The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-07-01
COMMENCEMENT OF VIRGINIA MEE-
ITARY INSTITUTE.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. II BOARD
OF VISITORS.
Reported for the Richmond Dispatch.

i HI fb4Il Nv Y tTtA'h'f
presiding convened to-day.
M]aiorLGcncral +. III. Smith, Supcrintcn-
dent, presented his mnua report, OF WHICH
| send Won a full! abstract. j..
lis opcring language alludcs TO thc fact
hat this is the thirticth wear, both OF nc nc
OF the Institute and Of General smith nj
ministration Of It's affairs, and makes rcvcr-
cnt;al acknowledgment Of the kind Provi-
dcncc which has watched over the lnstltu-
ton during this cycntfnl period.
THE FAST AID THE PRESENT.
.Four wears ago the war icr Il in ru'ns. It.
beautiful buildings had been destroyed by fire IT.
library and apparatus were gone; It's professor
and cadets. homeless aud almost h~cartlcsS, iollnG
n" nhIdIng place amid It's once Joyous aud familiar
sccnc<-an was dc>clati"n here. Its treasury, too.
was bankrupt no supplies OF any klnh, III lmt
general wreck. cmaincd-whilc universal gloom
Weighed down tho public heart.
1T was in The midst Of such surroundings ny
these hat the Hoard of Visitors met In Kicltm"nd
Scp,cmbcr -. lsG;. nj tine call Of tic ~npcrln'ciH.
cnt. Without hesitation, aith""Sh not Mit no NJ
~c-oycn tho institution. Without ono dollar Al
cominand to "fcr ny way = ct Sh na1 10 c, ,mc , rrHic All
and they fllcd'hc vacancies created hy TN" dcath@
JactSon, RDjcS, and fr"tchhctH, hN new an" e.
fcirnf appoiniccs. Poor as they knew The insti-
tuition to lie, the purposc was I" build II up "Eai,
upou the strength and carEcstICSs and work ri ITS
faculty. Tho 18th Of October WAS designated aS
the day for The resumption Of academic dn'lc>:
onlrtcrs I'm barracks or other academic arrange
mu"nts. rcsnnmtcd 10 The call. ard amidst Ia" ruins
"r thcjr fRuoG EGt,r resumed the studies they had
commenced during the war. AcCC~sinns 10 I'M
number were steadily made during the acahcinic
wear. until II finally reached fiiy-hvc cadets;
which animated tn" little band revived the dormant
NE Of the school. The vitality exhibited under
such discCuragcncnts prompted the Lcgisia-
turc 10 restore the annuity tho next winter:
Authority was then given 10 IN" superintendent
money /" restore the public buildings accepting
the tender mad" by The Faculty OF cn'-thlrG "a "l
the loan. Friends came forward ana Took ti' p'i't!S
of the school M p1r not because they were Il gnnl
work itself vas a good one. and they had faith that
II would bc accomplished. Provision was thus
made 10 restore - much Of The ca'i"lS' harrack. as
would accommodate one hundred ana MY cadcts
the next fan. The rooms were filled II rapidly a
they were made ready. Still the work went on.
Arrangements were mad" during Tic next summer
for The admission of one hundred additional cadets,
and still these rooms ar" filed and more :han flied.
two hundred and eighty cadets being borne nIpn
the rolls during tn" academic year. Again the
work Is pressed on. Three hundred cadets were pro-
yidcd for during the past year. The mess hall has
been restored IT, more than It's former capacity
and conycnicnccs. During this rapid restoration
the wants Of the academic departments were not
left uncarrd for. IpwardS Of >. 900 volumes were
added 10 The library mn enlarged chemical lab"ra-
tory. fully equipped with implements and arpa-
ratus, was provided. III" department of mine
rnl"gy and geology. organized under - separate
chief. received u like restoration and uu'ht. The
engineering and drawing departments were sup
piled with instruments and models, and material
for effective work while the hospital, with all the
necessary copv"micnccs for ia" sick, was rebuilt
and r"nttcd. ON" Of III" professors houses has
also been restored, and Is now occupied; tie
second Is In an advanced stag, Of rcc"nstruc'lo ion.
So that 10y the lst OF September next the whole Of
the cadets barracks and hothSr the professors
houses. the mess hall, hospital, and laboratory,
ra9iraIY !" r r%i II !" SUBJ S%E'"Ii IS lie ;'S con % a l'E Of 'f IL"
school mt the end o. f"ur wears"
The report considers that the facts thus stated
constitute rational grounds Of Encouragement
which cannot tail To supply effective stiinnlants t"
continued labor until the institution shall have
hpru hrauyIi M Ia i.a usefulness ana rp.Iuwu 81
tho past" The BOARD is congratulated upon tho
fac, Tia, The L ,r. N E In,I ! ,r, Iu "'i IN n "r, S;nni iI Inrn-
sure to their administration. Grateful acki"w-
lcdgmcnt i made I" them for The Influences cNcrtcd
by Them "as constituting one Of The chief agencies
in all that has been accomplished.
AN ABSENT MEMBER or THE HOARD.
cone. indeed, al your number, who lrs borne
his unwcaricd part through II period OF twenty
tendance as II member Of the BOARD, - Dgcio, du-
ring this long period. Is absent To-day by n"choicc
wise counsel hay" c"nst rutIy received from this
venerable and faithful public servant Of III" Com
si1ntIy felt the force of his strong sustaining arm.
MAY his valuable life stillh" pared for many years
of usefulness TO the state and lis Institutions
FINANCES.
The report exhibits a very gratifying condition
OF financial affairs. the balance lett IL The credit ct
the Institute being $50. la".2,. Tho Whole of his
II has been thought PROPER. under the influence 81
IN "r"rruling Necessity, l." grant ,lhcr3i ln"Gi-
gpnIcS - 10 the parents bl INC tF''''~. IL - ~
ficvcd. however, that no risk is incurred by this
indulgence. AMI ii j. know that The credit at The
institution Is IN II" wi>c impaired BY inc cnnl"rHri
delay thus occasioned i'll meeting lis lllli'idual
Tie report recommends that interest, payable
Ecini-anuually, he allowed upon the bond. hcld ny
the professors underline loan made by them Of one
thErl a. 81 their annual salaries. The amount al
the debt ~,w!thntt INTEREST," to Isl OF July, 1869, l.
SonruEKS prnr>.
Debts contracted by the Institute with northern
merchants previous Ia the war were not paid over
t. the confscatiom courts Of The Confederate States.
Upon the close al lac s;rLEsi" communication was
immediately opened with III" creditors Of the insti-
tuition aud now a settlement ,h;as been elected
with all Of them dpon terms which were tair aud
iust-viz., 10y an abatement Of the interest TO- 1T
July, lsG5, and by giving The notes Of the Institute
,t six, twelve, and eighteen months, IN equal pay
meats, for The balance dee; This entire Debt Is
Sll. ore. 5a and arrangement has Been mao" 10 pay
ii 10y the lsto OF July, 1870.
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.
detailed sketch Of the course Of instruction in
each department Is given, accompanied hAa sum
ring The year. Deserved compliments are paid to
the several heads OF these different departments,
and To- their assistants. In til" section. dcvotedfo
the department Of tactics, military history, and
strategy" which Is under the control Of Colonel
Shipp, commandment of the cadets, ii Is stated that
.'th" discipline OF the institution las been GOO:
aud the tone and general, character Of thG cadets
have been steadily elevated under the administra-
tInn which now happily directs them
The Department OF Physics was organized Al the
last meeting "fthc Board. Commodore Maury was
elected Professor, and entered upon The duties Of
his office on the lpthof September, and has been as
>idunuslS Cnragctiiu the development OF the tmpur-
taat Interests embraced In his. department.. Ills
preliminary report on The Physical Survey Of Nir-
gInia. copics Of which have been communicated To
The Board, vii. show the magnitude and character
Of The work which has been undertaken. lfhi> la
hrrs can only meet with that appreciation on the
part al he public which they deserve, Virginia viii
soon realize ric!, return In the development ct icr
Niaury /, respectfully submitted to the considers
ton III thc Board of Visitors"
DISCIPLINE AND GENERAL MORAL CllAENcTER.
at i pleasing To notice the great improvement
which has been observed In the department al III"
cadets since the restoration OF the Institution IN
1855. The tone Of honor and OF gCntlcmarly pro-
prIcty has been Con>picu"usly in1rnrd year ny
Wear, and has been II" less apparent during Inc past
:rtr. This general tone i net only "h%crN;thlc IN
The outward department OF the cadet, but III their
= regular ana faithful discharge, "i 8uiA. As Il con-
sequence. cases 81 "Aii'mc discipline are rare,
and In most eases have resulted either from the ut
Ter w"rthi"a>ncNs. oil The l"dlNiduaL; or If"la
ouyhtlcs.nc>>-thc bad being rooted out at Tho
school, the careless and thonghtlcSs brought 10 bet
Ter consideration ana dulE.
one A~NIzArIoN or \ NEW DErAKTMEST
alt /, recommended hS the Academic Board that
the Department II Fine Irt>, organized under the
general plan al the institution. he pat into IractI-
al orrr;tiiou by the election of Mr.. William d.,
Washington as Professor al Fine Arts. He i Il
riitcd SON nf Virginia, and has already contributed
several admirable portraits. wliri race the mess
hal! and form II nucleus ot Il future piCtur" gal
lcrv. such II department must become 4 necessity
1r,r II while. The Institute has not The power 10
IlItw IL now, nut IL i thought tlit mere - -itSn Il
prospect OF eventual remuneration a. 10 Justify the
BOARD In making, and MIR. aSlington in accept
ing. such an appointment. The subject j. respect
Gillv submitted 10 the consideration Of The Board
OF Visitors
uEALTiI.
NO serious sickaes, has occurred this year.
Ilv cases reported on the SICK list are necessarily
n 1aTcc. when ii Is remembered that no cadet is cA-
bcuscd from any duly-not even from Il roll call, or
= drill, or dress parade, for a Spraincd finger, or
other Ike disability, without being reported on the
sick list
K~kMARkAnLk RELIGIOUS iNTfKEST.