The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-06-24
COMMANDMENTS
OVER AT CLINTON
The Last Being That OF
ThOrnWell Orpllanage.
SERMON BY DIR. FAIR.
Literary Address by Prof. ThOrnwelI---Im'
pressive Unveiling Ceremonies
Alumni Hold Reunion.

Clinton, June 23 The last commence
menu, that of the Thornwell Orphanage
schools, began last Sunday and lasted
through Wednesday night. To be more
exact the first exercise, debaters con-
test, participated in by six young men,
was held Friday evening. This contest
was very creditable to the institution.
On Sunday morning the Rev. Jas. Y.
Fair, D. D., of the Independent Pres
byterian church, Savannah, Georgia,
preached very impressive sermon on
the text, "What is life?" For an hour,
while the elements ragged outside. he
held the close attention of an audience
of about twelve hundred people.
On Monday evening the William P.
Jacobs Literary Society gave an enter
tanment which was highly commended
by the public. This entertainment had
a varied program, including farce,
several readings and musical selections
and tableaus.
On Tuesday evening the regular COM
mcncement exercises were held. The
literary address to the graduates was
delivered by Prof. James II. Thornwell,
of Winnsboro and was of very prac-
tica nature. His general subject was,
GLOW to Use Life" and the special
lesson he impressed on the class was
found, he said, in a quotation, Genius
is the faculty of doing common things
uncommonly we'll" There were seven
graduates: Misses Alice Dunn, of Jack
ELLA Harper, of Laurens; Nan Leonardo
of Tampa, Fla; Ella b. Satterwhite,
of Laurens, and Messrs. c.. Eugene
Vcrdery, of Charleston, and j. Jackson
Harper, of Wesson, Miss. Three of
these graduates delivered addresses:
Mr.. j. j. Harper, on '"The Menace to
Our Country of the Growing Greed for
GAIN Mr.. G. E. Verdery, on "The
Negro Versus the Immigrant;" Miss
Ella Harper, on GLOW Long We Live
Not Years but Actions Tell" These
speeches were all we'll received. Miss
Harper was also valedictorian and her
words of farewell were very appropri-
ate. Seldom indeed is valedictory so
feeling and 50 affectionate as was hers
while remaining in perfect taste.
DR.. Jacobs delivered the diplomas
with his final words of commentator
and counsel. The Hon. j. j. McSwan
then delivered to the graduates each a
beautiful copy of the Bible, the insti-
tution's final gift to its pupils.
Most solemn and impressive were the
ceremonies connected with the unveil-
ing of a memorial tablet to the first
Dr. j. II. Thornwell, after whom the
institution was named, and the unveil-
ing of portrait of his distinguished
son who passed from the earth last De
cembcr. Two of the orphan boys drew
away the curtain from the tablet reveal
ing 1T to the audience. The orphanage
choir then stood beneath it and sang
hymn. DR.. Jacobs rehearsed briefly
his connection with DR.. Thornwcll while
student in Columbia Theological Sem.
mary and passed from his account Of
the father to an account of the support
of the orphanage by the second DR..
Thornwell, who had been a member of
its Board of Trustees up to the time of
his death He then drew away the veil
from portrait of DR.. Thornwel on the
platform and introduced to the audience
the Rev. Mr.. Knox, Of Mayesville, who
had been appointed by the Board to
pronounce a memorial Of Dr. Thornwell
on this occasion. Mr. Knox spoke in
beautiful language of the work of DR..
Thornwell as pastor, a philanthropist
and man. Following this eloquent
tribute the audience was dismissed af-
ter a prayer by the Rev. C. Lewis Fow-
Ter.
An interesting feature of the week
was the alumni reunion on Thursday
evening at the Home of Peace. There
were about twenty of the old students
present, among them two ladies who
were in the irstEgroup of children adj
mitted to the orphanage.
On Friday many of the alumni and
their friends went on a picnic to River
side cottage on the Enoree river.
Altogether this has been one of the
happiest, most successful commence
ment occasions in the history of the in
stitution