Michigan Female College

We were present on Friday uf last week, at tbo Socond Annual Commencemcnt exercises of the Michigan Female Col ege, at Lansing. The examinations had been completed vrheii we arrived, bnt we heard ihem spoken of by members of t'ie visiling conimittees and other competent persons ns of unusual thoro'neas aTd excellence, giving, evidence of eireful instruction ou the part bf teacliers, and of close attention to the books, JanJ independence of thought and expreuioB on the part of acholar. The aim of teachers had been not to manufacture automatons or drill parrots but to edúcate thinkiog minda.and the cliua as individuals and as a whole gave evidcnc3 of their ruccesB. Tlie Comtnencemcnt exercises took plaee in Representative Hall, at the State Hou'e, and were largely attended, both by the citizens f Lansing And by visitón from abrond. The exercise8 were opened with pmyer by the Bef. ïlr. Akmstroxo, after whioU they were onducted in accordance with the followiug programme : Since the above sentence was written - and in type, - for "the Boys" are giving us a preparatory Fourth of July race - the Free Prets has come to hand and to favor an indisposition to labor just now, we adopt its correjpoadeul's notes : " The Salutatory," by JIis3 Vietta V. Bryant, of Jfen'ark, N Y., being in Germán, wns admitted by the audieDce to be above criti 18111. " Will-o' the Wisp,"by Helen Caso, of Lftning wub a beautifully conceived, well-writ ten article. " I," by Miss Miriam Carpenter, of Lansing, was a i-tiong, sensible producilun, upon ludi▼iduality of character, uttered in a clear, distject voice. " Peni Ís nnd Pearl-Diver3," by Mías Amanda F. Pond, of Detroit, exhibited a good knowledge of ihe subject, great beauty of íhouglit and cbasteness of expression. It was read with a olear, full voice, and in a pleasing mucntr. " Iron," by Hiss Nancy M. Sanborn, of Port Hurón, presented some new and happy thouglits, not only upon the metal as found in ihe earth, but also upon thu iron of human cature. " The Ideal - the Real," by Misa Annette E. Carr, of Lansing, vas meritorious in ibought, style and delivery. 'Liie's Jcwels," by iliss Hattie J. Griswold, of Vermontville, was_ft beautiful caskot, brimful of lije'tjncels. " Ecglish Classics," by Miss llary Seymour, of Flusliing, showed a good degree of reading ond a good use made of it. " Temples," by Viutte V. Brysnt, author of Ihe Salutatory, was a highly finished, satisfying article. ' Feeling and Truth," by Ilias S. A. Ballard, of Lnnsiiig, was one of thé vcry best pieces of the day, but like several others, was not appreciated as it deserved, because read in too low a tone of voiee. "A Leader Fallen,' by Miss Mary S. Hew jtt, of Howell, was a noble, truthful tribute, in exalted verse, to the great man fallen. "Dtift," and the "Valediotory," were given by Miss Louisa Turner, of Lansing. In an easy manner. she Bketcbed the geological history of the earth.noticing the cauaes that produced the grest drift fonnations As easily did she sketch the ever-moviug tides of human life whieh are drifting us on and away from the loved seenes of youth. To her teacher, her college halls, her class-mates, her follow students, and all the hallowed places of their school life, she gave such a farewell as touched the finer feelings of the soul We may add that the younij ladies each nd all ccquitted themselvcs adnirably.and that their efibrts were received with applause and that the sereral readers were treated to profuso howers of elegant bouquets. The ■exercises were interspersed with vocal and instrumental music, peiformed by the young ladies of the School, under the direetion of MÍS bEAGEB. At their conclusión, J. W. Lo.vgteae, Esq , President of the Board of Trustees, in a few appropriale r;marks presentej cach of the graduates wilh a diploma, and conferred upon them the drgreeol ''Mistrets of Science' - one would have nalurally concluded, after hearing the address of Rev J. M. Geegoby, whlch followed this ceremony, - if he had not already conjluded so, from the appearance of tte class, - that it should have been " Mistress of Heartt." This address of our friend Gbegoby was really one of his best efforis. - Hit aubject was anuounced as th.e "Woman ubject, ' and it was ireated íq an admirable manner. He advocated the thorougU education uf woman, to fill the sphere of woman, which he recognized as equal in honor and influence, but distinct from man. He was evident ly no bol iever in masciline womeo, and his terse and truthful critieUms took tho eonceit outof all such if any were present I: wat replete with smind sense, and contained mucli which was calcu'ated to profit thoso y ung ladiia a bout to launcli upoa ' 'a career." And may it do so In tbe evening a reeeption was giyen in ths ampie rooms of the college building, but of th beauty and talent "galhered there ;" of the social enjoyments of the occasion; of how we tried to ■' out stay " two Reverend gentlemen of raature age, and couldn't; of thepartings we wilnessed ihe next morning, as we were the sixteenth passenger to mount to the top of " ye stage " - some of them were inside - which connects with the "Rnmshorn," we have nothing to s-av ; it is fit to preservo an loquent bí lence over some events, and theso are among them, Sufficc it to say that our otservations confirraed a preconceived opinión that the Michigan Fcmale College is an institution evcry way worthy 'of patronage, and that parents raay consign theirdaughters to the charge of the itisses Rogebs and their aesooiate. with a full confidence that their social, moral, and ducationnl development wil', ba in good bands. And what more will we say?