AVERY INSTITUTE, CHARLESTON, S.C.
BY REV. E. T. HOOKER.
The public exercises incident to the closing of the school year at Avery Institute began Monday evening, May 29, with an exhibition by a portion of the intermediate department, under the charge of Miss Emma T. Miller. Though this was not a usual or most prominent feature of anniversary, it was enthusiastically received by one of the best audiences of the week, which have all been large and indefatigable. They were well repaid by the bright recitations, well-drilled singing and tasteful appearance of the pupils.
Tuesday morning, at 10 o’clock, began what is called “Children’s Day,” being a similar exhibition of accomplishments by the primary department, under Mrs. Brown and Miss McKinley, both natives of Charleston and of kindred blood with their pupils. The performances in dialogue, recital and music of these little ones did not differ from those in Northern schools of the same grade, which is enough to say both for the culture received and the faculty displayed. There were as many faces, too, of ideal childhood beauty, and obviously as much parental pride somewhere back of this their juvenile début, as if their race was not just making its début upon the stage of Saxon civilization.
Tuesday night saw a rendering of a lengthy and varied programme by the scholars of the upper grades not graduating. The News and Courier, in a report printed the next morning, says: “Of the essays it may truthfully be said that they were written with neat rhetoric and obvious originality; of the recitations, that they were given without a faltering of memory, and some with admirable distinctness of enunciation and winning hold upon the listeners.”
The regular Commencement exercises were held on Thursday, and attracted a large crowd of persons of both colors and was of more than passing interest. The stage was handsomely decorated, and above was the class motto, “Perseverance overcomes all obstacles.” After the essays, songs and choruses, the diplomas of the Institute were awarded to the three graduates by the Principal of the Institute, who took occasion to commend the graduates for their perseverance and to congratulate them upon their success. The Rev. E. J. Meynardie then delivered an eloquent address on “National Responsibility,” arguing that no civilization is perfect which is not founded upon the fundamental principles of revealed religion. He also claimed with justifiable pride to have been the first man in this city in antebellum days to advocate publishing the repeal of the prohibition upon schooling for the slaves. He spoke within A. M. A. walls evidently con amore. He is pastor of the Bethel M. E. Church South.