shir Church, Montgom' ', Ala.
 Music, Georgia" the choir.
 Salutatory. After Tuskegee. what?' Upshur Lloyd Knox, Baltimore, Md.
 How Can the Southern Village School Uplift It's Community" Rosa Lee Howard. Montgomery.
 Inflammatus. the choir.
 How Can Better Built Houses Con. tribute to the Uplift of the Classes?' Alexander Robert Stewart, Darien, Ga
 A Cabin Interior and What Joiner Can Do to Make 1t Comfortable" Will liam Henry Cash, Flovilla. Ga.
 What Has Tuskegee Extension Work Done for the south?" MoseI Smalls, Darlington, s. C.
 valedictory, How Can the Farmer Contribute to the Progress of tn, a Music-Lullaby, the choir.
 Music, Golden Slippers" the school
 Graduate address. Elizabeth EvelyI Wright. Class of 1894, Denmark, s. c Commencement address, J. E. Bush Little Rock, Ark.
 Music. "The Tuskegee Song" tn, school.
 Presentation of diplomas and certih cates, the principal.
 Music, Hallelutah chorus, the choir Remarks by. visitors.
 Music, "Auld Lang Syne." the school [ March, Albanian" the band.
 Benediction.
 Among those on the platform wer, Director of the United States Mint George E. Roberts and wife, Leigf Hunt, with Mir. and Mrs. Perkins an( daughter of the Hunt party a large number of Montgomery people; H. V Cashin, J. E. Bush, Charles R. Doug. lass, Mrs. J. B. Bruce. Mrs. Allen, g missionary from Liberia.
 Upshaw Knox gave an excellent salutatory. Rosa Howard made her remarks all the more telling by show ing many striking contrasts in the way of pictures. Alexander Stewart used large drawings, to good effect, in H. lustrating his subject. William II Cash did the same thing. His excel lent drawings, as well as those pre- scented by the others, were original Moses Smalls made Tuskegee's "exten- sion work" very real by reference to schools established by her graduates and by showing to the audience sam- ples of her many leaflets and other publications. Sanford Lee is the en. thusiastic farmer king of his class. He believes the farmer can rebuild his poor hillsides and make them like the fertile valleys. He gave a graceful and touching valedictory.
 The address of Elizabeth E. Wright of the class of 1894. held the great au- dience, in perfect silence. She told ir an earnest, simple way, with a voice that reached throughout the chapel the story Sf her work in South Caro- lima. The students were deeply im- pressed. Principal Washington refer. red to the constant friendship of q Southern white man to the work ot this young woman, and the audience burst into applause when he said that he had been for years an honored Sena- tor in his State.
 The address of J. E. Bush of Littl: Rock. Ark. was full of good nature and wisdom. White and colored listened te it with great interest and he was fire. ouently and heartily aplauded Ht appeared the model colored bushes. man.
 After his address. Washington pre-. scented diplomas to the following graduates along with certificates tC such of the graduates as had finished trades. also to undergraduates who hat