Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-09-11
From the Louisville, (Ky.) Courier
An Important Movement----Wa ashington
College, Virginia.

There is now being made systematic effort,
under the most auspicious circumstances to
establish at Washington College, Lexington,
Va, an educational institution of the highest
grade, and the greatest capacity for usefulness
| and renOwn. s.5
It is simply strange that in all the broad limits
| of this Union that peculiar section, New Eng
land, has secured in it's Harvard and Yale a
most the only institutions where the student
can find at once all the appliances and facilities
which wealth can command as the indispensa-
BILE accessories towards obtaining a thorough
and complete training in the schools of science
and art. But students from other sections, in
order to avail Of these material advantages at
Harvard and Yale, must meantime encounter
there all the peculiar social sentiments which
have ever characterized that section of country.
| Washington College is On the site selected by
/ the Father of his Country, on the head waters
of James river, in Virginia, as combining un-
usual natural advantages for maintaining a
great seat of learning. Located in the high
lands of that beautiful region known as the
Valley of Virginia, the climate there is singu
larly delightful and healthful, the scenery pic
turesque and inspiring, and the surrounding
population is noted for its high and pure moral,
| conservative and social tone.
| A liberal endowment was made to this college
shortly after the revolutionary war by General
| Washington, and his example was followed by
the surviving officers and soldiers of the revou-
ton, until this consecrated fund exceeded some
| what one hundred thousand dollars after having
erected most commodious buildings, and secured
excellent scientific apparatus and libraries.
| The college has illustrated it's usefulness and
added to the glory of our common country thro'
long catalogue of alumni distinguished as di-
vines, statesmen and scholars, including the
names of the Prestons, McDowells Crittendens,
Foote, Summers, Browns. Madisons, Plummers,
and many others of equal worth and renown.
Though thus halowed by a glorious history
and sanctifed by the sustaining regard of Geo.
| Washington and his immortal compatriots of
the Revolution, and advancing quietly but stead
| lily and lnOffenslVely In a career OF increasing
usefulness, still even it was not exempted from
| the ruthlrss hand of war. In June, 1864 the
army under Gen. Hunter, while passing thro
| Lexington, broke open the silent halls of this
college, and despoiled it of its sacred relics de-
faced its walls destroyed It's costly scientific ap
paratus, and scattered in day its valuable L.
braries and cabinets, collected with pains thro'
the long and patient labor of years.
But, recently, the Trustees of the College,
| deeming it due to all it's hallowed associations
no less than to meet the demands of the day
| for educational opportunities, determined that
| it should not die, but should be revived in a
manner worthy Of its sacred prestige. Appeal
ing by all the influences of this very prestige
| they succeeded in securing for it's President
General ROBERT E. LEE, as peculiarly the per-
son to carry out to perfection the patriotic plans
| and purposes of General Washington in found
| ing the College.
General Lee has undertaken the duties of
| the position with zeal, devotion and spirit
worthy of himself and of Washington his great
examplar. It is his intention and expectation
to expand the school to it's greatest possible Ca
pacity for usefulness BY his advice, the corps
of Professors has been increased to. fifteen, and
additional chairs are to be filed so soon as the
funds are obtained.
The number Of students who have already
| applied for admission at the coming session ex-
ceeds four hundred. Accommodations have
been provided for largely over that number.
| But, of course, much money will be required
! to carry out advantageously this grand design
| Hence the effort to which we refer in the open
ing of this article This demand seems so far
| to have been met with most becoming liberality
Warren Newcomb, ESQ.,, of New York, has do
mated to this noble object $4,000, and c. FL.
Mccormick, Esq, of Chicago, has given $l5-
900 toward endowing the Mccormick Profes-
sorship" Messrs. Richardson, of New York,
and Rothmell Wilson, Esq, of Philadelphia,
have made large and valuable donations to the
college libraries. Many smaller contributions
| nave also Deen maze. we learn TOO, JnaL the
Earl of Shafesbury and other noblemen--pat-
rons oflearning and the arts-have, in England,
contributed to the endowment fund directly,
and commended it, over their names, to the
British public.
Persons desiring to identify themselves with
this object can do so by endowing distinct pro-
fessorships, OF by taking scholarships or by di-
rect contributions to the Lee Endowment
Fund " in any smaller sums. It would be but
becoming thing in Kentucky, 6 the daughter
of Virginia" to have part in promoting this
great work of her noble old mother, and by a
systematic effort to contribute to the college of
Washington and of Lee, the Kentucky En-
dowment