Commencement Day at the University
Frances E. Willard delivers an address on temperance and suffrage to a packed house at Seattle's Presbyterian Church.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The commencement exercises of the University of Washington Territory were held at the Presbyterian Church yesterday. The church was well filled. The teachers, regents, and graduating class occupied the platform. The exercises opened with prayer, followed by music. John Huntington, graduating from the commercial course, delivered an oration on 'Memory.' Carrie V. Palmer, graduating from the scientific course, spoke on 'Superstition,' arguing it was the companion of ignorance. U.G. Chipman delivered the valedictory on 'Principle.' Professor Powell conferred the degrees. Hon. Orange Jacobs, a regent, noted the past year was the most prosperous in the University's history, despite a lack of legislative appropriation, which the citizens of Seattle covered through private donations. Following this, Miss Frances E. Willard of Chicago, the exponent of temperance and equal rights, delivered the annual address, discussing personal liberty and the laws of the land as safeguards of civilization. Her speech was received with great enthusiasm.
“They are my big brothers, and by their guardianship I am permitted to travel from one end of this great country to the other unsolicited and unharmed.”
In 1885, the University of Washington relied on local Seattle donors to keep the lights on after the territorial legislature failed to fund it. This tradition of deep, often contentious, civic involvement in the university's survival mirrors the ongoing dialogue between the city and its flagship institution today.
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