Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-06-30

! FlRSl ANN AL kElOlti va
OFTHE RICHMOND FEMALE INSTITUTE.
The trustees of the Richmond Female Institute, III
presenting 10 the stockholders aud The public, their
first annual report, have to point rather 10 WORK wIlch
thew have been preparing 10 do, THAN u" what liey
have actually accomplished. And yet, no niue ms
been done in the removal of obstacles, the awaken
in" of public interest, the procurement vi the most
approved plans, both OF building aud instruction, IN
fixing the enterprise OH II large and liberal scale, ami
bringing it tna point where there seems n" great "
certainty of ultimate success, II well directed tl!ortS
are pcrsrvered in, and il the public ut large take thht
interest which the cause demands. The delays hitherto
experienced, though undcsircd, have not been without
advantage, in maturing and cAiarSinS The plan OF
operations.
The charter granted by the Legislature oi Virgil
min. March, I'd, 1853, authorized the trustees Ia raise,
by Joint stock subscription, an amount NOT less than
$lj,DOU nor more than Sloo,ooo. ny tue ei,oris made
during lust fall. II subscription of about $lT.om was
obtained. In April lasI, Rev. Is. Manly, Jr. accepted
the appointment OF President Of the Institute nnu
General .A:cn; of the trustees. Besides giving lie.
c,,surv attention To the building, To the making ot
contracts for the other work, 10 the enlistment oi II
suitable faculty OF instructors, us well as the supply
of the pulpit of his recent charge, he has been able
10 raise the subscription to Il little over s:o,oou. we
think ut least $751; NU necessary 10 complete our de-
sim, An additional subscription of SlO,OO0 must
b. ottaiucd among the citizens OF RiclImond; aud we
throw ourselves upon the libcralitv of the friends of
this enterprise, ami ufclcvatcd learning throughout the
Ttutc TO furnish the remaining S2O.OOU.
GROUNDS ASD BUILDINGS.
In the outsc; ut the enterprise, II lot was secured,
which was offered 10 US by Mr.. james Thomus, Jr., at
cost, though it WIS well known that 1t would bring n
muri, larrcr amount il Offered tor sale. \ favorable
opportunity occurring, the Trustees awaited tlIcin-
selves o; tue Willingness of the same gentleman To
advance the funds necessary To purchase another lot
adjoining the one originally cnntcmplutc'i; 80 that We
now have, for orr purpose, nearly tile halt ut Il beat
tiful square. in the very heart of the city. i'll Il dcllcht-
Ittl ncishborlloud, central and yet retired, embracing
the whole from: from Clay 10 Marshall OH the casi
side OF Tenth street. IL is universally unlimited to bea
most admirable location.
The building which is in process Of erection, was
designed BY Mr.. I. a.. Tcllt, Architect, of Providence,
Rhode Island. q gentleman recommended 10 us, Us
specially experienced III school architecture, by serc-
rml of those who have had lnnst Ia 10 with such mat
ters at the the North; aud he was aided by the lracti.
cal suggestions uf the siiltul and experienced Principal
of one of our largest Southern Institutes. We TANK
it will be admitted, on completion, Ia combine cOnvc.
licncc with beauty und economy. Mcssrs. John ana
George Gibson have contracted 10 complete the
building bv October 9TH. tor $!S,000: and they have
been proceeding with great energy TO tuiflthc work.
The arrangements contemplated for warming and light
iny III. building, for baths, Ne. for cooking pur-
poses, for culvcrts, iron and other fences, and for cra-
ding und identifying the premises, will require a:
least $6Wl0 more, making II total estimated cost ofthc
building S3I ,UuU; which added 10 SiG,G00, the cost Of
the ground, Will make n total Tor grounds anu building
of S5D,OG0.
The plan cuntc,nplatcs nm addition of30 feet 10 cuclI
wing OF the present building. when it becomes neces-
surv, az, il is hoped, may soon he The case. he cdi-
fee is in the form of Il /, measuring 10 feet front.
unl extending in the centre nearly 100 feet from iron,
In rear. When the complete plan is carried cut, the
iron, will be Isl feet. The building. HOW i'll PROGRESS
will accommodate about itG pupils, OF whom w may
hoard in i!l,. institute. With the additions proposed
il uli.ht accommodate about l0J pupils, vi whom l1l
could be boa, .lers. Th. cast "f cisccting this eNtcm-
sion would be SSUUU; aud II would materially ndd 1"
the beauty as well us the convenience ol tile DuudliiS.
I, wus Thought wisest, however, to defer erecting
the... m,rtinns, inusinuch rs the greatest energy will
he requisite To complete even what Is ut present pro-
posed. within The time specified. 80 IA To commence
upcratiouS in October.
'Thc whole building will he warmed by tnur Of Boil
ton g. Yalr's Patent Furnaces, which have the udvaTl..
,acr over most ntlicr turihces OF not screening ana
driving unpleasuntiv the alr introduced mt" the rooms
h,it kccuiiir il AT a mild and rIuaDlc tcmpcratnrc.-
The chambers will be supplied with tire-Ilaccs, IN
addition Ia this, for any who may prefer to have II
separate fire. The advantages Of gas lights, and OF the
citv water throughout the building tor bathing ana
other purposes, will be appreciated by all who have
experienced their convenience. Every cXpedicnt, IN
short, which might contribute L" The cnni"rt, sccllrl-
rs, and health OF the pupils, rs well rs their moral aud
intellectual advancement, has been caEAcsuy s"h@h'
after, and no pains has been spared 10 secure every
really valuable Improvement. w" have tnHcn care
10 avail ourselves of the experience OF those who have
been mos, successful in similar institutions, and have
derived, we think, important dement's rom thclr 'i1-
vice.
FURNITURE AND APriEATrS.
The procurement of furniture tor Doarders anu hl
the housekeeping department lIns been arrange. 10
he ut the expense uf the President. II only remains
for the trustees To- provide the furniture ot the School
and Music rnons, the Library, Laboratory and other
uublic rooms: AMI tn procure suitable Scientific APP
uaratus and Cabinets. For these purposes, the sum
of 1900 has been npproprlatcd-wElch VIII be SUN
cicilt tn supply an ample aud beautiful set q! nppara-
tur. together with all ncclful aid and appurtenances
To study.
PROSPECT OF DIVIDENDS.
The trustees see no rrns"n 10 retreat from their
original opinion TINT, IL fair dividend may be realized
~, the stock. Every school in the city pays n reason
able rent for the house III whicl, it iskep:. Why may
not this Schools elsewhere, conducted on this, our
Joint stock principle. have made handsome dividends.
Why may they not here!
The real estate is worth, to-day, estimating ly re-
cent actual sales in the immediate ncigil!orEunl,
$4,000 more than lis cost 10 us. Its proximity Ia the
(;apitol Square, aud tu the other public GROUNDS of the
city, TO the .AthcnIrI, To the churches al vnrious ,ac-
nominations, and Ia the business purt of town, gives
il increased yaluc for this use, MS well rs for any
other: and assures lis that. us long us any property iii
Richmond retains its value, this cannot fail To 'ln so.
The Stockholders. therefore. are nat giriHg aw0y thcir
y,OhrV. They urc to he the joint owncrs-subirc to the
provisions u, the c!iartcr-oi II beautiful piece "i pro.
prtv, which has already largely increased i'll value.
and cannot drprcciutc while Richmond remains u
PROSPEROUS city. Ii would command Il high price,
t,r other uses, even il it should ever cease Ia 1T pro-
iiualy employed Tor female cduca,i"iI-am alternative,
however, which we do not desire at ull 10 cuil,cm-
llltc rs possible. Ill unN event iilcl. tNtu II ll III
vidend should be- declared, the property belonging to
the Stockholders vii! hc worth the money :hatit Gusts,
and will more probably increase than diminish III
value.
na,lo with the President of the Institute, he assumes
all responsibility for payment OF teachers. &c., and
agrees Ia pay Il rent prrilortinncii 10 TIC success
which may b. realized: 81 that there is a cr,tn'utg 9'
s0mt rent every year, which may be as high lis l0 or
|! per cent IN the stock, the benefit ui which nccrurs
To the stockholders. If the Whole amount ri stock
necessary 10 put III" establishment III working order
is subscribed ut once, :hrn the rent may all 20 i'll the
form ot Il dividend. Ii, however, it should be nGccs-
sary to borrow any portion of the money, the rent
mus; first e" u pay the interest aud principal "i such
loun before mukin. my dividend. II is, therefore,
the direct interest of cncll stocklUldcr to ret the
whole amount subscribed promptly. and then to push
the institution forward 10 the highest possible G:icici.
cy and success.
ENLARGED SCALE OF THE ENTERPRISE.
Ii will be seen by what has been said. that the en-
terprisc has grown under our hnads. From the cx-
pcnditurc uf Sl5.GC0 originally contemplated. it ca
handed 10 $50, U0J, and nov Ia between $IG.Uui and
S6DUOU. As We have had our attention more directed
To- the object. we haze been the more impressed with
its importance. The thorough education of our daugh-
tiers, when We weighed the matter, seemed no; Il whit
less essential than that of our sons. The efforts aud
sacrifices necessary have become Gi:nitied III our eyes
by the magnitude and wor;bincSs of the end. And
we have gone on from step TO step improving aud en-
larcing our plan, because actlated by the determine
ton TO establish here an institute for female education
which, for practical advantages and real utility, shall
be cxcellef by none, North or South. We have not
designed, nor siull we he con.cutcd, to occupy any
second Crude. Ii we fall short Of the rerytroat mark,
we shall confess ourselves 10 have failed of obtaining
onr aim; but We will not fail, if all earnest and vigor.
Gus employment OF all the ncaus ut our disposal can
ensure success.
We submit our plans and our efforts to our fellow
citizens. We ask if we do not deserve their assist.
ance, or rather if the excellence OF the object does
not impcratively demand it. The trustees have EN-.
tered upon this effort, not for any selfish purPosc-.net