The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-04-26
SMEDES' BIRTHDAY
Is COMMEMORATE
Beautiful Exercises At
St. Mary's School
ADDRESS BY MISS M'VEk

..Ti,e intellectual Flower Of the
school Delivers u Strong and Timely
Address. Following Bishop Robert
Strange - Aiumnac Dinner and
Meeting complimentary Concer
Last Night.
Beautiful in inception and lovely in
realization were the exercises at st.
Mary's School Wednesday commence
rating the centennial anniversary OF
the birth of the Rev. Albert Snnedes,
d. D.. founder and first rector of St.
Mary's. Resides the living descend
ants of the great Christian educator
there were in attendance alunlnae
from every part of North Carolina n
from other states. The daughters of
no school are more loyal To their
Alma Mater than the lunlna OF :
Mary's and it is with complete JOY
that they revisit the campus halls and
chapel where they received SO many
Inspirations and benedictions, where
they were taught the serious purposes
of life and learned how to adorn their
character. Not once since 1872 has
the reigning spirit Of the school de-
parted from it. that spirit which was
instilied into it by the man whose
birth was SO appropriately celebrated
yesterday.
The Holy Communion Vas celebrat-
IL the chapel at s o'clock WedneS-
day morning, and the days exercises
began with u brief service in the
chapel at II o'clock. Inspiring was
the procession OF the students, their
voices raised in a hymn Of praise. The
scripture readings, rayer and songs
lifted up the soul. The scripture les
son W1S rear hE DIR Nick pjttan-
ger, being the third chapter of First
Samuel. After the hymn "Hark the
sound OF holy voices" the rector of
St. Mary's, Rev. George ". Lay stated
the purpose of the occasion, to do
honor to the memor OF a great man.
1t was not a casual thing, he said, for
IN the chapel conferred all the work
OF the school, and there was assem-
bled all the ideas for which the foun-
der OF the school had wrought. An
educator who recently visited Raleigh,
he said, had declared tina ST. Mary's
had the right idea, something other
schools Ike a chapel devoted ex-
cluslVely to the worship of God. Young
people, said Mr.. Lay, have ideas. af-
fectlons and character and their mem
cries after leaving the school always
went back to things that centered in
the chapel. At a recent meeting of
educators a mar asked to speak at the
appfoprla monen on the apprO-
PIRATE subject, and said that education
which only gave facility in knowing
things and skill in doing things and
did not center around character would
amount to nOthing. St. Mary's. he
asserted was founded by DR.. Smedes
Oh a Rock, religion, on the surface
OF God. and he a instilled these
principles so firmly that the students
when they go out into the world will
ms "a a hal~ Jdao tn aS~y-n IN-j +I0s-
Creator and Maker.
Bishop Robert Strange, Of the Do
cese OF Eastern Carolina, prayed, after
which the service in the chape! was
concluded with the occasional hymn,
Jerusalem. High tower thy glorious
walls"
The exercises in the auditorium be-
gan directly after the devotional ser
vice. On the platform were Bishop
Strange, Miss Emile Watts McVea,
the rector. George w. Lay, DR.. I. Nick,
Pittenger, Rev. Milton A. Barber, Rev.
J.. f. Ingle, w. A. Erwin of Durham,
Geo. G. Royal, of Goldsboro. Hon. r
II. Battle, Col. Chas. E. johnson and
Dr.. X. II. Lewis, of Raleigh.
The program opened with the
chorus, BLOW. Soft Winds by Vim
cent, q song OF light and flowers, rem
dered exquisiteiy.
Mr.. Lay stated his pleasure at hay
anS on this occasion the descendants
OF DIR. SmedeS, and in the next num-
ber, he aid. two of DIR. Smedes' grand
daughters would appear, one to play
the violin. the other to her
on the piano. These young ladies we're
Misses Margaret Locke Erwin and
Bessie Smedes Erwin, who delighted
the audience.
Bishop strange, who was presented
by Mr.. Lay, in a thoughtful address,
did not review the life and work of
DR.. Smedes, but spoke chiefly Of ele-
nlents in the character of he founder
of st. Mary's. He said that DR..
Smedes illustrated as few men do the
value OF a man over plans. theories
and institutions. He planted on the