Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-06-06
ACADEMY FINALS ATTRACT
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.

brought to Woodstock distinguished
. body of visitors, and never be
fore in the history of the school has Q
! commencement program carried such
, nationally known participants in the
Exercises.
u Beginning on Sunday morning with
Ian eloquent baccalaureate sermon by
REV. Henry Nelson Bassler. D. D., OF
Williamsburg, the scores of visitors en-
Ijoyed a season of eloquence and en-
tertainment which has made the 1924
session of the school an outstanding
lone since its foundation.
i Monday at 1890 a. m. were the
Graduating exercises, followed at three
in the afternoon by the dedication OF
the handsome Virginia Lee Harrison
Gymnasium which was erected at cost
of $50, 900, and the gift of the sons of
Mrs. Harrison, as memorial to their
mother. The sons were former students
of Massanutten.
Before distinguished audience and
with the greetings of President Cool
|idge and Secretary of War Weeks, the
Virginia Lee Harrison Gymnasium at
Massanutten Academy was dedicated
Monday afternoon.
In addition to the presence of the
notable pilgrims" headed by DIR.
Lyman P. Powell, Of New York.
! feature of the dedication was letter
frolr President Coolidge, which was
addressed to Ray E. Harris, Editor OF
"Oyez," the Academy paper, and was
as follows:
"My Dear Mr.. Harris =
am very glad to extend
through you to the boys of M. M. A.
my greeting and good wishes. We are
coming to realize more and more the
necessity for intelligent and regulated
physical training, and | am sure that
yonr new gymnasium will be not only
fitting monument to mark the con-
clusion of twenty-five years of growth,
bnt an incentive and a help to greater
pride in the Academy and sincere
desire to do honor to it.
The dedication program opened with
a selection from Mr.. Bohl's Orchestra
of Baltimore, who were with the
Academy for the entire occasion.
Invocation was pronounced by the
Rev. E. P. Skyles, Cumberland. The
scripture was then read by Rev. H. H.
Hanck, D. D., of Washington, D. C.
RECITEs HISTORY OF ACADEMY.
Col. Howard j. Benchoff, Head
master of the Academy end sponsor
of the Academic Pilgrimage through
the Valley greeted the guests. Hell
cited that in 1899 number of the
members of the Reformed Church at
tempted to found school. They had
in their possession only $1,000. With
this they bought Riddleberger Hall.
Nineteen years ago he was called upon
to take charge of this school which this
body of men had called Massanutten
Academy. He consented and todayl
they were gathering, through the
generosity of two former students, TO
dedicate the fourth building of the
Academy In behalf of the Trustees
and student body he bid the guests
welcome and paid tribute to the Har-
rison family who had made possible
this splendid gymnasium.
Cadet Ray E. Harris of New York
City then rose and delivered an ad-
dress in behalf of the Cadets. He took
from the Greek Oath of Citizenship the
phrase, 81 swear to leaye my country,
not in a worse, but in a better state
than found it." This he said, was
the spirit of every true Massanutten
Student. He expressed the gratitude
of the school to the trustee, William
Lantz, donor of the Lantz Hall, and
Jason Sperry, donor of Sperry Hall.
These two Halls were made possible
by the desire Of former students to |
leave their alma mater better than they
found her. He told of the need for |
good gymnasium, where body might
be trained as well as mind"
DIR. POWELL COMPLIMENTS ACADEMY.
DR.. Lyman P. Powell, Editor of the
Educational Department of the Cosmo-
politan Magazine then rose and gave
his greetings to the school. He ex-
pressed his admiration for the school
and its Headmaster. He said he be.
lieved it a wonderful thing for two boys
to do as the Harrison brothers had
done. He also expressed his admira-
ton of the Shenandoah Valley.
DR.. Powell was followed by DIR.
Rufus w. Miller OF Philadelphia, Pa,
who has been friend of the Academy
for many years and who was an in
centive in the campaign for building
the gymnasium.
Rev. Henry w. Battle, D. D., of
Charlottesville, spoke next. Rev.
Battle was present for this occasion to
represent the Harrison family as he had
been their pastor during much OF their
time and was intimately acquainted
with the mother after whom the GYM
nasium has been named. DIR. Battle
made very eloquent speech and said
in closing that he had not followed the
outline which he had mapped out for
he was so moved by the occasion that
The spoke straight from the heart.
| DIR. A. M. Gluck, President of the
board of Trustees then dedicated the
Gymnasium and this impressive service
lclosed with the benediction pronounc
ed by the Rev. w. D. Keene of Wood
stock, Virginia.
COST $50, 900.
The gymnasium cost $4,000, an,
-