Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-08
THOMAS NELSON PAGE
ADDRESSES GRADUATES
Ambassador to Italy Principal Speak-
er at Richmond College
Commencement.
PRESIDENT CoNFERs DEGREES
Rain Fails to Dampen Spirit Mt
Finals, When Trustees, Faculty
ana Graduates Appear in Cap-and-
Gown Procession.

. commencement Day at Rchmond
college yesterday passed pleasantly.
despite the unfavorable weather. only
ono or the interesting events Of tho
day was seriously interfcred with on
account Of the imminent prospect Of
further rain. The pageant. promised
lor O'Clock at night. had to be in
dchntte!y postponed. The presidents
reception. however, was given as sched-
n!ed. at $3.50 o'clock. and the session
OF l3lo-lsl6 came 10 an end.
Eut there was nothing to mar tho
principal occasion-the exercises at
1880 o'clock In the morning, when tho
chlef address OF the commencement
was delivered and the degrees were
conferred. Despite the rain the aca-
demic procession, made up Of trustees,
degree men and faculty. passed across
The campus In gay costume. 10 the
auditorium. An audience OF 1900 peo-
pie. taxing the capacity Of the hall.
had already gathered. and listened with
careful attention to the addresses that
followed.
THOMAS NELSON PAGE
on VIRGINIA SPIRIT
The proceedings opened with
prayer by DR.. W. l.. Poteat. president
Of Wake Forest College. after which
In choice phrases President cartwright
introduced the speaker of the day.
Thomas Nelson Page. ambassador Of
tho United States to Rally.
Tho subject of DIR. Pages address
vas The Virginia Spirit and Our Duty
70 Translate II to the Larger World"
Drawing from his rich stores Of OK
pecience. travel and reading. the orator
told the audience Of the part which
Virginia had played IN the world IN
days gone by. and plead with the grad
yates TO continue the gift of this char
acter and service 10 tho country and
the world
The greatest thing left us by our
fathers was the Virginia character he
said. I'm the eighteenth century wash
lngton. Jefferson, Madison and those
ether famous NirginianS Of that heroic
epoch. translated the Virginia spirit
into national Institutions" Dr. Page
was willing 10 admit that IN building
the nation Virginia had received some
assistance from tho rest Of the coun-
try.
However no less service was rcnd-
cred by the men succeeding the civil
War-men who. deprived OF national
Influence. yet preserved character for
tho future by redeeming the State from
military rule
MARVELLOUS PROGRESS
MADE BY VIRGINIA
Among those who played this part
presc-Tcrs Of civilization WAS MAJOR
.!lyson. father 81 ] Taylor Eilyson.
III. president of the board az trustees
Of Richmond College, we'll Lieu
tcrant-Governor of the State. Another
man who. in the years when Virginia
was under cloud. helped to interpret
the spirit o! the State TO the wider
world was Or, John a. Rroadus.
Now. however, after tho period Of
gloom and announcement Virginia
has come 10 her owu--and possesses the
Presidency well as leadership In
both House and senate. She has made
marvellous material progress, and be-
come remarkably progressive In many
ways. II was intellectual and spiritual
thl. H. .l,i a..
tcrcsted In
Or. Page then plead for further pro-
Eress. He commented III suggestive
terms on the accelerat!on Of wornan's
influence in poitica! affairs He pro-
rhcs!ed the dag when in Virginia
''oman should vote and declared tina.
~! men can do now IL 10 make terms
With women
He praised tho progress Of higher
education for women III the state and
and grow. Compulsory education also
In DR.. Pages opinion. was essential
both for Virginia and the South
The duty OF the present graduates OF
the college Is to take the principles OF
Jefcrsonian Democracy, Virginia De-
noc-acy and carry them wherever they
might 60. realizing that wherever y
man breathcs and practices the Nir-
rinia spirit n. is Nirginian," the
speaker said.
GIVES HIS VIEWS
ON PREPAREDNESS
Expressing himself mildly on national
affairs. the speaker said that although
no believed in adequate preparedness"
he too much OF JefferSon.an TO
believe in huge armies and navies" He
further declared that he was much moro
interested in the preparedness OF heart
and character illustrated by the gem
utno Virginian than he was in the prob
lens which experts. rather than ora
tors, should solve. as To the exact num-
Der OF battleships and regiments.
Following DIR. Pages address degrees
were conferred on the college grad
yates.
The honorary degree OF doctor OF di-
vinity was conferred on Rev. William
Russell owen, OF Brooklyn. y. Y, who
graduated from Richmond College In
1901. and on Rev. J. i. Wicker. pastor
OF the Leigh Street Baptist Church of
this city.
The event Of the whole commence
ment was the presentation OF the de-
gree of LII p. 10 DR.. Stuart Mcclure
in recognition Of the eminent apEro-
priateness of this honor and in affection
for the distinguished recipient. tho
faculty rose IN a body. followed by all
the students Of the two colleges and the
whole audience on masse.
The president. in few enthusiastic
words. reminded the degree men OF
their obligation to the college and to
the world, and told about the highly
satisfactory character of the work Of
the session which now ended. Ho pro-
phesied great things for the future,
and requested the cooperation Of all
bringing these things TO pass.
DIR. Page expects to leave to-day for
Hanover County to spend several
weeks at the Page home. He said
that he expected to sail for Rome on
July l.
BENEDlCTlNE FINALS