ANNIVERSARY AT TALLADEGA.
Talladega College, chartered in 1869, had its fifteenth anniversary from June 14 to 18. The Cassedy school gave an exhibition full of interest, and indicative of the good work done there, on the preceding Friday evening. The college chapel was well filled at all these exercises, and sometimes was too strait for the audience. The attendance from town, especially of our white friends, was exceptionally large, and we have never heard so many and so appreciative words of commendation before. Rev. Dr. Worrell, principal of a boys' school in Talladega, who taught in our Swayne Hall before the War, when it was a Baptist College, was present, leading us in a prayer memorable for its sympathy and fervency. Certainly the work of Talladega College was never so strongly intrenched in the regard of the people of Alabama as now.
The full course of exercises for commencement was enacted in good order, including an able Baccalaureate by Dr. Strieby, Missionary sermon by Rev. J. W. Roberts, Dallas, Texas, one of our theological graduates, and an address by Dr. Roy, exercises of our two literary societies, prize speaking and essays, public examinations, orations and essays on Commencement Day, and ending with a reception at the President's house. Others can judge better of the worth of some of these parts than the writer and his associates, but to us they seemed good. We were greatly encouraged, and feel that our friends and patrons would have been pleased had they been present.
The Alumni Association, formed three years ago, was represented on Commencement Day by Mrs. L. L. Wilson, who read an essay on "Homes and How to Make Them," and by Rev. J. W. Roberts, whose theme was "Exceptional Greatness." That afternoon the Alumni held a meeting in the college chapel, when representatives from States as far away as Arkansas and Texas were present, and others were heard from by letter.
At the business meeting it was determined to begin an Alumni fund, in aid either of members of the Association or the College.
The Exhibition of Industrial Work, both of the boys and girls, attracted much attention and warm commendation. The Slater Shop, with its facilities for instruction in much wood, little iron and some paint, made its first annual display, and those who believe in little other education for the child of the late slave, and those who differ from them, all agreed in the great advantages of this industrial training. The work exhibited was good; some of it very choice.
We feel that the College never had a better anniversary; take it all in all, never as good; but with continued help such as we need, by the favor of God this may well be dwarfed by the greater result of the near future. We are looking for that help with increasing confidence.
H. S. DeForest.