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VOLUME XIII.
NOH
IIIMW 11
This Famous Old Institution,
Known Throughout the South,
Held its Fifty-fifth Annual Com
mencement Last Week.
A IMFIGtNF SENIOR CIASS OF IHIRUF-FOUR.
Fifty-five years ago, the La
Grange Female College held a
beautiful commencement —t h e
first blossom of the brilliant bou
quet of annual entertainments
that have given name and prom
inence for more than half a cen
tury to this popular school for
young women. LaGrange is a
city of flowersbut her crowning
summer blossoms are the com
mencements of her two colleges,
known far and near throughout
the South. The first week in
June belongs to the LaGrange,
Female College, ami the remain
der of the month seems all the
brighter for its beautiful begin
ning.
From a distance, the patrons
of this sterling, old institution
flock to its halls to enjoy its clo
sing exercises, seeing year by
year a score or more of young
women sent forth, equipped for
the fields of miturer life. Last
week’s commencement was one
of unusual excellence, full of in
terest from the first, and closing
a year of earnest, thorough work
that will last for all time. For
this is the character of the work
done by this college. With a
president of ability, known and
loved for his nobility of charac
ter and broad knowledge, the
school is a leader in the South’s
educational work for women. As
sociated with President Smith is
a large and experienced Faculty,
capable of the best work for
the training of the pupilsentrust
ed to their care. The best
schools. of this country and of
foreign universities and conserv
atories have fitted these teachers
for their positions, and the thir
ty-four graduates sent forth this
year attest the excellence of the
direction they have had.
With one or two exceptions
the faculty will remain unchang
ed for another year, thereby as
suring a continuance of the suc
cess that keeps this college in
the lead.
There was no primary exhi
bition this year, so the annual
sermon, delivered by the Rev.
Dr. J. P- 'MuFerrin, of Bit-
The Graphic.
LAGRANGR. TROUP COUNTY, GA., TUESDAY, JUNE 12 1900
mingham, Ala., at 11 o’clock
on Sunday morning, June 3,
was the opening of thtj com
mencement.
Drji McFerrin is one of the
representative Methodist minis
ters in the South and his sermon
Sunday morning was able, elo
quent, persuasive and powerful.
His text was the last clause of
the sixth verse of the 77th
Psalm: “I communed with
mine own heart and spirit and
made diligent search.”
He used no manuscript in de
livering his sermon, or The
Graphic would have taken
great pleasure in publishing the
discourse. Through the kind
ness of a friend, the following
interesting notes are presented:
“The discourse, was, in itscll
a grand illustration of its prin
cipal theme, to wit: Man’s pow
er of introspection —to study
and know himself —a power
which exalts him infinitely
above all other created beings
upon the earth. The preacher
showed with great clearness the
absurdity of man’s ignoring this
power and the higher attributes
of his nature, and’ reasoning
along merely realistic lines in
an effort to solve the problem of
his origin, the purpose of his
creation, and his final destiny.
It is in this study of himself
that man readily recognizes such
evidences of' a nature so far re
moved above the merely mate-i
rial around him as that it 1
faintly suggests to the mind of]
even the heathen some idea o£
his divine origin and immortal-i
ity, and prepares the mind of the
Christian to apprehend these
grand truths of revelation, and
in their light to measure at their
true worth the value of mere
physical life, the pleasures of
sense and the things of time; to
account for the failure of these,
no matter how perfect in them
selves, to satisfy the longings of
a human soul.
“It is in Christ alone that
these aspirations of the soul can
be satisfied and the most per
fect human life without Him
M BC EURE YOU ARE RIGHT, THEN GO AHEAD.**
falls as far short: of its possible
perfection of beauty and utility
as does tl<p meagre outlines of
an artist’s sketch the finished
picture of a master’s hand.
“The sermon was one of great
power and beauty and the
speaker displayed the rare grace
of the true orator as he lifted
the minds of his hearers above
their accustomed planes of
thought and gave to each of
them broader views and clearer
apprehensions of the wondrous
provisions of the grace of God
and the dignity of mankind.”.
The music was exceptionally
fine, the organ solo being one
ot Baptiste’s exquisite commun
ions. The chorus, “Ye Sons of
Israel,” from Laudati pueri,
Mendelssohn, was very difficult
but was beautifully given and
Prof. Alwyn M. Smith’s solo,
“Babylon,” by Watson, was
interpreted with tender sweet
ness and power.
SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE.
Sunday evening’s service was
held in the First Methodist
Church, Dr. McFerrin preach
ing again. His text was from
the 23rd and 24th verses of the
chapter of Paul’s first letter to
the Corinthians: “But we
preach Christ crucified, unto
the Jews a stumbling-block, and
unto the Greeks foolishness;
But. unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God and the wis
dom of God.”
The discourse of the morning
had prepared the people to ex
pect the grand sermon which
they heard in the evening.
He said that the preaching of
Christ crucifi •<! was unto the
Jews a stumbling-block, because
they expected in the Christ a
temporal ruler surrounded with
all the pomp and circumstance
of an universal King. The
lowly life and ignominous death
of Jesus of Nazareth ran conn
f
ter to all of their preconceived
ideas of the Christ, atql was to
the Greek foolishness, because
all of His teachings were devoid
■of the mysticism to which they
I were accustomed in their teach
ers. “But unto them which
;are called (‘and all are called’)
i the power of God,”-in that it
was the highest manifestation of
divine love, the greatest of all
forces in the universe—And the
wisdom of God” —in that it
made ample provision, not only
for the redemption of the hu
man race but for a complete
satisfaction of all legal penalties
without abrogating the law it
self, was of such a nature
as to commend itself to the judg
ment and to so appeal to the
heart of man as to dispose him to
avail himself of its benefits.
The points were forcefully
elaborated by the preacher in
such manner as to delight his ’
hearers and to indelibly impress
the truths upon fheir minds and
hearts.”
The voluntary, “How Lovely
Are The Messengers,” from Men
delssohn’s St. Paul, and Mrs.
Alwyn Smith’s solo, ’’The Pil
grim,” by Adam’s, speak for
themselves so far as beauty of se?
lection is concerned, and the i
large congregation enjoyed the
excellence ot their rendition.
SOPHOMORE READINGS.
Monday morning, June 4, at
10 o’clock, the auditorium held
a large audience assembled for
the purpose of hearing the
Sophomore exercises, consisting
of readings and a debate. The
Sophomore readers win their
places through excellence in
class standing and the young ,
ladies who read on Monday
showed evidence of careful
training. They read well and'
their hearers were interested in
the selections and the manner
in which they were interpreted.
Delightful jnusic was given
at intervals throughout the
programme, which was as fol
lows.
MONDAY, JUNE 4, 9 A. M.
Meeting of Trustees and Visiting
Board from North Georgia Conference.
PROGRAM.
Organ Solo-Prelude,N>. 3, Mendelssohn
Miss Leila Irvin
PRAYER.
Dolores —M iss (J le tn Qu ill ih n, LaG range
The Village Seamstress —Miss Eudora
Bacon (excused) Buena Vista.
“Telling Pa’s Fortune,” —Miss Annie
Lou Barksdale, Fort Deposit, Ala.
Piano Solo —Valse, op. 34, No. 1, Mosz
kowski, Miss Susie Farmer.
The Choice of a Lover, Shakespeare,
(Merchant of Venice)
Portia, rich young heiress, Miss Ocillee
I’oer, West Point.
Nerissa, Porti i’« maid, Miss Robie Clif
ton, Lyons.
Huldy’s Elocution, Joe Lincoln, Miss
Leila Jernigan, Greensboro.
Vocal Solo, Springtime Becker.
Miss Alice Jnme«.
A Race for Life Tourgee
Miss Louis Cotton, LaGrange.,
Sandalphon Longfellow.
Miss Edna Philpot. Hogansville
Piano Solo, Nocturne Wely,
Miss Stella Benton.
Sweet Girl Graduate.... Phelps,
Miss J inie Cofer, Elberton
Persephone• Ingelow,
Miss Sidnor Davenport, Fairburn.
Female Q lartets.. .Three Flower Songs
(a) Clover.. )
(a) Daisy .. Mrs II 11. B -ach.
(c) Biuebell )
Miss s Scott, Irvin, James and Capps.
Debate —Subject: “Resolved, That the
tendency of woman to enter the busi
ness world is a menace to society.”
Mezzofantian, Affirmative —Miss Sadie
Smith, Miry Howard Smith, Rebie
Neese, Ernestine Dempsey.
Ireniari, Neg dive—Misses Stella Ben
ton, Flora Quillian, Marie Ilarri
s-rn, Coral Capps. ,
Vocal Duet, Day of Joy and Gladness.
Schnecker, Misses Robertson and Scott.
ART RECEPTION.
.Ou Monday afternoon, from
4 until 5 o’clock, Miss Polk,
the art teachei, and her pupils,
! were the hostesses at an imfor
• mal reception in the art room
1 and studio. Beautiful work
has been done throughout the
year in this important depart-
ment, and the con vases, pastels,
watercolor pieces, in studies
charcoal and crayon, still life
bits and decorated china made
a varied and exceedingly at
tractive display.
Among the pupils were, Miss
Tenora Merrill, Miss Mary Dal
lis, Miss Marie Harrison, Miss
Ijotiisp Bay, M iss Nena Hodges,
Miss Emmie Sue Hendrick,
Mis§ Mary Quillian, Miss Janie
Cofer, and Miss L. L. Harrison.
Miss Polk will again have
charge of this department next
year and the college is fortunate
in securing her services* She
was a most gracious hostess and
many visitors throngc ’ the stu
dios and admired the work.
Refreshments weer served.
RECEPTION TO SENIORS.
From five to seven, on Mon
day afternoon and evening,
Professor and Mrs. Clifford L.
Smith complimented the mem
bers of the graduating class with
a most enjoyable reception at
their pretty home on Broad
street.
'l’he thirty-one graduates in
the literary department and the
three graduates in music thor
oughly enjoyed the reception in
their honor, and very charming
they looked in their mulls and
organdies and ribbons and laces
and flowers.
A guessing game ot authors
was played and Miss Sadie Smith,
of West Point, won the prize.
Among the visiting young
men present was Prof. Frank C.
Turner, of the Georgia School
of Technology, who claims to
have been a college girl at one
time, having attended the La-
Grange Female until he had
completed the studies in the
Sophomore class.
The subject of evolution was
the principal topic of conversa
tion be tween Professor Turner
and the young ladies.
ANNUAL GRAND CONCERT.
Monday evening, June 4, at
8:30 o’clock, the annual grand
concert was given in the audi
torium of the college, a large
ynd appreciative audience being
in attendance. This college is
famous for the excellence of its
music, both vocal and instru
mental, and it is not surpassed
in this department by any
school In the South. Visitors
from far and near attend the
annual grand concerts and last
Monday evening’s entertain
ment was one of special excel
lence. The following program
was given:
Fdiu.ile Quartet. EituJiantina, Lacome
Misses Robertson, Irvin, James, Capps.
Piano Solos(a) Prelude in D fl it major
(b) Maz jrka in B flat minor
Chopin—Miss Leila Irvin.
Reading, Hagar’s Farewell to Abr ihatn
Nicholson —Miss Sadie Smith.
(Continued on Second Page.)
Sij YS\R