“The company were invited to dine at the President’s and the hall.  The Connecticut lads and lasses, I observed, walked about hand in hand in procession, as ’t is said they go to a wedding.

“Afternoon.  The exercises began with a Latin oration on the state of society by Mr. Kipley.  Then an English Oration on the Imitative Arts, by Mr. J. Wheelock.  The degrees were then conferred, and, in addition to the usual ceremony of the book, diplomas were delivered to the candidates, with this form of words:  ’Admitto vos ad primum (vel secundum) gradum in artibus pro more Academiarum in Anglia, vobisque trado hunc librum, una cum potestate publice prelegendi ubicumque ad hoc munus avocati fueritis (to the masters was added, fuistis vel fueritis), cujus rei haec diploma membrana scripta est testimonium.’  Mr. Woodward stood by the President, and held the book and parchments, delivering and exchanging them as need required.  Rev. Mr. Benjamin Pomeroy, of Hebron, was admitted to the degree of Doctor in Divinity.

“After this, McGregore and Sweetland, two Bachelors, spoke a dialogue of Lord Lyttleton’s between Apicius and Darteneuf, upon good eating and drinking.  The Mercury (who comes in at the close of the piece) performed his part but clumsily; but the two epicures did well, and the President laughed as heartily as the rest of the audience; though considering the circumstances, it might admit of some doubt, whether the dialogue were really a burlesque, or a compliment to the College.

“An anthem and prayer concluded the public exercises.  Much decency and regularity were observable through the day, in the numerous attending concourse of people.”—­Life of Jeremy Belknap, D.D., pp. 69-71.

At Shelby College, Ky., it is customary at Commencement to perform plays, with appropriate costumes, at stated intervals during the exercises.

An account of the manner in which Commencement has been observed at other colleges would only be a repetition of what has been stated above, in reference to Harvard and Yale.  These being, the former the first, and the latter the third institution founded in our country, the colleges which were established at a later period grounded, not only their laws, but to a great extent their customs, on the laws and customs which prevailed at Cambridge and New Haven.

COMMENCEMENT CARD.  At Union College, there is issued annually at Commencement a card containing a programme of the exercises of the day, signed with the names of twelve of the Senior Class, who are members of the four principal college societies.  These cards are worded in the form of invitations, and are to be sent to the friends of the students.  To be “on the Commencement card” is esteemed an honor, and is eagerly sought for.  At other colleges, invitations are often issued at this period, usually signed by the President.

COMMENCER.  In American colleges, a member of the Senior Class, after the examination for degrees; generally, one who commences.