The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-20

Several More Things aboHt the Educa-
tfonai AssociatiOn-Thc Teachers OF
Virginia a Rich Treasure-A Visit to
the Navy Harti-Ont the United States
ship New Hampshire, &c.
NORFOLK, July II, 1874.
] have been so much occupied with the
detailed report Of the Educational Conven-
ton that have not found time for some
other points Of interest.
/ should be glad to sketch the personnel of
the Association did time permit-to give the
names and tell something Of the character
and work OF these laborious teachers, who,
from city and town and country, from uni
vcrsity, college. academy, and public school,
have come up TO take counsel together-tell
of the struggles and triumphs Of the past
wear, and catch fresh inspiration for the
work still before them.
But one thing l must say as from year
to year have met the teachers OF the State,
formed their personal acquaintance, learned
of their methods, and studied their charac-
ter, bave been more and more convinced
that old Virginia, in her deep poverty, is
rich in those who guide her youth, and that
no other State on the continent has band
Of educators at all equal to them. Or rare
scholarship and wonderful powers of impart-
ing what they know; of great zeal, t,reie>s
energy and patience, and contagious enthusi-
asm in their proteSsion-above all, of high
moral and religious character, Il am preplr-
ing some statistics which will show that
fully .fo,tr-fths of the Professors in our Nir-
gina colleges and teachers in our schools
are professors Of religon,) lit is not wonder
fu that Virginia has more students in her
colleges, in proportion to population, than
any State in the Union or any country in
the world except Scotland, (and more than in
Scotland If we deduct our negro popuiation,)
that our academies are unsurpassed, that
our public schools are fast becoming equal
10 any in the country, and that our educa-
tional system is absolutely unriyalrd by
that Of any other State.
Tie session Of the Association which has
Just closed is considered one of the most sue.
ce<stu we have ever held. The delegation
was the largest which ever attended SEES
sion OF the Association. Thirty-two new
members were added, making two hundred
and nine now on the list. The papers were
generally scholarly and practical, the dis
cuSsionS were Of more than ordinary inter
est, and the impression made was decidedly
good.
A feature OF the presen. meeting was that
t,centy Fce or thirty lady teachers from
abroad twenty of them from Richmond),
besides number from Norfolk and Ports
mouth, graced the occasion with their pre-
Sence.
The action of the Association will enable
the lady teachers to become Associate Mem
bers," (entilled to all of the privileges except
to speak, vote, or hold office,) and larger
numbers will doubtless attend the future
sessions of the body.
The social features Of the present meeting
were greatly enjoyed, and the many points
of interest in the "twn cities by the sea "
added not little to the pleasures of the
visit.
/ was greatly interested in visit to the
navy-yard, in company with seventeen OF the
lady teachers of Richmond and Il number OF
members Of the Association. Mr. E. S.
Duval, the polite and accommodating clerk
in the engineer department, was very kind
in showing us everything and explaining it
to Us, and had time and you space | might
write i column or two on the visit.
Passing into the yard through the main
entrance, we first visited the park, and were
very much interested in many relics which
are gathered there. Parts of the men-ot-
war which figured in tue brave old days of
1Sl2-captured guns of that period; blocks
of oak from the Cumberland, Delaware,
Columbia, Columbus, PennSy lvania, and
United States; guns from the Pennsylvania,
which were broken OIL or bursted by the
fire in 1861; and a number Of captured guns
tracted attention.
We were next conducted in order through
the stcam.engineering department, and adj
ba IN
brass which 20 into a war-vessel; into the
ordnance department, where we examined
the various curious devices through which
" yillainolls saltpetre" is made to destroy
life and limb; the armory, where we we're
interested in contrasting the cutlasses, pis-
tolls, and guns which they used in the olden
time with the more modern inventions;
the boiler-shop, where they make steam
boilers Of every description--the machine
shop, where single engine turns bewil-
dering number of wheels, lathes, &C., and
turns out most beautiful machinery-a the
wood.shop, where they do everything in
wood belonging 10 vessels of every size.
We were also interested in the large stable,
the timber dock, in which timbers are SUBJ
merged until properly seasoned !; the marine
barracks in the hull of the old "St. Law
rence;" the steam pump, which pumps wa"
ter from the dry dock the steam saW'mlll,
and other departments, which so to make
up this Eost complete establishment OF I'm
Gle Sam.
But the "dry dock" is the chief attrac.
ton in the yard, and we were fortunate in
seeing it under most favorable circum.
stances. The United States steamer Dis
patch had come in for repairs, and while we
were in the yard the last Of the water was
pumped out, leaving the steamer, with her
full equipment Gag flying, dinner cooking,
full crew on board, &C., high and dry on
the stocks.
We were thus enabled to see the practical
working Of this splendid triumph of en-
cheering skill, to have explained to us how
the immense gates are opened or shut as oc-
casion may require, aud to see on the stocks
one of the most beautiful vessels in the SER
vice.
But we are off for visit to the receiving
ship "New Hampshire" which lies off the
on the same anchorage as that
formerly occupied by the old "Pennsylva-
MIA" Waving handkerchief, we are an
swered by signal, and are soon on beauti-
full row.boats sent by the officer in charge,
and reach the ship, where we are most
received by the lieutenant
commanding, George Z. Wingate, and
Lieutenant Terrill, who took great pains
to show us everything about the
ship from the upper deck to the
hold. The decks, the guns ut is l4.gun-
ship). the saloons, the printing office, the
state.rooms, the armory, the officers quar-
tiers, the hospital, the captains dog "a
famous character), the water-tank (Which
holus $4,000 gallons OF water), the system
of signals, the fre-extinguisher, and many
other things too numerous to mention,