Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-02-22
To the Citizens of Augusta County.

To the Citizens OF Augusta county,
At a recent meeting held in the Court-hous
ot Aupusta County, the undersigned were ap
pointed a committee to aid in procuring sub
soriptiops for the establishment of College a
Stanton. We take great pleasure in announc
ING to those interested in the measure, that w
have already met with very encouraging success
in our efforts. Before making personal applica
tions however, to the liberal minded and public
spirited for contributions tor the purpose indica
ted. we have deemed it proper to address then
through the press, some of those considerations
which have induced us to regard the proposition
to establish College for the Education o1
young men in our community, as not only feast.
bic but eminently commended to the cordial ap.
proysl and favor of the people of the county.
It is proposed to raise by subscriptions the
sn,n of thirty thousand dollars for the purpose OF
procuring the site of college and erecting the
buildings for the accommodation of at least two
hundred students. Should we succeed in this
enterprise we have reason to believe that such
Inducements can be held out to the Faculty and
proprietors of Roanoke College as to secure the
transfer of that Institution, with its well selected
libraries, its admirable Chemical and Philosoph.
ical apparatus and its well stored Cabinets ol
minerals, together with its endowment fund and
capital invested in the property now held by it,
to this place, and thus by union OF the means
already provided with those 10 be raised BY our
selves, we confidently expect TO be able to es.
tablish in our midst an Institution OF high or.
der for the education of the youth of our coun-
try. We are assured that $50. 900 will purchase
the site and pay for buildings sufficient to &C.
commodate two hundred students Ii only one
hundred and fifty students should attend the ex-
ercises of the College and the tuition fees should
be less even than in our high scools, the income
from this source would be at least seven thous
and dollars. The income from the endowment
fund and the capital now invested in interes,
bearing stocks or other securities, would amount
to about one thousand dollars. If the stockhold
ers or proprietors Of the College should deter
mine to connect Boarding Department with il
this would at least be selfsestaining and by ju.
dioious management might be made to yield ad.
ditional income IT. however, this should moi
be done and the boarding of the students were
left to the competition of private enterprise
then the income of the Institution might reasona.
bly be expected to be at least eight thousand dol
lars sum sufficient TO pay President salary
OF $i50O and five professors each salary OIL
$1,000. and leave q surplus sufficient for oontin-
gent expenses. And we have grounds for the
confident expectation that if the enterprise be
prosecuted with energy and even moderate suo'
cess shonld at first crown the efforts of its
friends. the Institution will gradually win its
wsy into the favor of parents and guardians in
the Valley and the West; and will ultimately
command for itself larger success and wider
patronage. We have recently with pleasure
seen it announced that by means OF the untiring
efforts of its friends the sum of 100000 has
been raised for the further endowment of Ran
dolph Macon College situated in the County oi
Mecklepburg in this State. Why may not we
anticipate similar auspicious results If we work
in a good cause with like energy and faith
Who can doubt that such an institution would
he blessing to our community, if its success
were secureda Some of us remember the time
when sturdy farmers of Augusta looked with
something like suspicion upon what was called
.book-leSrning" that period however has pass
ed by. and the survivors of it, are now heard
lamenting the want IN their youth of those
means of education which their sons enjoy
The idea that education disquslifies man for
usefulness in life and for labor is exploded; and
the education of the son and the daughter is now
felt by the father to be social necessity and
vet ihere are many in our valley who feel
the necessity alluded to if their children are
to be sent tU distant Colleges or expensive Uni
.yersties. to be serious burden; and many
there are. with moderate means, who finding it
impossible to crafty their earnest parental de-
sire for the education of their sons, leave them
10 grow up in ignorance; who If College were
at hand would find the means of securing for
them its invaluable privileges. One of the un-
dersigued is personally acquainted with gen.
tleman, now one of the professors in Virginia
College, a man Of rare virtues and ripe scholar
ship, who but o few years ago was poor and
almost frendess boy. 1t was his good fortune
however to live in the neighborhood Of Emory
and Henry College; and the invigorating light
that issues from every well conducted Institution
of learning reached the poor boy in bis obscurl-
ty and be was drawn towards it until he learned
to reflect upon others the light that had blessed
him. So has it ever been; so will 1t ever be,
that wherever the portals OF learning and knowl-
edge are easily accessible to the young, the stimu
lus of generous ambition, the aspirations fol in
telloctual advancement snd improvement and the
elevation of the standard OF thinking, speaking
and writing are the benefcent results.
Again; there may be some who will yield
half drowsy assent to the proposition that edu-
cation is very good sort of thing in its way,
but who can see no practical results to the bus
mess interests of the community which will
probably flow from the establishment OF Col
iege in our midst. With them the question il
twill it pay2n BY way OF reply to this inquiry
we beg leave to say that ii aoilL pay any parent
in Augusta County who has two or more sons
to educate to subscribe now liberal sum to es-
tablish q first class College in his own County
at which his SOUS may be economically taught
It will pay in the saving of travelling expense:
to and costly outfits for distant Colleges and il
the continuance of the son, while pursuing his
studies. under the wholesome restraints Of pa
rental influence.
II wiU pay those engaged in all TIE industrial
pursuits of life to have forty or fifty thousand
dollars in money annually brought from abroad
and spent in this community. Much OF tht
prosperity of the town and country is derived
from the expenditures incident to our various in
stitutions of charity and learning. 1t is esti-
mated that the Virginia Female Institute alone
annually draws into our Community Tor OUTLAY
and expenditure in various ways from $25, ,00(
to $4,000 May we not confidently expect tha
the College we propose to establish will open 6
much larger fountain of prosperity for our peo-
ple by enlarging the market for the products o
their skill and labor3
whether viewed then in its moral and intel
lectual aspects or in its material influence on th
business interests of the community, the Colleg'
if a success. will prove to be blessing.
Shall not its success become an accomp p.ishet
fac52 Shall all the advantages which we hay'
endeavored to set forth fail tor want of "faith
g grain Of mustard seed" in our ability TO com.
nand successes and Tor want OF little CT tina
public spirit and energetic striving for thing
beneficial to the community which have charac-
terized us in times past, and given US the prou'
position among the counties of the State which
we epioyY We crust and believe thai the res.
spouse Of the liberal and public spirited men Of Au
rusta to the appeal which will be made to then
will put to rest all doubt on the subject and Civ