The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1925-06-27

ercises of the Horner Institute OF
Fine Arts, held Friday night at the
Athenaeum.
Horner Institute, for the first time
in its history, was comforting de-
gree of bachelor of music upon col
ored student. Mr.. William L. Dawson.
Not only was 1t comforting degree,
but 1t was according Mr.. Dawson the
distinguished honor of having one of
his compositions played as number
on the commencement program.
Perhaps the heads of Horner In
stitute felt that the performance of
these two singular acts was as far
as it could afford to go in breaking
loose from Missouri precedent and
prejudice, so they proceeded to ruin
the fneness of these two acts with
deliberate, and, I believe, unneces-
sary cruelty.
A mere half-dozen of Mr.. Daw-
sons friends who came to see and
hear him honored were ushered to
what a young white woman described
with a forced smile as "a lovely lit
tie balcony"
And Mr.. Dawson? In a few min
utes he also joined us, explaining
with a dry smile that this is Mis-
souri," and he had been told as nicely
as possible that he would be given
his degree the next day.
Only the desire to hear Mr.. Daw-
sons composition, Romance" for a
violin, cello and piano kept him and
his friends at the exercises.
Words cannot adequately describe
the compelling beauty and witchery
of that Romance" nor tell how first
the violin, then the cello and again
the clear, bell-like piano entwined
the melody from the brain of this
black youth around the hearts of that
select audience, holding them fast in
its sweet grip until the last soft
note.>
Magic 1t was, and its spell lifted
not until long seconds after the mu-
sic had ceased. Applause broke and
swelled and died and swelled anew.
Through 1t all, the man who had
conceived this beauty, who had
brought new, intoxicating bit to the
altar of Art, sat in the balcony, his
face calm, but drawn little from
excitement, only his eyes morroring
his emotions as he followed his BRAIN
child from measure to measure and
from instrument to instrument.
A violinist from the Kansas City
Symphony Orchestra, cello solo
list from the same organization and
graduate pianist from Horner were
the musicians and they brought all
their skill to bear to produce not
only a mechanically perfect thing,
but vibrant, beautiful creation.
Although the applause plainly
i SohCu lOI INC CoAhPooCE NoiuCe tuc
program announced the composition
was by William Dawson, a student) +,
Mr.. Dawson had no opportunity to ap-
pear and bow in acknowledgment
of the ovation accorded him. He
must needs sit silently in balcony.
Had he been white he would have
been down there with the class. +.
The rest of the exercises were, for
him and for us, but SO much time
passed by, for he was not to be per-
mitted to come forward and receive
his degree.
What mattered then Henry ]. Al
lens address on character being a
determinant of culture? How weak
(clever and effective speaker that he
is) were his sallies into history, phil
osophy, art and humor in defense of
his thesis that institutions like Horn
er were building character into
American manhood and womanhood.
have forgotten his entire speech,
almost, except to remember that 1t
was mockery that seemingly would
never end.
The final blow was a blunder more
unkind in its awkwardness than any
deliberately cruel excuses.
Mr.. Rosenberg, the director, read
the list of honors and prizes.
His first words were Honorable
Mention in Theory, William L. Daw-
son."
President Charles F. Horner, how
ever, committed the grand faux pas
when after two little girls had come
up to carry the dummy certificates
and diplomas to the graduates in the
audience, he read out: Bachelor of
Music, William L. Dawson" and
handed roll with white ribbon to
the tot. She stood still minute,
wondering where to find Mr.. Dawson.
Hurried whispers checked her and
the paper was laid to one side.