Public Exercises of the Maury Society
Dublin Core
Title
Public Exercises of the Maury Society
Creator
[Unknown]
Source
http://addison.vt.edu/record=b1775388~S1
Publisher
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Date
April 1877
Contributor
Jenna Zan, Josh Dobbs
Rights
Permission to publish images from The Gray Jacket must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Format
Text
Language
English
Type
Article
Identifier
LD5655.V8 L4, ser.1, v.2, no.6 (April 1877), p.4-5
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
The Maury Society threw open its doors on Tuesday evening, March 21st, to admit its friends and the public generally to its exercises. Now the Maury always does honor to its name, and this time the bill of fare for this "feast of reason" was particularly tempting.
The soft and smiling moon had scarcely ceased to kiss the eastern horizon, when the "belles and beaux" of Blacksburg, the old and the young, the grave and the gay, the "old boys" and the "Rats" the "Maurys" and the "Lees," and even some of the Professors, were to be seen wending their way to the College Chapel. No, not wending their way but tripping as lightly as though their feet moved to the sound of music.
The ladies were never more charming, beautiful, and bewitching, the beaux never more gallant. Every cheek was flushed with joy, and every eye was bright with anticipated pleasure, even the stars seemed to wink, as though to say, "Bravo! young ones! But soon the house was packed."
And when
Music arose with, its voluptuous swell,
Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,
And all went merry as a marriage bell;
But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes,"
but not like a rising knell, for 'tis the President's gavel which calls the house to order, and every eye is turned to the stage, where stands one too well known to require any eulogy here, a veteran in the cause, Joseph R. Haw. His salutatory was apt and happy, quickly turning from grave to gay, and full of sense and humor.
Mr. J. E. Moyler, of Southampton county, declaimed, "No Excellence Without Great Labor" in good style and with fine effect.
The orator of the evening, Mr. A. R. Heflin, of Stafford county, held the audience entranced whilst he spoke for fifteen or twenty minutes on "The Greatness of Man." A grand subject, but beautifully and eloquently handled.
"Industry the Highway to Success," was declaimed by Mr. D. A. Taylor, of Petersburg, in his usual happy style, and was duly appreciated by the audience.
The President then announced the subject for debate "Resolved, That the Hope of Reward is a Greater Incentive to Action than the Fear of Punishment."
Messrs. J. Marion Brown, of Wythe county, and T. H. Wilcox, of Charles City county, represented the affirmative, and Messrs. M. Williams, of Pittsylvania county, and Charles B. Anderson, of Pulaski county, represented the negative.
Our very limited space will not permit us to notice all of the speeches at length. Suffice it to say, then, that all of the debaters did honor to themselves, their Society, and our College, and that their efforts were fully appreciated by the audience, as shown by the warm applause bestowed upon all.
We connot help adding that happy as have been his efforts in the past, Mr. Anderson won for himself fresh laurels upon this occasion.
The question was decided in favor of the negative, and after short impromptu speeches from Dr. C. L. C. Minor and others, the exercises of the evening were brought to a close. Again we say, the Maury never did itself more credit or entertained friends more delightfully than on this occasion.
The soft and smiling moon had scarcely ceased to kiss the eastern horizon, when the "belles and beaux" of Blacksburg, the old and the young, the grave and the gay, the "old boys" and the "Rats" the "Maurys" and the "Lees," and even some of the Professors, were to be seen wending their way to the College Chapel. No, not wending their way but tripping as lightly as though their feet moved to the sound of music.
The ladies were never more charming, beautiful, and bewitching, the beaux never more gallant. Every cheek was flushed with joy, and every eye was bright with anticipated pleasure, even the stars seemed to wink, as though to say, "Bravo! young ones! But soon the house was packed."
And when
Music arose with, its voluptuous swell,
Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,
And all went merry as a marriage bell;
But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes,"
but not like a rising knell, for 'tis the President's gavel which calls the house to order, and every eye is turned to the stage, where stands one too well known to require any eulogy here, a veteran in the cause, Joseph R. Haw. His salutatory was apt and happy, quickly turning from grave to gay, and full of sense and humor.
Mr. J. E. Moyler, of Southampton county, declaimed, "No Excellence Without Great Labor" in good style and with fine effect.
The orator of the evening, Mr. A. R. Heflin, of Stafford county, held the audience entranced whilst he spoke for fifteen or twenty minutes on "The Greatness of Man." A grand subject, but beautifully and eloquently handled.
"Industry the Highway to Success," was declaimed by Mr. D. A. Taylor, of Petersburg, in his usual happy style, and was duly appreciated by the audience.
The President then announced the subject for debate "Resolved, That the Hope of Reward is a Greater Incentive to Action than the Fear of Punishment."
Messrs. J. Marion Brown, of Wythe county, and T. H. Wilcox, of Charles City county, represented the affirmative, and Messrs. M. Williams, of Pittsylvania county, and Charles B. Anderson, of Pulaski county, represented the negative.
Our very limited space will not permit us to notice all of the speeches at length. Suffice it to say, then, that all of the debaters did honor to themselves, their Society, and our College, and that their efforts were fully appreciated by the audience, as shown by the warm applause bestowed upon all.
We connot help adding that happy as have been his efforts in the past, Mr. Anderson won for himself fresh laurels upon this occasion.
The question was decided in favor of the negative, and after short impromptu speeches from Dr. C. L. C. Minor and others, the exercises of the evening were brought to a close. Again we say, the Maury never did itself more credit or entertained friends more delightfully than on this occasion.