Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-08-15
For the State Seniinel.l
ST. MarV,s of the Woods.

1ERRE HAUTE, ID, Aug. lSt., 1901.
Mn. EDITOR A visit which had long contemplated
to the Wabash has afforded opportunity of wit
Messing the examination the school OF ST. Marys of
the WOods.' The Academy is situate about SIX miles
of the river in the midst of the lorestan eminent
ly healthy and delightful spot. As site for a school,
have no hesitation in pronounclng one OF the hnest IT
not the very best | have consider myself
fortunate in having chosen this period St Mary's will
hereafter he chief inducement to occasional visit to
this beautiful valley Its retirement is one of its prin
cpal recommendations; they that frequent this rural
retreat must consent TO make complete surrender for
a time, of all the pleasure which they have learned to
experience in the destinations and turmoil of city life
they must learn obey only their teacher, and find
companions only in their books The fruit of this dis
cpline is apparent in all that have attended the
school they will he found to IOre, dst the place
but the latter are too few to instance.
The exaTeinaton conducted upon the most extern
sive scale nothing evident than the absence
Of the slightest attempt to conceal the real merits and
acquisitions of the pupils They were rightly questioned
by those who could have had immediate interest in
connection with the school, upon the sciences of geo.
graphy botany history rhetoric arithmetic astronomy,
&c, and the English and French languages and their
answers were above all praise. They displayed a
familiarity with the advanced principles oil
astronomy which would do distinguished honor to any
college with which it has been my fortune to have be-
come acquainted. They anaiyZed, thoroughly and In
the manner sufficient number of flowers
to show that they intimate with the most humane,
but sadly neglected science of botany. They developed
the results of a critical study of the abstruse art OF
the chief important facts of ancient and modern history
under the auspices of fine French scholar they afforded
The most gratifying evidences of their progress IN the
ricaces of the French accidcnce Music and its sister
branches known " the fine arts, have plainly been a
special object in the minds of the teachers. But the
feature of the whole affair me- and am persuaded to
many Others Interesting than all the rest the
wonderful proficiency which the pupils OF St. Marys
seem to have made in the English language. 1t is a
trut-to shame lie it spoken-that while en-
deayoring to instl into the minds of children the
literature Of the dead tongues of Greece and Rome
placing the bible in scale, and weighing it down with
Aristoe-stng the dust of the moudy vaults of anti
guilty. for the root Of miserable verb, obsolete long
before the days of Periccs-tracing terrible analoocs
between the dragons of the Rhynacus and the monsters
of the Apocalypse-while such labors these, that
astound the ignorant and make the foolish var employ
much of time, forget that there is language
for ages and which our descendants long after
reputable in many portions of country for young
man acknowledge himself still iaboring to master his
vernacuar tongue though II could he shame
for him confess himself not proficient in that
language which has been established rather being
established by the otest gcnius Of the last three
turtles Happily this charge does not lie against St
Marys. English composition should select as that
branch upon which the greatest amount Of labor has been
employed. Some Of the essays really Of classic
tone ST. Mary's has many gems in the crown that she
bcsows upon sae youth that repair to her lovely shades
but so beautiful this. Long msy she continue
one Of the brightest members of great nursery o
learning long may she be pointed of those
happy homes, so numerous in the
i BY valor guarded and by victory crowned,
i And most for gentle charity renowned ~
/ s, o. r. b..