REV. JOSEPH E. ROY, D.D., Field Superintendent, Atlanta, Ga.
ANNIVERSARY REPORTS.
ATLANTA UNIVERSITY, GEORGIA.
BY REV. C. W. FRANCIS.
Unless you could look through our eyes you would not know, from a formal record of the closing exercises of our school, how much interest and hope and pathos are crowded into these busy days.
On Sabbath morning, June 11th, President Ware preached to a crowded audience, the sermon to the graduating class from the text 1 Tim., 4th chap., 8th verse, giving a forcible presentation of the thought that right doing is profitable in all respects, for this life. The examinations were continued for three days, and were attended by a committee of the Board of Visitors, appointed by the Governor of the State, who, at the close, made to him a highly favorable report, which has been published with his approval. Two evenings were occupied by the exercises of the two literary societies of the school, which were favorably received by good audiences.
On Thursday, the commencement exercises were held at Friendship Baptist Church, one of the largest in the city, kindly placed at our disposal for this purpose, which was filled with a closely packed audience of about 2,000 people, well dressed, orderly, attentive, and evidently having a personal pride in the results exhibited. The appearance and conduct of this commencement audience in successive years affords a good indication of the steadily improving condition of the mass of the people, viewed with great satisfaction by friends who have opportunities for comparison.
A class of twelve was graduated, ten young women from the Normal course and two young men from the College course, all of whom presented pieces which received much commendation for their simplicity, directness and good sense.
The annual address was delivered by Rev. E. W. Bacon, of New London, Conn., and was a forcible and eloquent plea for self-education, which was singularly appropriate to the circumstances of the young people just leaving school, to whom it was primarily addressed.