The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1907-06-06

COMMENCEMENT
BRILLIANT EXERCISES MARKED
S CLOSING OF THE SESSION..
MOST SUCCESSFUL SES-
SION IN HISTORY.
Large Crowds Attended Exercises
Daily-Many Visitors from All
Sections of Mississippi
Being in Attendance.

| The twenty-seyenth session of the
A. and NJ. College came to an end
yesterday in a blaze of glory. The
great school presided over by Lee and
Stone, and so ably and capably man
aged by Hon. J. C. Hardy, it's present
excellent president, has just ended
| the most brilliant and successful ses-
sfonzin its long history. Measured by
any standard, the twenty-seventh ses-
sion was easily the most successful,
| the most useful of the colleges many
sessions, and the results achieved will
| long be manifested in the history and
affairs of this State.
| The commencement exercises, pre-
ceded by the usual literary societies
debates and medal contests of last
week, were properly begun on last
/ Sunday. Then it was that Rev. DR..
| Dickinson, a noted Baptist divine of
| Btrming Ala, preached the COM
| mencement sermon in the chapel of
the institution in the presence of
throng which completely filled that
edifce, taxing to the utmost its seat
| ing capacity and filling the large and
spacious galleries which surround it.
Mr.. Dickinson'S sermons in the morn
ing and at night, when he preached
the annual Y. NJ. c. A. sermon, We're
| lated TO make lasting impressions
upon the minds and hearts of the
young men who were not only MAX
| ing farewell to the A. and NJ, but
of the large body who will continue
from year to year their work there.
Monday brought the senior ad
dresses. The unpropitious weather
of the day before had given place TO
an ideal summer day, and people
focked to the college by thousands.
From Aberdeen, from West Point,
from this city, from Macon and in
termediate points, as we'll as from
many quarters of the State, came the
parents of young men enlisted in the
educational cause as well as those
interested in the colleges work and
anxious to measure of the results by
the exhibits which prove so valuable
part of each succeeding commence
ment.
By the time that the hour for the
exercises arrived, the campus was
crowded, and at eleven O'Clock the
college band and battalion escorted
the president, the trustees, the mem
bers of the faculty and the seniors
| who were to speak, to the chapel and
Ethe PLATFORM. Six members of the
large class of thirty graduates were
selected for addresses, Messrs. NJ. w.
Lee, j. C. Barnett, r. P. Ellis, w M.
Rogers, H W. Stallworth and T. H.
Burriss, and their addresses upon
Timely topics showed how thoroughly
the institution is fitting young men
to grapple with the problems of life
and what splendid and well equipped
lcitizens it is turning out.
| : The final address of the commence
ment occurred on yesterday, when
DR.. VIM. NJ. Thornton, of the Univer-
sity of Virginia, delivered a mastery.
profound and brilliant grafton before
/ the graduating class. After this came
| the event 81 ucdI " Tic COilCSAdA dAu
for which he has spent years of study
and work, the delivery of the medals
and the diplomas, and President Har-
dy delivered diplomas to thirty-eight
| graduates.
The session which closed yesterday
marks a brilliant epoch in the his
tory of the institution. The trustees
hnanifesting their appreciation of the
splendid services of President Hardy,
adopted resolutions enlarging the
scope of his power and authority and
increasing his salary to a basis COM
mensurate with his good work and
upon a parity with other institutions
of learning in this State. The college
| is soon to undertake large improve
ments, and in the past year has ad-
ded nearly fifty thousand dollars of
new buildings, stock, ETC., while the
enrolment of students was nearly
| a thousand.
Miss Pauline V. Orr, one of Mis-
sissippi's gifted women and a mem
ber of the faculty of the Industrial
Institute and College, was recently
the guest of the New Century Club
in West Point, and by invitation de-
livered a most charming and delight
full lecture upon the Renaissance of
Art in Italy, It was heard by the