The commencement day of the class of '84 was very successful not with standing theshowers which came down at intervals during the afternoon. At about ten martial music was heard approaching the college yard, and a few minutes later Governor Robinson, escorted by a company of lancirs, was welcomed by the college authorities at the west gate. The line of march was soon taken up for Sanders Theatre where the usual Commencement exercises were held. William Wallace Fenn delivered the oration, Thaddeus William Harris and Edward Andress Hibbard; dissertations, while Robert Herbert Tirrell, Samuel Atkins Eliot and James Lee Mitchell delivered disquisitions. The degrees were then conferred upon the graduates in the various departments of the university and finally the exercises closed with the conferring of honorary degrees upon the following distinguished gentlemen: L. L. D. to James Russell Lowell, Prof. F. J. Child, Prof. Simon Newcomb of Washington, and Prof. R. C. Jebb of Glasgow, Scotland; D. D. to J. Henry Thayer of Cambridge, and John F. Moors of Greenfield; and A. M. to william Green Binney.

After the close of the exercise at Sanders the usual class meetings were held in appointed rooms in the yard, and the general meeting of the alumni was called at Harvard Hall at 1 p. m. with the president, William G. Russell, presiding. Rev. Phillips Brooks was elected president for the ensuing year and Arthur B. Silsbee treasurer of the college fund. Some other business was transacted and the meeting then adjourned. Next in order was the annual dinner, and at 2.30 the procession was formed in front of Massachusetts Hall Headed by a band graduates in front. Headed by a band of music the alumni to the number of seven hundred marched to Memorial Hall, where the dinner was served. The Rev. John F. Moors invoked a blessing and a psalm was sung under the leadership of the veteran John Langdon Sibley. President Russell of the alumni then began the speaking, and he was followed by Pres. Eliot, Gov. Robinson. '56, Prof. Jebb, Prof. Newcomb, Prof. Child, Judge Holmes, Newcomb, Prof. Child, Judge Holmes, Thomas Cushing, '34, S. A. Eliot, '84, and Col. Henry Lee. The closing ceremony was the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" by all present, after which the company adjourned. As the evening was rainy and it was whispered about that extraordinary measures to preserve the peace had been taken by the faculty, no fireworks or disturbances occurred in the yard during the evening, which passed off very quietly, and Commencement for 1884 was over.