The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-12-12
HONORARY

n. Buckhannon, w. Va, Dec. 5.-The
Governor of the State and many other
notables in the world of statesman
ship, educational leaders and church
men gathered here today to do honor
to another distinguished fellow citizen
Colonel William Seymour Edwards
author, traveller and developer, Of
Charleston. 1t was the occasion Of
the comforting of the honorary degree
of Doctor of Literature upon Colonel
/. Edwards by the West Virginia Wesley
an College, in this city.
Governor William E. Glasscock, ac
companied by Mrs. Glasscock, was at
tended by large company of we'll.
known persons, who, with Colonel Ed.
wards, arrived here this morning in 4
special Pullman car from Charleston.
The party consisted of the follow.
ing:
Governor and Mrs. Glasscock, DR..
Edwards, Judge H. G. McWhorter,
Miss Mary McWhorter, Colonel w. T.
Williamson, Of the Governors staff:
Prof. George S. Laidley, Superinten,
tendent Of the Charleston Public
Schools, and Mrs. Laidley: Hon. M. P.
Shawkey, State Superintendent of
Schools, and Mrs. Shawkey; Rev. DR..
/, j. E. Bird, pastor of the Charleston
First Methodist Episcopal Church;
I. Colonel Sullivan, of the Governors
staff; Judge G. p Hall, DR.. S. P.
Crummett, G. d. O'Neal, General Sec.
rotary Of the Y. M. C. Al Hon. Don
Blagg, Hon. ]. G. Thomas, Hon. A. c.
Carney, Of the South Penn Oil Com
pany; Commissioner of Agriculture.
elect Howard Williams, Edward M.
Heermans and wife, and the famous
w. S. Mason string quartette, with
Prof. Mason, r. r. Houston, w. Schultz
and H. Beckenstein.
After breakfast at the hotel the
Charleston party was driven in auto.
mobiles to the college chapel, which
was filled with an audience Of stu
dents, towns-people and visitors from
abroad. The stage was occupied by a
hundred OF the clergy, educators and
other prominent men and women
from various parts of West Virginia
and elsewhere. The people Of the up
State country came out in large mum
bers, and from 10 o'clock until 2 In
the afternoon without htermission the
assembly Of interested people listened
to music, eloquence and words Of wis
dom. AS the delightful program pro.
ceeded, President Carl g. Doney, OF
Wesleyan, presided, attired in the
robes of his official position
When the exercises were concluded
and congratulations had been offered
DR.. Edwards by the throng in attend
ance, a sumptuous collation. was
served the out-of-town visitors at one
OF the leading hotels, and then the
Charleston party boarded their car
Manchester" for the return trip.
J. Nice. Martin, travelling passenger
agent OF the Baltimore & Ohio, per.
:sonally conducted. the special car.
Upon the return the company present.
ed. Colonel Edwards with roses, which
he graciously bestowed upon the
ladies of the party.
A Native West VIrgInian.
This rather remarkable occasion,
and one of the very few of its kind
ever taking place In West Virginia,
was tribute to native of West Vfr.
ginias who has attracted the attention
of the world to his literary produc-
lions. Colonel William Seymour Ed
wards, who heretofore has been better
known away from home and in south
ern West Virginia than in the more
northern counties of his State, has
been q writer of books and magazine
articles for many years. Recently his
work, Into the Yukon was one of
ten notable books posted in the great
Carnegie Library, In New York City,
as the ten most popular books of the
year. His other volumes have been
widely read and most favorably criti-
cized by the press and literary critics.
But 1t remained for one Of the most
prominent educational institutions in
his native State, of which Colonel Ed
wards is so justly proud, to honor him
publicly.
He was first made an honorary trus-
tee OF Wesleyan College. and some
months ago the faculty of that institu-
ton suggested further honors at their
hands. They decided to confer the
degree of Doctor of Literature upon
him If he would accept the honor, and !,
the ceremonies today were the result
President Doney fixed the date and is
sued the invitations, which were re-
sponded to by several hundred of West
Virginia citizens. who witnessed the
of the degree upon Colonel
Edwards.
Rev, DR.. S. X. Arbuthnot, a promi.
nent Wheeling clergyman delivered
the invocation upon the opening of the
exercises Then a most decidedly in
teresting program was rendered, in
Guiding classical numbers by the Ma
son Orchestra, the mems college glee
club and the girls college glee club.
Probably one of the finest and most
appropriate features of the program
was the singing of THE Hymn Of thu
W. est yirginians." first by the mems
yfee club and at the close by the en-
Tire audience. The song was written
by Colonel Edwards, the guest of hon