The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-07-03
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
VirSinin Military Instffufe-Nepor'
OF the Superintendent to the Board
of VisitOrs-Exnmin atiOns.
LEXINGTON. Va, June 90, 1861

OF the superintendent to the Board
of Yisitors-Exnmina
LEXINGTON, VA, June 20, 1867.
The arrival of Hon. Mr.. Staples gave
four members Of the Board OF Visitors
present Yesterday, and Governor Letcher
was called to the chair in the absence OF
the president, Hon. Mr.. mcfarland. The
supcrintcndent read the reports OF the
various professors. The report OF the
SUPERINTENDENT gives an interesting state
ment of the operations OF the Institute,
its present condition, and future prospects.
We have been permitted to send you the
opening paragraphs
Before proceeding to the detailed exhi-
bit of the various departments Of the
school, permit me to congratulate you, sir,
and the other members oil the Beard, on
the prosperity which grccts you aud them
| in the present condition of this institution
as ccntrasted with that exhibited at the
last annual meeting Of the Board. Then
our beautiful buildings were still in ruins,
although the work Of restoration had been
begun; the corps of cadets, small in num-
Der. were scattered through the families
of the neighboring town for accommodate
| ton, without the distinctive discipline
which gave such symmetry and effect
to our peculiar system of government,
and without the facilities of lecture
rooms, laboratory drawing room, mcsS-hall,
society ball, and hospital which the com
fort OF the cadets and the cilicirncvG Ct our
system of instruction demanded. Our Ii
brary was burnt. We had no apparatus for
chemical manipulations and experiments;
no instrument Tor philosophical invcStiga-
tons or practical instruction III engi-
nccring, and the entrance hal! OF the SUI
perintrudcnt'> quarters afforded the only
convenience for public examination, while
its Offices supplied the only class rooms for
daily recitation. How changed III the
brief period of a few months Our corps
Of cadet, has risen from fifty last year to
an aggregate attendance this year OF nearly
two hundred. The disbursements Of the
treasurer last year were onl y $4,000 3S.
This year his report exhibits the gross re-
ccipt and disbursement OF $3.50, lS24G.
Quarters ,rittin the institution, with room
furniture complete. have been provided for
every cadet, allurding comfort and con-
vcnienco TO all. The Mess Hall has been
entirely QUILTED. ant, has been in full ope-
IdiIbIl Siht1 we l'lil p''i'I''i liNt' '''ii
hospital Is again restored. and is furnished
with full stock Of medicines and COM
forts for lhn sick; the chemical lab0ra-
tory is again in effective operation,
in its beautiful room, with It's comparative
~ full outfit "t apparatus and chemicals.
The engineering and drawing academy is
again restored, drawing tables and impc-
mcnts supplied. The meteorological and
astronomical operations Of a new and inlc-
resting department. have been established,
with splendid astronomical transit hv the
celebrated Wud"mann. Full supplies of
surveyors Instruments, for practical cngl-
, neering, also by Wurdcmaun, have been
provided, and are in daily use, while fifteen
hundred volumes, embracing works OF
great value, have been provided as q be-
ginning to the work Of restoration to our
library of ten thousand volumes burnt by
General Hunter.
+ These results have been accomplished
: partly by the generous gifts OF friends,
= partly by the laborS of its professors and
: officers, but chiefly by the funds which
4 have been raised from the bonds OF the in
n stitution, issued under authority given to
1 the superintendent by the Board of Visit
OlS W utSot!dlc u lodIl ~! tIlcSC lOStS.
S But great as are these evidences of ma
i terial prosperity the internal condition of
| the institution in the vigor with which its
t distinctive course of instruction has been
prosecuted and developed the faithful
| diligence with which the cadets lave APP
l piled themselves to their studies: and
| above all, the gentlemaDly department
and high tone of honor which have diStin-
, guished the conduct OF the entire corps Of
} cadets during the whole year, aud which
nave called forth universal expressions Of
praise from all who have had the opportu-
. uity of observing them these are the
pleasing tokens which animate the zeal Of
its Faculty in their labor OF love, and give
the assurances to the hopes Of its friends
that the Virginia Military Institute, under
the continued blessing of the kind Provi-
dence which has watched overit during its
whole career will soon be restored 10 all
its former glory and rcnown.
The report Of the superintendent gives
an interesting outline OF the coarse of in
struction, and shows that il is admirably
arranged TO afford q high scientific educa-
tion-lhe great want o. our people AZ this
, time.
!, The examinations to-day were OF unu-
sual interest, particularly in minerulogy
aud geology, and attracted much attention.
| Each cadet was called upon in the use Of
! the blow-pipe and reagents to make the
determinations Of the minerals 10 him as
, the test of his preparation at the examina-
, ton.
1t is proposed by the superintendent to
put the schools of applied science, AS they
were organized In 1850, II once into full
operation, and for the purpose 10 apply
them to the work Of making physical
survey Of the State, with complete geo.
graphical and geological map. The charge
of the great work will be given to the Sc
nior professor assigned to the duty, Gene
raj G. w. G. Lee, who will take in
charge the secondary triagulaton an topo-
graphy. Captain John N. Brooke will