The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-09-04
Messy Creek Academy.

We are gratlhed to hear that 1t is the IN
tcntion of the good people Of North West Au-
gusta to rebuild this institution, which was,
for SO many years, the pride and ornament of
their section. 1t was matter Of general re-
greet when, during the war, by some accident,
the noble building which they had erected at
so much expense, took fire and was burned
to the ground: leaving only an unsightly pile
Of ruins instead of thorough temple Of learn
ing and we are sure that it will be matter of
general qualification if a good and substantial
building shall again be reared upon the site Of
the former Messy Greek Academy and a
school be again started that shall attain the
popularity of the one formerly taught there
We remember with pleasure the days We
spent there as school boy, but feeling Of
sadness is mingled with it, when we think Of
the many noble boys who we're there with us
that afterwards fell in defence Of their native
land, in the very prime Of their manhood. We
could give long roll call Of honor for it
Many of the hands that planted the trees which
flourish upon that neglected hill are now min
gled with the clodsof the Valley. More than
20 of those that were there during the single
session of 1854 and SIS now rest in soldier
graves. Rebuild this institution then,we say,
if for no other purpose, as a monument to the
memory Of its fallen braves, and rear up other
generations under the shade of the trees they
planted to emulate their heroic virtues put a
tablet in its wall on which their names
shall be inscribed, and, with an abiding faith
in the judgment Of posterity, write upon that
tablet the inscription the old man Of S. W.
Virginia placedupon the grave fhis only son
and child: "If to die for liberty was right,
remember him, if wrong forget him."
| We need all the old landmarks we can hold
on to, for we are drifting wide from our for
mer mornings, and there are none that will
serve us better purpose, in cur time of sorest
need than our institutions of higher learning.
The demagogue, who would bring the intelli-
gence of society down to the level Of theintel-
lect of half civilized African, 1--WE strongly
suspect merely for the selfish purpose that he
may get the vote Of the negro, may declaim
against such institutions, and demand that
everybody shall betaxed to support treeschools
for the benefit Of everybody-in other words
to establish system that has no freedom in
it, and which attempts to educate by lowering
the standard of education. We have all heard
Of these things lately, butwe put it tothe hon
est, substantial people who live near, and who
built up Messy Creek Academy, to know if
they want any freer or any better system Of
education than that which they have had, and
we would like to know if any one that desired
to share its benefits has been debarrcd the
privilege. We do not want foundries where
boys shall all be put into the same mould and
come out allalike-yariety is the spice oflife;
and we conclude by urging the people Of Mos
sy Greek, and all the rest of our people, to re-
build their schools and set them on the same
foundations they had before, and as they have
manhood enough not to be ashamed Of them
selves, let them transmit thes same sort to their
posterity.