When order had been secured, prayer was offered by the President. The programme of the exercises was as follows: Oration-"Kirby, the Christian Naturalist," S. H. SOUDDER, Oration-"The Lever of Life," Mathematical Oration-" Asymptoter." Oration-"Unrest," Oration-" Silence," Oration-"Unity," J. E. TRIMBLE, IRVING MAGEE, C. M. PIERCE, E. S. ISHAM, EDWIN QUACKENBUSH, G. B. MANLY, Esthetical Oration—“ Religion of Beauty," SAMUel Wood, Oration-" Spirit vs. Thing," JAMES DEANE, S. E. ELMORE, Philosophical Oration-"Ocean Currents," W. TATLOCK, AFTERNOON. Oration-"The American Pulpit," V. B. CHAMBERLAIN, D. S. JOHNSON, Pittsburg, Pa. Hudson, N. Y. Hinsdale. Bennington, Vt. Troy, N. Y. Potsdam, N. Y. Albany, N. Y. Hoosick Falls, N. Y. Salisbury, Ct. Sharon Springs, N. Y. Classical Oration-" Origin of the Latin," RUFUS APTHORP, South Windsor, Ct. New Britain, Ct. Fair Haven, Vt. Oration-" The American College System," ROBERT MURRAY, JR., Waltham. NORMAN SEAVER, The degree of A. B. was conferred upon the members of the graduating class, fiftythree in number. That of A. M. was conferred upon fifteen members of the class of 1854. The following honorary degrees were also conferred :-L. L. D., JAMES R. WHITING, of New York City; D. D., REV. JOHN MORGAN, of Oberlin, Ohio; A. M., RANDOLPH TOWNSEND, Troy, N. Y.; REV. CHARLES S. RENSHAW, Richmond; Rev. WATSON N. SMITH, Brooklyn; REV. GEORGE BECKWITH, President of Oahu College, Sandwich Islands; JAMES S. KNOWLSON, Troy, N. Y. The concluding prayer was offered by REV. DR. COOLEY, Vice President of the College. In the evening, the recent graduates and other Alumni, and others, assembled at President HOPKINS' for social greeting. Thus ended the sixty-third Commencement. Fiftythree polished minds went forth into the world. (How thankful we should be for having escaped a mental crisis!) By the close of the week, Williamstown had resumed its usual quiet. Strangers had left. Graduates had bid good-bye to their Alma Mater. Students had departed—some on pleasure excursions to the "White Hills"-some to the Adirondack regions-some to visit Canada and be present at the Scientific Convention-others to spend their vacation at home. SEPTEMBER. With the invariable punctuality of Students (!) the second week of September witnessed a great rush of young men over the different Railroads, StageLines, &c., leading to Williamstown. By Thursday, nearly all had arrived, and the College grounds presented scenes as lively as ever. Venders of "College Furniture” were doing a good business,-whitewashers, painters, upholsterers, &c., were making fair wages at fifty cents per hour. By the close of the week, nearly every new comer had procured a "setting out," (usually consisting of a lounge, two chairs and a table,) and the great intellectual forge was again in full blast. A Freshman class of fifty entered College,-one has since joined the class. Seven have joined the Sophomore class, three have joined the Junior Class, and one has joined the Senior Class, making in all two hundred and twelve, a number somewhat less than last year. Several important changes have also occurred in College. Mr. J. L. T. PHILLIPS, a graduate of the class of 1847, and for several years a teacher at Williston Seminary, having been elected to fill the place made vacant by the resignation of Prof. Griffin, entered upon the discharge of his duties at the beginning of the term. There has also been an important change in the order of devotional exercise. Morning prayers are now held at fifteen minutes before eight o'clock, instead of being held at sunrise,—8 ← change which all agree is conducive, not only to health and convenience, but also to the end for which such exercises were designed. There has also been a change in the time of Senior Examination, which will hereafter take place six weeks previous to Commencement. OCTOBER.-The students, having been politely informed that the corporation would remove from their shoulders the onerous duty of graveling the walks, requested, as a matter of recreation, the privilege of visiting Bald Mountain, which request, being granted, was taken advantage of on the first Monday of October. The beautiful view presented by the gorgeously colored foliage of the hopper, is not surpassed by any in this region. After surveying with delight the scene beneath and around them, the youthful patriotism of "Williams" boys displayed itself by three times three hearty cheers for the Free State victory in Kansas. The officers chosen at the usual Quarterly elections of the Literary Societies, were as follows: Philotechnian. CHARLES C. C. PAINTER, President. Philologian. W. P. STRICKLAND, President. JAMES M. ALEXANDER, Vice President. WILLIAM S. HYDE, Treasurer, THOMAS POST, Reader. The Adelphic Union Debate came off in the Chapel on Wednesday evening, October The subject discussed was, "Resolved, That in the present state of the world, our Army and Navy ought to be abolished." Supported on the Affirmative by Philotechnians, on the Negative by Philologians. The gentlemen representing the Societies were: Philotechnian. Orator-DAVID M. HOLTON. B. T. PARSONS, Debaters HARRY HOPKINS, CHARLES C. C. PAINTER. Philologian. Orator-S. W. GLADDEN. JUSTIN DEWEY, JR. Debaters ROBERT E. ADAMS, JAMES M. ALEXANDER. The debate was acknowledged by all to be of a high order, evincing thorough preparation and furthermore, none of that disposition to quibble about expressions, misrepresent statements of an opponent, or indulge in Society personalities, was displayed, as has, too often, been the case heretofore. SINCE the last Commencement, there has come to our notice, for record, the deaths of the following Alumni : CLASS OF 1796.-Rev. THOMAS ROMEYN-the last surviving classmate of Dr. ROBBINS-died at Amsterdam, Montgomery County, N. Y., August 9th, 1857, aged 80. He was born at a place called Caughnawago, now Mohawk, Montgomery County; graduated at Williams College, (together with an elder brother, BENJAMIN ROMEYN, whose death was the first among the Alumni,) September, 1796; studied theology with Dr. THEODERICK ROMEYN of Schenectady, N. Y.; was licensed to preach by the Classis of Albany, 1798; was settled over the Dutch Church of Florida, Montgomery County, 1800, where he remained five years; was then settled over the united churches of Amity and Niskayuna, where he remained twenty years. The closing years of his life were spent in Amsterdam. CLASS OF 1800.-DANIEL COLLINS, M. D., died at Williamsburg, November 6th, 1857, aged 76. For the past fifty years he was in constant and active practice of his profession in Williamsburg. As a physician he was distinguished for his skill and devotion to the best interests of his patient; as a man for his liberality to the poor and destitute, and for his unflinching adherence to the principles of justice, truth and integrity. CLASS OF 1814.-JOHN S. EASTMAN, M. D., died at Lodi, N. Y., February, 1857. CLASS OF 1815.-Rev. ARETAS LOOMIS, died at Bennington, Vt., August 13th, 1857, aged 66. The following extract is from an obituary notice of him : "For nearly fifteen years he was pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Bennington, 'giving full proof of his ministry,' by devoting himself to its edification. As a christian he was eminently consistent; as a theologian, he was sound and biblical; as a preacher, he was earnest, perspicuous and evangelical. For sometime previous to his death, whenever his expected decease was the subject of conversation, he invariably manifested the CLASS OF 1822.-Silas Gardner, Esq., died at Hancock, September 4th, 1857, CLASS OF 1839.-Rev. WILLIAM H. MARSH, died at Schenectady, N. Y., September 20th, 1857, aged 39. WE are authorized to state, that a sum ($13,000) sufficient for the erection of the new Chapel, has been secured, and the work is only temporarily delayed, on account of the monetary crisis. WE are happy to be able to record one event, which, though not immediately connected with College, all the more recent graduates of Williams will be pleased to learn. REV. ADDISON G. BALLARD, formerly a Professor of Rhetoric in this College, more recently Professor of Mathematics, in Marietta College, Ohio, was installed as Pastor over the Congregational Church and Society of Williamstown, Tuesday, Sept. 15th. Installation Sermon by DR. HOPKINS. THE readers of our Magazine will not fail to notice a change in its original quintette of Editors. Mr J. F. Platt, our much esteemed friend and co-laborer, whose connection with us, we had from the first considered would be not only a source of pleasure to ourselves, but also of great advantage to the Quarterly, being compelled, by reason of ill health, to leave College for a season, tendered his resignation during the early part of the present term. The class selected Mr. R. H. WARD as his suc cessor. PROF. CHADBOURNE is organizing a class, and making arrangements for an extended course of instruction in the Natural Sciences. SEVERAL valuable communications have been handed us for publication, which we should have been happy to have placed upon our pages, but for want of room are obliged to exclude from this issue. They will appear in our next, if such is the desire of their authors. Exchanges. THE following exchanges have been received: THE YALE LITERARY; THE ICHNOLITE, or AMHERST COLLEGIATE; THE HARVARD MAGAZINE; THE WISCONSIN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION; THE STUDENT'S MISCELLANY OF WISCONSIN STATE UNIVERSITY; THE STYLUS OF BETHANY COLLEGE, VA.; THE Kenyon ColleGIAN; THE NORTH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE; THE NASSAU LITERARY; THE BELOIT MONTHLY and THE ERSKINE COLLEGIATE RECORDER. We would also acknowledge the receipt of the "Dred Scott Decision," and a weekly, "The Glencoe Register," published at Glencoe, M. T. THE Baccalaureate Sermon of President HOPKINS, delivered Aug. 2d, 1857, has been printed by MARVIN & SON, of Boston, and is for sale by N. F. Smith, Williams town. OUR next No. will be issued in March, 1858. |