And ancient sire to child shall tell
Tales of yore of the Jubilee Bell!
“The evening was given to the
SENIOR PREPARATORY EXHIBITION.
The programme was a full one, and well carried out.
“In some respects the Senior Preparatory Exhibition of Fisk University is the night occasion of commencement week. The interest rises from the first, and culminates with Wednesday night. This was specially true of this year. The knowledge of the fact that the Jubilee Singers were to sing contributed to crowd the chapel with such an audience as has not been assembled in it for months. Every inch of available space was occupied, and many were compelled to stand at the entrance unable to find seats. The Jubilee Singers opened the exercises by a song, “Sweet Music”—Beethoven.
“Thursday, commencement proper:
CLOSE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS YEAR
IN THE HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTION.
“According to announcement, the commencement exercises took place Thursday morning at 10 o’clock, in the presence of a crowded house. In addition to the decorations of the previous day, the wall back of the platform was tastefully set off with the folds of the Dutch and English flags, the American flag being on duty on the border. Upon the folds of the flags were arranged in letters of cedar the words, ‘The Class of 1880.’ Six young men then gave their graduating addresses. These are kindly and appreciatively spoken of, as able and well delivered.
“Prof. G. B. Willcox, D. D., of Chicago, was introduced and spoke to the graduates in reference to those things which scholars hold in common. The ideal of a college graduate is that he has come to the possession of his manhood. It is impossible to give the spirit of this most able address. It abounded in wit, humor, and pathos. These kept the audience on the alert for an hour, after they had sat two hours during the previous exercises.
“Then came, what is now a feature of Fisk commencement day, the Alumni dinner, with its post-prandial wit and wisdom. And thus closed the most successful and prosperous year in the history of Fisk University. The catalogue shows an aggregate of 350 students. The work done in the class-room has been unusually satisfactory. There have been abundant evidences of growth in character and mind on the part of all the students.”