The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-09
FINAL EXERCISES
 AT GREENSBORO
Commencement at Southern
 University Comes to Close
ELECT NEW PRESIDENT
Rev. Anderson Sledd Succeeds Rev. S. M. Hosmer, Resigned-Facultyf for Coming Session Announced.
 Awards and Prizes
ny LEE M. OTIS


 Greensboro. June -(SpeciaL)-The com mencement exercises at the Southern uni versity closed today with the speeches by members of the graduating class and the conferring of degrees. Seventeen young men and two young ladies each received the degree of bachelor of arts. The hon. orary degree of doctor of divinity was conferred upon the Rev. c. A. Rush of Mobile, the Rev. H. H. McNeil of Mo bile and the Rev. c. P. Atkinson of Greensboro.
 The trustees announced the election of Dr. Andrew Sledd, formerly president of the University of Florida. as president of the Southern university, and of the Rev. s. M. Hosmer as financial agent.
 Dr. Hosmer resigned the presidency. The trustees also announced that the endow- ment fund of the Southern university had been increased so that it was now s120, 900, and that the other properties owned by 1t had been conservatively estimated by ap- prasers as being worth s196O00. making a total valuation of the property of the Southern university of s316OOO.
 Faculty fog Coming Session
 The faculty for the next session will be as follows D. P. Christenberry, pro- lessor of English; c. P. Atkinson, pro- lessor of philosophy: F. E. Chapman, pro- lessor of mathematics: D. M. Key, pro- lessor of ancient languages; T. H. Jack, professor of history; D. M. Smith. Jr., professor of sciences. The chair of mod ern languages made vacant by the res- ignation of Prof. J. T. Littleton, who goes to the girls college at Montgomery. will be filled later.
 The prize winners were as follows.
 Ready debater, Carl Preer; ready writ CT. Milton White; sophomore medal. L. B. Calhoun junior orators medal. B. F. Ray; societies medal. Charles DeBarde- leben; United Daughters of the Confed- eracy medal. R. F. Haskew; essayist's medal. s. B. Strout; review and bulletin medal for best article contributed, Miss Clara Young; scholarship medal, Carl Cox: senior medal. w. c. Cowart.
 The Bellies Lettres society gave medal to J. M. Pennington for representing them in intercollegiate debates and on other occasions.
 Several handsome presents, including handsome watch and a gold-headed um- brella, were given to Dr. Hosmer, the re- tiring president
 Address Before Literary Societies
 The programme for commencement yes- terday consisted of an address before the literary societies by Joe Nicely Powers Of Jackson. Miss. superintendent of educa- tion of Mississippi. and an address be- fore the Alumni association by w. E. w. Yerby of Greensboro.
 MT, Powers took for his subject "The Spirit of Optimism" and his address was a literary gem, replete with sound ad- vice and eloquent sayings. He began by making reference to the days when he attended school here and eulogized the members of the faculty now dead. He then said that when one spoke to college students that they should be very guarded in what they say, and that he hoped he would bring to those he addressed mes sage of hope. He said that Alabama had given to the world woman whose life had been the greatest example of the good of being an optimist-Helen kellar- and he said her life should be an inspira- ton to all. He declared that no man had the right to live in the world who adds nothing to the world by his living.
  ism was taught by nature, even in the destructive cyclone, and volcanic erup- tions and earthquakes. History also teaches us to be optimists. Referred to the dawning of the star of liberty in America and how downtrodden nations looked to America. He declared that even the hospitals and the battle fields taught us to be optimistic As an evil dence of the altruism of the people of <t ha of fn GaIvnsfOn flood and the Frisco earthquake, and the relief given to those stricken places by humanity. He declared that the heart of the country would always show itself in all of its altruism when calamities came. He declared that the underlying principle of faith in God and the brother hood of man is the spirit of optimism.
 Here the speaker digressed for mo- ment from his subject and made a plea for practical education. He said that the fault of most colleges was in the con- ception of their ideal. He pleaded that the boys and girls be taught to do as well as to know. He declared that no man could be an optimist unless he worked. He pleaded that the young of the country be taught that 1t is enobling to work. This world had no room for the idle. The speaker declared that man would be judged by what he tried to do as much as by what he did.
 Yerby Addresses Alumni
 After this came the address before the alumni by w. E. w. Yerby of Greens boro. MT. Yerby took for his theme his recent visit to the isthmus of Panama. He gave a description of the country, the people and the great work that is being rushed to completion there by the United tSates He said that the possession oI the Philippine islands and Hawaii made 1t absolutely necessary that our country have control of the Pacific ocean, and that in order to get this possession the Panama canal was indispensable. He pre- dicted that if the United States ever had any serious trouble with foreign country that that trouble would be set fled on the waters of the Pacific and that the possession of the Philippines or the Hawaiian islands would be the di- rect or the indirect cause of the disturb ance. The speaker deplored the imperial tendency of our country. but advised the young men that 1t was their solemn duty to prepare to meet and to solve the great problem that such policy involves, for he did not believe that there would be any turning back along this line by the United States.
 MT. Yerby's idea is that the Panama canal Is being constructed more as war measure than for the purpose of com merce and that its completion will make two fleets of battleships unnecessary, and that the canal gives to this country the key to the Pacific ocean and to the Orient. It was also his idea that when the canal was completed nothing more will ever be heard of a probable war with Japan. but Japan will well know that at that moment her hope of controlling the Pa- cific ocean will pass away forever. The