Two days were devoted to the annual written examinations, momentous occasions, that were crowned with success so far as the majority of the pupils were concerned. The ordeal of examinations closed with the public oral ones on Friday morning. On the afternoon of the same day occurred the exhibition of the eighth grade, the class finishing the grammar course. The essays presented on this occasion were all upon subjects suggested by the pupils' study of United States history.
The exercises of Monday morning were wholly musical. The first part of the programme consisted of the cantata "The Musical Enthusiast," and the second part of a piano recital. All the music presented was of a high order, most of it being classical.
On Tuesday a declamatory contest was given by the young women of the normal department. The prize offered by a friend of one of the teachers was a year's tuition in Chandler School. The selections were from standard authors, and were chosen with the purpose of testing to the utmost the ability of the young contestants. During the past year much interest has been manifested by the pupils in work of this sort, and most noticeable progress has been made by many of them.
At the close of the contest a very interesting and eloquent address on the subject of temperance was given by Rev. J. S. Jackson, pastor of the Congregational Church in Lexington. The thoughts presented were full of inspiration for all who heard them.
On Wednesday morning an intelligent and appreciative audience assembled in the chapel to listen to the commencement exercises. Three young men presented orations, and three young women essays, on this occasion. There was but one graduate from the higher normal course. An oration on the subject "Frederick Douglass," presented by a young man who had completed the tenth grade, was considered an unusually creditable student production and elicited much applause.
The commencement address was given by the Rev. W. T. Bolling, D.D., pastor of the Southern Methodist Church of Lexington. The speaker prefaced his remarks by saying that much surprise had been expressed by many of his friends that he, a former slaveholder and an ex-Confederate soldier, would consent to deliver the commencement address for a school devoted to such a purpose as was Chandler. He assured these individuals that our school had no warmer friend than he, nor one more in sympathy with its work. No address could have been more helpful and stimulating than was his. All who had the privilege of listening to it were cheered and edified.
At the close of each day's literary exercises the majority of the audience accepted the invitation to examine the work of the sewing-classes on exhibition in one of the recitation-rooms. A large number of articles, all carefully made by hand, gave abundant evidence of the industry and skill of the girls of both schools.
The closing entertainment of commencement week took place in the chapel on Wednesday at 8 P.M. The programme for that occasion consisted of a cantata entitled "The Cadets' Picnic," presented by the little pupils of the Hand School. The night was stormy, but for all that the large chapel of Chandler School was comfortably full. Fifty small children, carefully trained and displaying perfect self-possession, took part in this entertainment. The teachers of the Hand School had every reason to feel gratified with the results of their work.
The teachers of both the Chandler and Hand schools have labored diligently for the moral and spiritual upbuilding of their pupils during the past year. The meetings of the Christian Endeavor Society, held each Friday morning at 9, have been productive of the best results.
The Sunday-school work has been very encouraging. Chandler and Hand Mission Sabbath-schools together numbered more than two hundred pupils at the close of the year. Nearly all of these children were from communities destitute of every other Christian influence.