The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-28
CLASS DAY EXERCISES
 ARE VERY INTERESTING
Today Is Set for Dedication of New Building for University-Moretti Contributes Handsome
 Cornerstone.
BY R. G. MAJORS.

Tuscaloosa May 27.-(Special.) )-The uni- versity commencement began yesterday with the regular exercises for the observ- ance of commencement Sunday. A tre- mendous congregation was present m Clark hall The music was under the d. rection of the Episcopal choir, and con- sisted of several splenddly executed an- thems and an excellent rendition of the Te Deum. The sermon was delivered by the Rev Davis Sessums, D. D., Episcopal bishop of Louisiana.
 Bishop Sessums's sermon was strong and forceful presentation to the attentive listeners of the claims and mission of the spiritual life. He took his text from Isaiah. it being these words: For my sword shall be bathed in heaven" He spoke of the distinction to be drawn with respect of the sword that Is bathed in blood and one bathed in heaven.
 He said that though God had said that vengeance is mine,'' yet His vengeance is not the vengeance that we know; not the product of the selfish and irascibe temper of the mortal but the portentous and necessary rebukes and corrections which he visits on his children.
 He spoke further of the power and mis- sion of the sword first bathed in heaven; !; how that 1t could but strike for a right eous cause, that whether this be in po- lenlic. a civic or an economic strife, that. being tor the right. 1t was not alone. but was striking with God.
 Urges Spirituality.
 He urged the graduates that. starting out in life, whatsoever their work should be, that they address themselves with some seriousness to discovering the right not to think that God was only on their side, but to see to it that they were on His. He explained that the sur- vival of the Attest in the evolution or man was properly with reference to the fittest spiritually; that this lesson was taught by ancient and heather Greece, in that Prometheous, rather than Her cules, was typical of its peoples highest ideals; that the battle was not to the strong, to the sword bathed in blood, as history showed in its story of shattered nations the fallacy of such a doctrine.
 Bishop Sessums concluded with a strong attack on materlalism that threatens the ideals of the young. He spoke of it's now waning influence and of its subtle appeals in many ways to human nature; Of how 1t caused the fall of the first man; of how the later man Christ oyercame entirely its temptations. He urged upon the young college graduate that he settle at the outset that he shall not be governed by the al1urements of the physical senses that he shall not find through their grati- fication his lifes aims, but that he shall hearken to the inner sense; that with him the spiritual shall transcend and dominate the physical.
 The fine discourse was listened to with deep interest and much elevating instruc- I.v " e. culiarly fitting to the occasion and left an unquestionably good and lasting im- pression on the minds of the graduates to whom it was addressed.
 Senior Day.
 Today was Senior day and very inter- esting and entertaining exercises were held. At 10 o'clock the regular contest by members of the senior class for the trus- tees prize was held. The speakers on the occasion were as follows, with the fol- lowing subjects: Coma Emmet Garrett, ..The Spirit of Modern Education" Travis Jesse Bedsole Forces That Win" Will liam Wellington Prude Liberty, the Pricesless Gift of Patriotism"
 The speeches were all excellent and showed much mature thinking on the part of the young men who were the authors. They were also delivered with A composure and force that is rarely at tained at such an early age. The com mittee on award consisted of Hon. Law renee Lee Hon. Holmes Powell and Hon. M B. Abercrombie.
 This committee returned after a very few minutes of consultation, and MT. Lee announced their decision in the mat ter. This was to the emect that their unanimous verdict had been that Will liam Wellington Prude was the success ful contestant and he was therefore awarded the prize.
 MT. Prude is a Tuscaloosa boy and a young man of much force and sterling worth He has lately received an appoint ment and passed the necessary examina- tions for entrance into the Military acad- emy at West Point.
 Class Day Exercises.
 After this contest the regular class day exercises of the senior class were held in Clark hall, to which the public was invited. This is the first year that these exercises have been made public and they proved of much interest.
 John William Johnson, the class presi- dent, took charge of the exercises and fin an introductory speech outlined the methods of the celebration. Papers were then read on "Origins and Explanations of the Class Nicknames," Glass His tory" Glass Statistics" by Paul An derson, T. H. Patton and H. W. John son, respectively. The class song was sung by the class as a whole
 'Delights of Dudedom'' was an enter taining paper read by B. F. Smith, the class dude, and the class poem was ef- Actively read by Miss Bessie Merrill.
 The funeral oration was pronounced by c. c. Brannen and the class prophecy read by Miss Wildie Hibbler.
 At the conclusion of the exercises in the hall, the class repaired to the campus, and there with fitting and interesting rites the class ivy was planted, part of this function was the reading of the Ivy