Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30

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Minnesota.
and one each from Nebraska, Indiana, Wyo-
ming, Delaware, Kansas, Oregon, South
Carolina, Idaho, Alaska, Nova Scotla ana
Japan.
they have several original and graceful
customs at Smith, and one of them Is the
distribution of diplomas With so large
class it is impossible for the president to
present each graduate with the sheepskin
that belongs to her, and, therefore, as the
class files by he passes them out hit or miss.
as you might say. After the exercises are
over the girls form a circle on the green
and pass the diplomas from right to left
AS each finds her own she tucks 1t under
her pretty arm, and the rest are kept IN mo-
ton until they reach the bachelors to whom
they belong.
Thirty-One Years Old.
Smith is thirty-one years old. but she
doesn't look it, particularly at this time or
year. for she is as bright and fresh and
radiant as Aurora herself who 1 need not
tell YOU is the goddess of the dawn. But
the lovely campus is not half so beautiful
in vacation time as when the girls are
there. A pretty girl will improve any kind
of a place. and at the commencement eX-
ercises there We're at least 2DOo women OF
all ages and all degrees of beauty. which
made scene that is worth going long
distance to witness. At least LOCO grad
yates were registered, and twice as many
more papas and mammals and other girl
friends came 10 see VIAL "dS SolhS oii'
Every exercise was set In flowers, ana the
display this year was unusually fine
President Seelye made some announce
ments commencement day that Will IN
terest the friends and alumnae. He said
that the new buildings which had been pro-
posed would not be erected this year be-
cause of the excessive price of labor ana
material and he announced that S31 800 had
been obtained of the So, 800 necessary to
meet an equal sum which Mr.. Carnegie
has offered for a library building. The
prospects are so favorable for obtaining
the balance that the architects are now
prepa ring the plans. This money has been
raised chiefly by amateur plays, balls teas,
bazaars and other entertainments given by
alumnae associations in different cities OF
the country, and by contributions received
nv "pledge cards" Some of the sums sent
in were as small as ten cents, and others
as high as SJ00.
The usual senior ceremonies concluded
commencement week, and they were made
uncommonly attractive with bewitching
gowns and graceful by-play. The seniors
never wear anything but white ana go
bareheaded, but the juniors and other
underclasswome adorn themselves with all
the hues of the rainbow. Even Solomon
himself not arranged like most OF
these. The exhibition of picture hats at
the late commencement is claimed to have
been unsurpassed, and the number of
trunks checked to different parts of the
country at the Northampton station the
day after commencement exceeded that
| OF any previous year, WHICH l1Sl VI pio-
found significance.
Hoop-Rolling.
The parting or "hoop-rolling," as 1t
| is sometimes caled-and / grieve to say
| that rreverent freshmen and sophomores
| who have share in it refer to the cere-
mony as Senior stunts"-took place as
usual, and is worth brief description. 1t
| is the most elaborate ceremony to be wit
| 7 told
| and reminds one of the ancient customs Of
| graduation night at Princeton.
| About ESQ o'clock all the girls assemble
on the campus, which, because of its slope,
| is especially adapted for the stage of such
a pretty play. The underclasswomen form
| a large circle at the foot of the hill, with
| the juniors lined up in front Of them. The
| white-gowned seniors gather at the top of
| the hill, each carrying in her hand a hoop,
! decorated with streamers of the college
| colors. At a signal from the class presi-
| dent Morley Sanborn of Saginaw, 214 girls
| started down the hill last they could
| go, each rolling a hoop before her, and
| the screams of laughter that from the
rushing wave of damsels answered
| with jeers of derision and amusement by
| the audience. At the foot of the hill, when
| they had caught their breath, each senior
| presented her hoop to her favorite junior,
| as the custom is. The hoops are passed
| down from class to class, and each bears
| the name of the former owner printed in
| gilt letters upon ribbon.
Singing on the College Steps.
| The juniors then escorted the seniors back
! to the steps of the Students building
| where the graduating girls seated them
| selves and sang college songs:
| Those are some of the features of Oliver
| Smiths will and they. with the others, have
| been great benefit to the community.
| Sonhje Smiths Fortune
| Sophia Smith, his niece, inherited hand
some fortune from him and very much
| larger one from her brother Austin, who
was q man of similar characteristics, a