The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-11-26
The Soldiers Home at DaytC1,
Ohio.


Ohio.
Bro. Browning, OF the Batavia COur-
ier, has recently paid a visit to this no
bic institution, and gives the follow
ing account Of what he saw there.
We are sure it will be read with inter
est by all who honor and admire the
brave men who have become disabled
by wounds and disezsss, willie fight
ing to preserSe the Government from
the ruthless hands of traitors:
During our recent trip to Dayton in
attendance upon the session Of the
Grand Lodge of Ohio, we availed our
selves Of an opportunity to visit the
National Soldiers Home, established
about three miles west of Dayton.
This is an institution. that, through
the perseverance of General Schenck
and loyal Congress has been e5tab-
lished as a home for disabled soldiers,
from all the States of the Union. All
that is required to gain admission Is
for the applicant to hold an honorable
discharge from the army of the Unit
ed States, bearing upon its face the
fact that his disability was engendered
during his term Of service. Armed
with this, let him be ever so poor, a.
hearty welcome awaits him, and kind
usage and good fare will be his lot as
long as he chooses to remain.
When we were there between six
and seven hundred were present, and
about two hundred absent on furIOugh,
and as the winter comes on they ex-
pect to have the number increased to
about one thousand. We were kindly
welcomed by Chaplain Earnshaw, and
Capt. Woodruff, the Secretary and Stew
ard, and under their charge we visited
the several places of interest, includ-
ing the printing Office, where the
blanks for all the reports that are need
ed for use about the "Home" are
printed by One-armed printer, aided
by others more or less disabled the
tin shop, where all the tinware requir-
ed is made; the blacksnith's shop; the
carpenter shop; the full diet dining
hall; the music hall, billiard room, &c.
The school room and reading room
were especial objects OF interest to US,
and require more than a passing no
tice. The school is in charge Of Miss
Eaton, of New Hampshire, who is
working like hero, and has the salts
faction of knowing that her labOrs are
being blessed. She showed US sOms
specimens Of book keeping that were
highly creditable, and we know OF
persons transacting business who know
much less of book keeping than these
disabled men do. She pointed out to
US a one armed-cOlOred man who had
learned to write with his left hand, he
having sacrificed the other to sustain
the Government, which is in turn Civ
ing him home until he is enabled to
do for himself
We examined some Of his writing
and found it neatly done and plainly
legible. The pupils under Miss
EatOn's charge are not such as one
would prefer to teach, all other things
being equal, but she is doing a noble
work. The oldest scholar under in
structiOn is 80, and the youngest
about q years. The Reading Room
we found a delightful place, filed
with books, pictures and newspapers.
Mrs. Putnam, of Massachusetts, whose
only son fell at the battle Of Balls
Bluff, has donated her sons library,
of over 500 volumes and
115 pictures, rare works of art which
he had selected during a tour he made
in Europe before the war. The Lii
brary has been named "Putnam's Ii
brary," in honor Of the donor, and
we know that for years to come this
will be the leading feature of the
"HOme," i" filled as it is with entertain
ing books and pictures of the rarest
kind, and papers from all sections Of
our common country.
We paid our respects to General
the Governor of the
''Home," +" in a hasty call, and left with
a pleasant impression of all who are
connected with this great national
WOIhs 4uG ''LlOul6 was GSLdUlL5tlCu
and is supported by the interest of a
fund that accrued from fines and con-
fscated property during the war. II
contains $40 acres of land, all enclosed,
and is being laid off in the most beau
tiful manner, and adorned iu the
highest style of landscaping. The
"HOme" is beautiful in itself, and
then having coupled with it the OBJ
jCCt for which it was established,
makes it, to those who feel a bond Of
sympathy for those who periled their
lives that our land might be frrc,
dOubly beautiful. Let none Of our
of readers who may visit
Dayton, fail to spend a day at the
"Soldiers' Home"
To Chaplain ERrnshaw We desire to-
extend our warmest thanks for his
acts of kindness, and we bespeak hi.u
the prayers of all praying men aud
women, as he is in situation If re-
holding as it were the
of the thousands of men Jnd r
his charge, in his very Keeping