The speeches of the afternoon were, for the most part, full of practical common sense, plain, straightforward accounts of work done and the difficulties and discouragements met and overcome. The salutatory, delivered by one of the girls of the graduating class, told of the missionary work which the students had done among the poor people of Hampton, of the Bible reading in the miserable cabins, and the help which they had been able to bring to those in distress.
“My Home” was the title of a very interesting piece by one of the girls, in which she described the condition of affairs among the colored people in one of the western towns of Virginia. “To the Girls” gave the graduating class and the audience the wisdom which had come from a year’s experience in the world. Thos. Wildcatt Alford, a young Indian chief, made a strong plea for the education of his people. He said that one educated Indian could do more for the benefit of his people in one year than a regiment of soldiers in ten years. He spoke hopefully and bravely of the future of his race, and of what he meant to do for it. He is one of the three Indians who graduated with the present class, the first who have finished the regular English course of the school.
“Our Race,” by one of the early graduates of the school, told of the discouraged feeling which he had when he arrived at Hampton and found that most of the students had to work hard with their hands every day. He showed of what advantage that same training had been to him, of how he had been able to build his own school-house. He spoke of lack of industry as being one great obstacle in the way of the success of the colored people.
Between the speeches, the great chorus, massed in the front part of the hall, swelled out in the national hymns of the different countries and the pathetic slave songs so full of power and feeling. After the valedictory, Rev. Dr. Strieby, the President of the Board of Trustees, presented the diplomas to the graduating class with appropriate remarks. Sixty students came forward to receive their diplomas. The present class is much the largest that has gone forth from the institution.
After the parting hymn had been sung by the class, Rev. Dr. Bartend paid a glowing tribute to the school and to Gen. Armstrong’s work. He said: “For many years after the beginning of this institution, we were accustomed in this part of the country to speak of the Hampton school as an experiment; to-day, by the help of Almighty God, we can say that Hampton school is a magnificent success.” He spoke of the work that was being done for the colored race, of the manly characters that were being developed by the school training. He referred to the Indians, and especially to the speech which one of them had made. He spoke of the intention of the early settlers of the country in regard to them. “Two hundred and fifty years ago there came floating into this beautiful harbor vessels from the old country. What was their object? What was their hope? The prayer that arose from their decks was this: God give us strength that we may educate and Christianize the Indian. William and Mary College, now almost ready to perish, is the monument of their endeavor. They did not see the answer to their prayer. God works in His own way, in His own time, with His own men. Could they see what we to-day behold, they would say as do we, speed on! God speed this glorious school. God bless its patrons that we may raise up good citizens here and glorify God forever and forever.”