“Wednesday afternoon, at 3 o’clock, occurred the presentation of the great Bell given to the University by the Jubilee Singers and Mrs. Gen. C. B. Fisk, of New York. These were of an exceedingly interesting character. Speeches were made by Prof. White and Mr. Loudin, on the part of the singers, and by Pres. Cravath, Prof. Willcox, and others; after which a poem by Prof. Spence of the University was read. A number of pieces were sung by the Jubilee Singers, who furnished much of the music for all the exercises. ODE TO THE JUBILEE BELL. BY PROF. A. K. SPENCE. I. Ring the bell! Let it swing and swell, Peal on peal, with a joyous knell, Till it thrills and throes and quivering goes, Like a thing of life, that feels and knows! To and fro, with a surging tide, Let it send its greetings far and wide! II. Ring the bell, with thy swing and swell, For thou hast a joyous tale to tell, And gladder yet than the chime of old That once the birth of our nation told: For thou dost tell of a race set free. Thou dost tell of the Jubilee! III. Ring, ring, and thy music fling, As thou dost sway, and quiver, and swing! Peal o’er the town with its din of men, Wake the echoes in lonely glen! Ring by Cumberland’s classic tide, Scatter thy melody far and wide! IV. Knell, knell, with thy swing and swell, Oh, glorious, liberty-loving bell! In tones prophetic, sepulchral, slow, In dirge of warning, in dirge of woe. Solemn and deep let thy tones be cast Over the grave of oppression, past! V. Well, well, dost thou swing and swell, Oh, welcome and well-beloved bell! Thou comest to greet us with loving hands! Thou comest to bind us with loving bands! When hearts are weak and our fears oppress, Thou comest to cheer, thou comest to bless! VI. When the time shall come, as come it must, And we shall crumble away in dust, Thy voice shall ring on and on, for aye, As it peals out on the air today! And ancient sire to child shall tell Tales of yore of the Jubilee Bell! “The evening was given to the SENIOR PREPARATORY EXHIBITION. The programme was a full one, and well carried out. “In some respects the Senior Preparatory Exhibition of Fisk University is _the_ night occasion of commencement week. The interest rises from the first, and culminates with Wednesday night. This was specially true of this year. The knowledge of the fact that the Jubilee Singers were to sing contributed to crowd the chapel with such an audience as has not been assembled in it for months. Every inch of available space was occupied, and many were compelled to stand at the entrance unable to find seats. The Jubilee Singers opened the exercises by a song, “Sweet Music”—Beethoven. “Thursday, commencement proper: CLOSE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS YEAR IN THE HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTION.