Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1848-10-09
STATE INSrIrU TONS IN THE VALLEY

STATE lNNflIJ HONS IN THE VALLEY
Unlike most Of her ssrr States. Virginia tins N, i
abist,d all her publ. institutions in tie ne.r,p,j,
The policy, ihitk.a wise We are opposed Il,
cenlrazlan in the Commonwealth. les than il ,be
Conttderarv. recent visit Lexington and Stourm,
enables appreciate ,he n15ir institutions of which
hse towns the at. AMI we deem it a dnvwa
tie public express the admiration apd d4gb,
which heir examination inspired
OR reader, aware that thp Military SrhoI Al ~
former place, a substitute FIR the pron Of The State
Guard formerly m4inainr there tr the protection of IA
Arsenal AT avery Inc siderable additional OUTLAY the
Sta'e i enabled u eiurate. grauiinusy younI man
from each material District. during course IF three
TeqiiruI Of him. retdrn, nothing more than tho
deviation VI wears VI ~ lt u teaching IL sme ,r,
Of the Safe The old barracks have been repaired and
some adliiiua buildings erected Nv vhch acc,mnoda
lions for the Prof and upwards one hundred Ca
dtS have been provided Tile fees required Of pay G.,
diets In lessen the charge the STATE or what's tam
amount 70 he improvement Of lie institution in yar
ways. The number If Cadets is limited onIy bv t,ac
paci'y Of accommodation There are now in Tie Ios,;
tute about l20a larger number than las Vet been b,r
On The rolls. Twice many could be had were rhsr.
room. The course DC instruction very thoruph-mora
50 than at any institution in the State except the niver
Sly. The Ilme las come. we think, when The S,a,s
should erect buildings Of ficitnl capaeitv and suab
character L the affairs If he institution are rnanoreI
with great economy and change about 10 be made in
the boarding department. which viii BE- attended with +,
great SAVING The subsistence # the Cades Is TO be nr
vlded by cniissarat, BY which greater u ti>r cton
VIII be gwen at far les than by the present 81
tenn The corps ofPnfe>sors is composed ofahe and sc-
com2shrd gentlemen and the peculiar qualifications fr
his post of The head Of the Institute COL F. H. Smith
are admitted BY all Who have ne pleasure If h acouan
ance The Institute has gradually enlarged its cspaci
~ Of usefulness and that under appropr Ia,ns sotr
fling not 10 excite the animal version of sinrle dem
agogne. % far know, until it nov challenges the
admiration of the State 1t richly deserves the fostering
care If The Legislature.
There is no spot within the limits Of The Common.
wealth, which might be more hardened c,r h.oo
proud Of Virginia, l!an that from hicf his eyr rpst,
upon those noble piles Of Ludings in Staun.on. devoted
the one 10 The the Insane. and the other u
The education # the Deaf Dumb and Blind As mere
architectural exhibitions they are WV cedtabe-,he
latter especially But cur admiration of the inn sing ar
ray Of brick and mortar is quickly hut in tie conenpa
tIon OF the character of iheSe magnificent char4s and
u The singular which has attended their opera
led
can witness the sceues unfded in these milan
'hTopyounde and sustained by the unity If The State
and MT experience unwonjed emotions Of wonder urot-
ude and delight
comprts neither with eur Limits nor our inclination,
to give historical sketch If The Lunac Asyrnm-its
establishment. progressive enlargement and The Gradual
Introduction Of Tie modern mn.oy "a mode of reapc III
unfortunate inmates Suffice 10 saw that within ser-
en- eight years past or which period il las been under
the superintendent Of Dr. Sriblinn it has taken 1an6
with the first institutions If tie kiud ii TIE United
States and regarded By many as model This is the
testimony lately borne in lis lclaIf by The celebrated
phan hropsi. Miss Dix who makesihe rcat ent Of he
Insane Tie special object IF her investigation The nun
Der Of inmates is 22U-which exlausis tie ra,u-
city Of accumulation # tile present buildings Al the
last session. tie Legislature appropriated $50 goo or tie
erection Of additional buildings hen these are finish
ed as many more can be received, Haking aggregate
40 1t is painful TO r. fleet that his additional accom-
daon Will scarcely provide for HE present wants Of the
State. The institution when enlarged will be promptly
filled 10 its utmost capacity. We shall hot attempt 10
described the mode OF L. is BASED on unwea
ricd and uniform KINDNESS. Mcdcin,s are, # course
sometimes empoyed-bu moral means are chiefly relied
upon Cheerful occupation. the breaking up Of Oh
citation OF ideas, quiet, exercise.-t:ese are remedies
which, administered jrdicionsy and under the law Of
love, gradually unange tile THREADS Of TIL mind and re-
store The patient 10 friends and sociev
Through The poli;e attention ofDr. Sniblinr we bad
an opportunity IF accompanying him through the female
department. OF course, discriminating classification s
carried 10 considerable extent. This lies the bottom
Of he improved system We first entered a ward
which differed in no degree from an elegant boarding
house. The rooms were all neatly finished and every
part kept N state Of scrupuious cleanliness The IN
mates Were scarcely dislinguishabe from thousands
without the walls The Doctor had word OF kindness
sympathy and encouragement for each and his Wit was
hailed with pleasure by AL We thus proceeded through
all the wards the main building i! none Of which was
there any rcarance If confinement Ia SIme. the IN
mates visited each other in their rooms gathered ~
social groups, and nearly all were employed in srwlng q
knitting. IN others, devoted to patents whose disease
was Of more aggravated character, Tue spectacle was ~
agreeable, YET, in all, al every step IeaS"h I"
wonder and rel ice the change u ;, stem In We