Staunton Spectator

CLOSING EXERCISES OF THE STAUNTON FEMALE SCHOOLS—AWARDS OF DIPLOMAS, DISTINCTIONS, MEDALS, PRIZES, &c.

Our city, during the past week, has been enlivened by the arrival of many strangers from all portions of the South, who have come to witness the closing exercises of the various celebrated female schools, which are the boast and pride of our State as well as of our city. It would afford us much pleasure to give full accounts of the commencement exercises which have taken place during the past week, but want of space prevents us from giving more than a general outline of what was done, together with a full list of all young ladies who have received distinctions, diplomas and prizes.

Virginia Female Institute.

The commencement exercises of this school were held in the recently completed Hall of Mozart Institute, which was crowded every night during the commencement with a select audience of invited persons. On Monday night, the entertainment consisted of vocal and instrumental music and exercises in elocution, which latter branch of instruction forms a distinctive and interesting feature of this school. The rendition of the instrumental pieces was generally good, and though some slight mistakes were at first made, yet they are not to be regarded as evidences of want of skill, for the young ladies soon redeemed themselves, by the brilliancy and correctness of their playing, so soon as they recovered from the embarrassing effects of appearing before so large an audience. The vocal music was charming and the readings of 'Visions' by Miss Neville Irwin, of Pa., 'Pyramus and Thisbe' by Miss Jordan, of Charlottesville, and 'If we Knew' by Miss Webb, of Va., were excellently rendered and served well to display these young ladies' powers of elocution. The entertainment was, in every way, a delightful one, and was closed with the double quartette from Martha, 'Good night'.

On Wednesday night, the entertainment was opened with that grand overture of Mozart's, 'Zauberfloete'—magic flutes—which was exquisitely performed by eight young ladies upon four pianos. The distinctive feature of the evening's entertainment, however, were the exercises in the schools of modern languages and elocution, which consisted chiefly of recitations from the German and French. The recitation of 'Der Rosenkranz' by Miss Irwin of Pa., and 'Der Graf von Hapsburg' by Miss Mollie McCay of La., showed a good command of the German language, and the sweetness of their tones lent a charm to that rugged language which we had thought it incapable of. The reading of 'Les chateaux en Espagne' and of 'Nothing to Wear' by Miss Emily Minnegerode, of Richmond, was admirable. The well cultivated voice of Miss Carrie Goree, of La., was well displayed in 'The Toast,' which was read with much artistic effect and was greeted with applause.

The closing exercises on the evening of the 12th were even more largely attended than on the previous evenings, and the performance of the young ladies was more brilliant and animated. After the well executed performance of the Overture, Miss Neville Irwin delivered the Salutatory in a sweet voice, remarkable for its clear bell-like tone and distinct utterance. Her remarks were suitable to the occasion and were characterized by their eloquence and beautiful imagery.

The solo, 'Cavatina,' was sung by Miss Florence Adams in a sweet, though not powerful, voice, and was loudly encored, when she sung that beautiful song, 'Annie Laurie.' 'Will the new year come to-night' was charmingly read by Miss Annie Covell, of Baltimore, the daughter of J. C. Covell.

The song of 'Robert, Robert,' sung by Miss Grinnan, of Texas, was much admired and loudly applauded.

The Valedictory was delivered by Miss Mollie McCay, in a manner which well sustained the high reputation she has as a fine elocutionist and a star medalist of Prof. Scharf's class of last year. Her words of advice to her fellow pupils were earnest, eloquent and worthy of all praise. Her remarks as to woman's true sphere in life were well conceived and full of true womanhood. She spoke of the influence of Christianity upon woman's condition and illustrated her remarks by a well drawn comparison between the sensual life of Anthony's Cleopatra and the Christian life of Florence Nightingale, whose steps brought consolation and healing wherever they went. She alluded in trembling tones to the death of Mrs. Phillips, whose love had been to her as a mother's, and whose remains now repose in the vale of Thornrose Cemetery. She then returned thanks to the teachers of the Institute, and especially to Miss Florence Phillips, who has taken the place once filled by her mother, for the marked kindness, consideration and forbearance. She closed with a touching farewell to her old schoolmates, and many hearts in the audience were filled with sadness at the pathos and tenderness of her tone.

The Response, by Miss S. McGowan, was well delivered. She spoke of a life of voluntary self sacrifice as woman's true duty and highest perfection. That her life should be like that of the modest violet, sheltering itself under the rock by the brook-side. Woman's greatest glory, she said, consisted in living for others. Her words of farewell were truly beautiful and pathetic.

Major H. M. Bell made the presentation of the gold medals, prizes and diplomas, as follows:

Gold Badges of Distinction.

Penmanship.—Mary L. Browne, Va.; Nellie D. Clarke, Ark.; Bessie Dunbar, La.; Mary E. Fairfax, Va.; Mary Fallon, Va.; Mary L. Moore, Tex.; Fannie H. Moore, Tex.; Alice Polk, La.

English Composition.—Bessie H. Austin, Ga.; M. Adele Austin, Tex.; Maggie Q. Dunovant, Tex.; Lelia Gittings, Md.; Florence E. Jefferson, Ga.; Mary Keirn, Miss.; Georgine LeSassier, La.; Maggie K. Letcher, Va.; Susan E. McGowan, S. C.; Sallie W. Richardson, La.

Scholarship.—Bessie H. Austin, Ga.; Emma G. Antrim, Va.; Hannah Boyle, Ky.; Susie F. Buford, Va.; Maggie Q. Donavant, Tex.; Lelia Gittings, Md.; Bettie B. Hamilton, Miss.; Mary Bell Kiger, Miss.; Maggie K. Letcher, Va.; Sophie S. Maddox, Md.; Kate M. Millner, Va.; Mary Peters, Va.; Virginia Poindexter, Va.; Sallie W. Richardson, La.; Emma F. Sipe, Va.; Mary E. White, Va.

Drawing.—Nellie D. Clark, Ark.; Bessie Dunbar, La.; Mary L. Moore, Tex.; Fannie H. Moore, Tex.; Georgia McCulloh, Md.; Annie C. Randolph, La.

Elocution.—Annie Covell, Md.; Carrie Goree, Ala.; N. A. Irwin, Pa.; Ira Jordan, Va.; Augusta S. King, La.; M. L. Georgine LeSassier, La.; Susan E. McGowan, S. C.; Sallie G. Webb, Va.

Latin.—Leila Gittings, Md.; M. Gay Trout, Va.

German.—Augusta S. King, La.; Mamie Pritchard, La.

French.—Emma G. Antrim, Va.; Susie F. Buford, Va.; Fannie A. Boyle, Ky.; Hannah Boyle, Ky.; Leila Gittings, Md.; Nannie F. Hamilton, Miss.; Bettie B. Hamilton, Miss.; Lucy R. Ham, Tex.; Augusta S. King, La.; Maggie K. Letcher, Va.; Kate M. Millner, Va.; Sallie W. Richardson, La.

Instrumental Music.—M. Adele Austin, Tex.; Bessie H. Austin, Ga.; M. Berkeley Donaghe, Va.; Bessie Dunbar, La.; Mary E. Fairfax, Va.; Florence Flower, La.; Agatha Gay, Va.; Bettie B. Hamilton, Miss.; Augusta Harman, Va.; Mary Keirn, Miss.; Sophie S. Maddox, Md.; Mary C. Millar, Md.; Mattie Perkins, Va.; Alice Polk, La.; Olivia C. Smart, Miss.; Mary Statham, Va.; Cora Lee Wilson, La.; Ella N. Woodroof, Va.

Vocal Music.—Nellie D. Clark, Ark.; Eva Dawson, Va.; Mary J. Hamilton, Miss.; M. Ella Houston, Ala.; Augusta S. King, La.; Georgia McCulloh, Md.; Janie N. Pettigrew, N. C.; Olivia C. Smart, Miss.; Cora Wilson, La.

Calisthenics Proper.—Claudine Booker, Va.; Florence Flower, La.; Mary B. Kiger, Miss.; Kemp Kinckle, Va. Skating:—Emma G. Antrim, Va.; Mary E. Fairfax, Va.

Neatness.—Florence E. Jefferson, Ga.

Diligence.—Katie Pickett, La.

First Honor Star Medals.

Calisthenics.—Emma L. Turpin, Md.

Penmanship.—Ella R. Dickinson, Tex.; Mary W. Grinnan, Tex.; Kate A. Newcomer, Miss.

English Composition,—Lucy R. Ham, Tex.; M. Ella Houston, Ala.; Carrie Goree, Ala.; Clara J. Harris, Ohio; Neville A. Irwin, Pa.; Mollie L. McCay, La.; Sallie C. Todd, La.; Ida Van Deventer, Va.

Diligence and Scholarship.—Lelia Beers, Va.; Mary J. Hamilton, Miss.; Fannie H. Ware, Ala.

Scholarship.—Clara J. Harris, Ohio; Neville A. Irwin, Pa.; Mollie L. McCay, La.; Ida Van Deventer, Va.

Elocution—Emily Minnegerode, Va.