The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-10-05

CHESTER, Sept. %, 1869.
Mn. EDITOR

tne HeslsteI
CHESTER, Sept. 90, 1869.
! Mn EDtToR -
e Perhaps few words
from one whose educational home is in
! Middlebury, will not be unwelcome to the
! Register readers. A stranger among
strangers is a strange being. He looks
strangely, he acts strangly, he is strange.
\ our contributor is one of those beings,
and that | may be carried back on the
wings Of memory, to scenes and faces moi
stamped with the chilling strangeness, l
am impelled to put on paper a few
thoughts of semi-sick day.
When first taken from home and fami-
lar faces and objects, we experience most
keenly the lonely, homesick feeling. Four
years within the old gray walls on the
hill, leave their impress on the heart as
well as the mind, and our Alma Matters
/ last fifteen now scattered and separated,
some by thousands of miles, have our
common sentiment, that they miss the
dear old college days. The vacation
seems already too long, and it is more
than time that We should be giving Mr..
Larned our checks, and we, shouldering
our valises, should with happy hearts be
marching through the College parks, s,sing-
ing the class and College songs. But
those days come again no more, and we
appreciate them fully, only when beyond
our reach.
The place Of my sojourn is one Of the
prcttiest villages of Vermont. In Ches-
ter proper W. have one principal street,
! lined portion of the distance with dou-
bic row Of trees, protecting its sidewalks
from sun and rain. The maple is the IA
voritc shade tree, and the whole village is
buried in them. The private dwellings
are remarkably white and neat in appear
churches and academy. A new Episco-
pal church is in process of building, and
looks as country Episcopal churches will
look, decidedly wedgy, as though they
had the cramp.
, As Middlebury depends on its college
/ for its life, and almost for its existence,
so Chester lives in It's academy. Nide
from this it is dead. There is little Of
public spirit no common bond of union.
Each one lives for self, and that common
sympathy which imparts life and vigor to
religious, educational and social bodies is
not fourishing here. So little of excite
ment is there that hand-organ will gath
er around it to hear its soul stirring music,
a crowd after two or three turns of the
grinder. Frenchs' Circus turned even
lawyers heads here more than in Middle
bury, and fight that was fought here
two months ago, is one of the chief topics
of conversation.
Every inan, woman and child can tell
you the hour of each birth and death
which has occurred within their existence,
in the place. Funerals are well attended,
and | doubt not Il double motive prompts
the attendance of so many, to pay their
last offerings to the dead, and to be cnliv-
ened even by a funeral ceremony.
/ OF marriages have heard of none and
I believe when any such catastrophe is to
happen, the village authorities oblige the
mad parties to leave town and have the deed
performed, lest the unusual excitement
would disturb the equilibrium ofthe town.
The central point of interest and at
traction is the school, which is in very
Aourishing condition 1t numbers, exeIu-
sive of primary scholars, about one hun
dred and ten, the majority of whom are
from out of the place. New Hampshire
sends quite delegation. An interesting
debate is held by the gentlemen, weekly.
and the ladies have their well-edited and
prosperous paper. The school forms a
community by itself. | 10 not hesitate
to say that no place inour State can offer
better inducements for scholars wishing
to attend closely to study than this. The
quiet makes it a school place.
I \ course of lectures will be started
very soon, and everything is being done
to make the school instructive and. pleas
ant. There is good library connected
with the school, to which the scholars
have free access. A chemical and philo-
sophical apparatus belongs 10 the acade-
my. The music class numbers seventeen,
and is taught by Miss Howe, one of the
first pianists in the State. 4 prayer
meeting is to he held weekly, by the stu
dents, among whom are earnest working
christians. In conclusion | would say
IL -....I