Teachers and pupils have now said good-bye and college halls are vacant, but the work of the year will bear fruit as scores of students go out to the labors of vacation in the dark and needy districts of the South.

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STRAIGHT UNIVERSITY, NEW ORLEANS, LA.

BY PRESIDENT R.C.  HITCHCOCK.

The interest shown by the public in the annual exercises of this school increases each year, and for those of more general nature it is quite impossible to obtain a room large enough to accommodate the audience that assembles.

The baccalaureate sermon was preached on Sunday night by President Hitchcock at Central Church.  On Monday night, the Sumner and Philomathean Literary Societies and the Band of Mercy held their anniversary meeting, and listened to a very interesting lecture on “Life at a German University,” by Rev. G.W.  Henderson.  Wednesday night, came the annual concert and exhibition.  This has for two or three years gradually taken more and more the character of an exhibit of the gymnastic exercises, singing, etc., from each grade, and with so large a school, gives a long programme; but since people here have learned that at Straight University, when the appointed time comes the exercises begin, every spot where a chair could be put in an aisle, or a foot stand, besides all the pews both below and in the spacious galleries of Central, one of the largest churches in the city, was occupied at the moment assigned for opening, and the attention was grand until the very last.

On Thursday night, the Alumni Association met at the University Chapel for election of officers, adjourning later to the parlors for a social meeting.  These Alumni meetings grow each year in numbers, interest and importance.  Papers were read by several members, the usual history, prophecy and poem were given, remarks were made by others and some good music was rendered.  Many who could not come sent interesting letters.  Friday night was the great occasion.  The crowd was no less than on Wednesday night, and that such an audience should sit, giving close attention, from 7:30 to 11:30, to the orations and essays of the graduates, with no sign of weariness, was to me a wonderful thing and showed a deep and heart-felt interest, in the community, for Christian education, which is grandly encouraging.

Two of the graduates were from Mexico, one from Mississippi, one from Plaquemines Parish, one from Baton Rouge and five from this city, the proportion from the city being larger than usual.