Newspaper account of the graduation ceremony listing Mitchell

Windsor, Vt. The Washingtonian Sept. 2, 1811. Commencement 1811

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.

On Wednesday last was holden the ANNIVERSARY COMMENCEMENT at Dartmouth College. The Class, which received the Honors of the University consisted of about sixty Members, from which 8 or 10 were selected to exhibit in public : and we are sorry to remark, that silence, as to the merits of the performances, would savor of injustice to the character of the Institution. With the exception of the [P]hilosophical Oration - that on the Influence of the Fine Arts - and perhaps one or two other pieces, [the] exercises were certainly below par ; and this is the least, which can be said to heal the wounds of disappointment experienced on the occasion. NO SON OF DARTMOUTH, to whom the reputation of that College is so deservedly dear, could consent, to let off the respectable circle of Strangers, who were present, with the impression, that what they saw and heard was a fair specimen of the fruits of four years' application, at Hanover, under such able and experienced Instructiors ; or, that the productions, generally speaking, were the best, which could be exhibited, by a limited selection from so numerous a class.

A young man, of reputed talents, by the name of FAIRFIELD, actually committed an outrage on Decency, by presenting himself apparenrly, to insult, as well the Corporation as the Audience, both by the matter and the manner, of what was denominated, forsooth, " An Oration on the Liberty of the Press." Clemency,and parental feelings, are strong characteristics of the Executive of the College ; but there are cases,when, even with him, their mild influence must yield to the sterner dictates of Justice : And this we take to be one. If the young man has not completely disgraced himself, he ought, like CAIN, to have a mark set upon him, by the Hon. Board of Trustees. The youth, who could so ungraciously receive, must certainly have but little claim to the Honors of the Institution.

It is painful, in the extreme, to make these remarks ; but they are necessary to vindicate the character of the College. The Class was numerous, its general character stood high, and the public expectation was, probably, too great It certainly proved so in the sequel ; -for it was considerably balked.

When a few are selected from a Class, promeritis, to exhibit in public, (whatever may be passable at younger Universities) at Dartmouth we are not prepared to expect MEDIOCRITY - even in a single performace. EXCELLENCE must be stampt on every production, or IT OUGHT TO BE SUPPRESSED.

In our next, we hope to present a list of the Graduates. The Degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on the HON. EGBERT BENSON of New - York, and on BENJAMIN ABBOTT, Esq of Exeter (N.H.) Dr AMOS TWITCHELL, of Keene, received the Degree of Doctor in Physic. Among the strangers present, on this occasion, was

the REV. Dr. DAVID, President of [Middlebury] College.

Commencement 1828

The Boston Recorder Aug 29, 1828

LITERARY RECORD.

The Commencement at Dartmouth College was holden on Wednesday, the 20th inst. On the Sabbath previous, at the close of an able and impressive discource founded on Mat. v. 16, the Rev. President Tyler, in addition to the usual address to the class about to graduate, bid an affectionate farewell to the officers of the college, and the congregation, to whom he had, during a considerable part of his residence among them, broken the bread of life.

On Monday afternoon, an oration was pronounced before the Theological Society, by Morris E. White, of Ashfield, Ms

On Tuesday, there were orations before the Phi Sigma Society, by Clement Long, of Hanover, on the "Obligations of Literary Men to the Community;" - before the Adelphian Society, by Jarvis Gregg, of Derry, on the " Encouragements to the Cultivation of Eloquence, arising from the civil institutions, and the intellectual and moral state of our country;" - before the Society of Social Friends, by Nathaniel S. Folsom, of Portsmouth, on the "Motives to Intellectual Effort, derived from the Intelligence and Benevolent Spirit of the age;" - and before the United Fraternity, by David Peabody, of Topsfield, Ms. on the " Benefits resulting to the community from our Public Institutiions of Learning." These exercises were among the most interesting of the week, and were listened to with much apparent satisfaction by numerous and discriminating audiences.

The exercises on commencement day, were as follows: - 1 A salutatory oration in Latin. Benjamin Labaree, Charlestown, N. H. 2 A literary discussion - "The connexion between philosophy and poetry." Wm. C. Dana, Newburyport, Ms. 3 A conference - "Skepticism and credulity compared, as obstacles to improvement." Frederick Parker, Candia; Edmond O. Horey, Thetford, Vt. 4 A declamation - "The connexion between religion and literature." Wm. G. Woodward, Hanover, N. H. 5 An oration in English - "Varieties of soil and climate the occasion of human improvement." Daniel Perley, Boxford, Ma. 6 An oration in Greek - "The death of Epaminondas." John A. Vinton, Boston, Ms. * 7 A Dialogue - "Scene between Louis XVI, and a member of the National Assembly." Morris E. White, Ashfield, Ms.; Moses Norris, Pittsfield, N. H. 8 A political discussion - "the effects of politics upon individual character." Charles Sabin, Plainfield, Conn. 9 A forensic disputation - "Is it expedient to legislate upon the observance of the Sabbath?" Isaac Foster, Andover, Ms.; Milo P. Jewett, Rumney, N. H. 10 A poem - "The Martyrdom of Abel." Jeremiah Greenough, Bradford, Ms. 11 An Oration in English - "Parallel between Corneille and Shakespeare, as tragic writers." George W. Haven, Portsmouth, N. H. 12 An Oration in English - "American deliberative eloquence." Nathan T. Dow, Dover, N. H. 13 An Eulogy. - "Distinguished sons of New-Hampshire." Clement Long, Hanover, N. H. 14 Philosophical Oration. - "Evaporation illustrative of the Divine benevolence." Ira Young, Lebanon, N. H. 15 A literary disputation - "Ought the species of fictitious literature,founded on the practical principles of Christianity, to be encouraged." John B. Richardson, Middlebury, Conn.; Jarvis Gregg, Derry, N. H. 16 An Oration in English - "The waste of intellect." Nathaniel S. Folsom, Portsmouth, N. H. * 17 An Oration in English - "Influence of our republican feelings on American writers." George Chadwick, Boston-a candidate for the degree of M. of Arts. * 18 An Oration in English - "The connexion between law and morality." John P. Doe, Pembroke, N. H. - a candidate for A. M. 19 Valedictory oration in English. David Peabody, Topsfield, Ms.

The Degree of A. B. was conferred on William T. Bement, Daniel C. Blood, William T. Boutwell, Oliver P. Chandler, Charles B. Dana, William C. Dana, Nathan T. Dow, Nathaniel S. Folsom, Isaac Foster, Eli French, George G. Gallup, Edmund Garland, Jarvis Gregg, Elbridge F. Greenough, Jeremiah Greenough, Sherman Hall, George W. Haven, Robert Hogge, Edmund O. Hovey, Milo P. Jewett, Osgood Johnson, Charles B. Kittredge, Benjamin Labaree, Clement Long, Charles C. Marsh, Caleb Mills, George Minot, Edward Mitchell, Moses Norris, Frederick Parker, David Peabody, Daniel Perley, John B. Richardson, Charles Sabin, Thomas Sparhawk, Samuel Swazey, Charles E. Thompson, John A. Vinton, Morris E. White, William G. Woodward, Ira Young, 41.

The Degree of A. M. was conferred on Ebenezer Everett, Aaron Foster, Silas Aiken, Stephen Harriman Long, Thomas Tenny, Abram Marsh, Roger Newton Lambert, George Chadwick, Isaac Fletcher Redfield, Joseph Robinson, Hale Atkinson Johnson, Edward Rufus Olcott, Leonard Worcester, Milton Ward, Bezaleel Smith, Alumni - and on Joseph Dow, A. B. at Bowdoin College. -16.

The Degree of M. D. was conferred on Stephen Brown, Willard Doolittle, Shubael Converse, George Chadwick, Jesse Little, John M. Miles, George Nelson, Aaron Kittridge, Charles Frederick Langdon, Levi Hutchinson, William Henry Williams - 11.

The Honorary Degree of A. M. was conferred on John M. Goodenow and Daniel P. Bacon.

The degree of D. D. on Rev. John Smith, Professor in the Theological Seminary, at Bangor; Rev. Noah Porter, Farmington, Conn. and Rev. Warren Fay, of Charlestown, Ms. - The degree of LL. D. on the Hon. James Marsh, of Woodstock, Vt.

The Annual competition for Prizes in Elocution took place on Thursday, by 12 young gentlemen of the graduating, senior and junior classes. Prizes were awarded to Charles E. Thompson, A. B. of Concord, N. H. and junior Wm. H. Duncan, of Candia.

The Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha of New-Hampshire, held their anniversary on the same day. An oration was delivered before them, by Professor Hall late of Washington College, Hartford, Conn.

The retirement of Rev. Dr. Tyler from the Presidency of the college - an office, which he has, for six years, sustained with distinguished ability and success, is regretted by every friend to its interests. Without any disparagement to the eminent men, who have been his predecessors, it may safely be affirmed, that the Institution has never enjoyed greater prosperity at home, or supported a higher reputation abroad, than it has, during the period of his fostering care. That his usefulness may be only increased and extended, in the new station which he is called in the providence of God to fill, is the wish of every friend of science and religion.

We understand that the REV. NATHAN LORD, of Amherst, N. H. has been elected to supply his place.

The advantages afforded by this ancient Institution for the prosecution of a thorough course of classical and liberal education, are, it is confidently believed, not inferior to those held out by any other in our country. Valuable improvements have been made, within the last two or three years, in the system of instruction. A new code of laws, containing many useful provisions, has lately been introduced; the salutary operation of which, is already very obvious. The former college building has just been repaired, and two new edifices are in a course of erection. There are three valuable Libraries, containing about 12000 volumes, and annually increasing. Several Literary and Debating Societies afford distinguished opportunities for making proficiency in composition and in extemporaneous speaking. The Lectures of Professor Mussey on Anatomy, and those of Professor Hale, on Chemistry, are enjoyed by the members of the upper classes. The expenses necessary to be incurred at this college, are as low as at any other in New-England; and to pious indigent students, a part of the tuition is defrayed from a fund, raised several years since for the purpose.

* Not performed.

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Dartmouth College: The Faculty of Medicine consists of R. D. Muzzey, M.D. Prof. Anat. Surgery, &c.&c. D. Oliver, M.D. Prof. Theory and Prav. &c.&c. B. Hale, A.M. Prof. Chym. Pharm. &c.&c. D. Adams, M.D. and J.B. M'Gregory, M.D. Delegates from the N. H. Medical Society, for Medical Examination, who have the same power with the Professors of voting on the qualifications of candidates and of affixing their signatures to diplomas. The

Delegate of 1827 recommended to the Fellows of the Medical Society, that they encourage their students to attend lectures at this institution in preference to any other. - The preparations for lectures, recitations and illustrations, are very complete. The autumnal lectures commence Sept. 4th, and continue 14 weeks.