Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-12-06
COMMUNICATED. !



mo,Iiu. Institute.
I, =. - .o,,e s',sat Enown To III public that sick
ness has prevailed among the pupils oil this
during the present session. aud that ihste"u Vi he
usual Yacao On Of Ten daysat Ghr, haae
been saspendci for thirty days from tins date. As
usual in such cases very erroneous reports are cur
rent with regard both the amount oil SICKNESS ana
the causes which induced the Faculty 10 gave Ion
ger vacation than usual at ths season II Is proper,
therefore that all the facts Of the case shonu oe aue
public.
l. The present ses sion opened on the ilh OF sep
TENDER with full atten lance Il p1pils-loo board
ers and 10 day scholars. These, together WIN '"e
Professors and their families, assistant teachers ser
wants Hc., made the total number oil persons on me
premises about 10 IT, in this estimate should IN
clude the workmen engaged on the new ohid-
ing the aggregate of persots here daily wouid De
nearly 200.
q From the opening Of the session to the present
time there have been in all ten cases oil SICKNESS
Five OF these comparatively mud, ana the pa
tients have been well for seg sral weeks VI the re-
mining five one was u servant, not resident OF the
picc, who died suddenly of pneumonia few days al
ter her arrival. The other four are pupils, one OF
whom, Miss Jennie c. Carpenter of Hanover county,
died on the 26th ult of combination Of diseases III
yolvnp an affection of her lungs and throat, accom-
panied with the most exiausting sweats and rapid
fever The remaining three are still sick, and we
hope will recover No has occurred since
the month Of OctoE er.
s. All persons residing permanently at tHS paw
have e:oyed good health throughout tie Fall except
my little lone ofthe enumerated ahoye)who,
some six or eight weeks ago, had an affection oil me
liver accompanied with mild attack of bilious fe-
4 Sickness commenced AZ the opening of the
sion One of the pupils arrived sick-she had Ty
phod Fever Others, after, were taken with the
disease and most of the cases have been OF that
character though some were not so strlklngy mark
ed as others The disease did notassume epidem
e, al,,, ,fnstTr ha am
her ofceses among many On the day the school
dismissed, young lady, ore Of the pupils, was
taken sick, ms we all supposed with Typhoid Fever
and the female officers aud other ladies about the es-
Enlistment with whom we could trust such cases
having been already down with anxiety toll
and watching, we thought ii better to give vaca-
ton Of month and let the young Indies return to
their parents than 10 keep them with us WITH the
prospect before of helng able to give Others
who might be sick, suitable attention.
These all the facts in tn case. and have made
them public under the apprehension that persons
hearing the untounded and exaggerated reports
which have gone forth would probably receive err
impressions witt regard to the extent OF our
Affections,
As to the proprieiy of suspending exercises for
small of sickness there will, of course, be
n variety OF opinions, and some will. no doubt, Gen.
the officers for adopting extreme measures when,
in their estimation, necessity existed for such ac-
ton. On this point would rem ,rk that it must be
were afflicted was Typhoid Feyer-a disease DANCE
rous all times and under all circums tances, seldom
stayed in its progress either by locality the condi
ton OF the atmosphere and that those attacked by it
require the most unremltting attention day and night
the slightest neglect the part of the often
proving disastrous. This consideration alone
sufficient to justify the action of the Office especial
" when there was even faint prospect OF additional
cases. Add to this the fears and anXeties of both
pupils and teachers the hHrrasSlng selcitude of par
4 a. r
the pupils would in few days leave to spend the
Christmas Holidays at home, and am sure no of
sober judgement can find il in his heart to condemn
the action which has been taken. But if there
those still disposed to ccnsure, notwithstanding the
facts here exhibited must say that having the tenn
purary guardianship of n large number of Young la
dies whose parents generally live Mt long distance
from this place. cannot, shall not betray the conf
hcncc reposed in me by knowingly exposing them to
danger, whatever some people may choose to say,
whatever may be the usual course in public schools
on such occasions and whatever consequences may
cnsue.
Full well do know the responsibilities which Mt
tach to position like mine, and fun well do appre
cinte the anxicties of parents for Their children and
especially their daughters when ut school.
Again, il may be said, and no doubt will be said,
that your preciptaie action has tendency to give
the character of unhealthfulness to locality uniyer
sally reputed to be healthfl, and you have thus
necessarily intictedan injury an important public
can, with any show of reason whatever be assigned
TOR the sickness which has prevailed among pu-
pills the present session for any sickness wIch has
existed this place for the last ten yearshe pei od
of my connection with the Institute We have had
repeatedly individual cases OF ague and fever, bilious
fever and typhoid fever at the opening Of sessions,
but no sickness, for which locality could be assigned
as a cause, has occurred at any other time.
Ifpupils come into school sick or ready to be sick
the place itself not with any fairness be consd-
cred the generating cause. My family and ser
ynrts the other officers with their families and SER
wants have in instance suffered from disease of
kind induced by locality. 1t is generally the case,
indeed almost universally, that pupils improve in
health by residence at this place, Other institutions
doubtless subjected from time to time, to similar
Affections but from the fact that are located n
the country and most of pupils come from distant
parts and reside the premises, greater Prominence
is given to a suspension of exercises than would be
the case were we in town, where large numbers of
persons are constantly arriving and departing.
10 those who had daughters with us, we would
say that, under the apprehension that some of them
might he attacked with Typhoid Fever ana we could
no. under existing circumstances, give proper sten-
ton TO such, we have sent them home for month
Certainly if you all knew The anxiety and suaitudc
we have felt for nights aud days and weeks their
account, you would not. for moment, condemn this
action. Their travelling expenses in all cases in
which II was necessary, have brcn paid and every
reasonable effort nude t. secure IA safe passage TO
their homes. We hopc lbeA have reached you with
oh accident or disaster, the cuj1ynen of good
health. \ deduction viii be made ON their bills
winch will, in most instances more ihau cover these
expenses. SO that they will be subjected to no loss
except that of one months absence from school
Tins attcuon imposes heavy pecuuiary loss on my
self personally, the ai>pensaions of Providence
chcernly submit, and look forward to the dawn Of
Il brighter day. CHAS. l.. Coz +, SUIT. Of