Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-29
LETTER From pIRGINIA.


The people of Danville arc full of enterprise and
business activity. In intelligence, morals, tastes
and tcmpers theymay be regarded fair index
| Of Southern towns within my acquaintance. With
some exceptions they not literary people and
have no habitual relish for deep thinking and i'm
| proved mental culture as means Of refined en-
| joymen. Crcuses, "mirthful comic shows y
shooting matches and other gaming are diversions
having with the masses The prominence.
Within the last few days we have had pleas
ant episode in series OF nine lectures by DR.. Bar
ker, somewhat celebrated lecturer, on Man
taken from phrenolog zeal stand point, and stu
more highly intellectual treat in series OF three
by Rev. DR.. Munsey, "Man" viewed from
moral stand pont-"Ideal, AIT, Music and Eli
ah." We very much doubt whether the people
Of Danyille ever enjoyed an entertainment Of
equal richness in thrilling eloqueEce Of mctaphy-
steal reasoning and poetic description. The DIR.
is man Of surprising genius, Of highly cultiya-
ted mind, yivi id mae nation, and hold spell
bound and sway at will the largest kind of an
dicnce for any reasonable time.
The Virginia Conference of the NJ. f. chuich,
South is now holding its eighty-frst annual ses-
sion in this city. 1t is presided over by Bishop
McTyere. l am told it was held here ten years
ago. About one hundred and fifty clerical and
fifty lay delegates are reported to be in attend
ance and are fine, clever looking body Of meE of
talent and ability. Some, however, show a pre-
ponderencc eff the lymphatic rather than the ner-
vous temperament and are Il splendid commenta-
tory on the salubrious climate and good living OF
the land, for Jeshuran like they have waved fat.
The reports fthe presiding elders of the several
districts are fraught with interesting and sugges
tive lessons and present hopeful condition Of
things generally. They aude to the hard times
since the war and yet they have built and re-
paired churches and parsonases until there seems
to be but little lack Fifty thousand dollars
expended for the purpose during the year in the
Norfolk district alone. Liberal collections for
missionary purposes were also mentioned as well
as commendable zeal in Sabbath school work.
Commensurate with the status of these has been
the revival interest. One district reports seven
hundred and another nine hundred conversions.
Two reported things on the good old time order;
"yet have the cid fashioned class meetings, love
fessts etc." while these | Judge are ignored by
them.
1t may not be uninterestng to some of the read
ers of the journal to see brief account of our
large and flour ishing school for freedmen at DAN
vile which was opened about ten years ago and
has been in successful operation ever since 1t is
powerful institution and numbers at the present
| time four hundred and fifty students. They are
of all ages from five to twenty five years, with
pacties varying wonderfully and not Away as
| might be supposed according to color. The gross
wickedness and cruel injustice of the "sum of all
villaines" in its big htipg effects is exhibited in
every shade Of color, from the jetty black of the
full booded African with his peculiar characters
tics of nose, lips and hair to that of the Anglo
| Saxon with straight hair, regular features and
clear light complexion. The school is divided in
| to fonr departments-onc Normal, two Intcrmed-
| late and one Primary. All the teachers arc from
Maine. Eta ii. Pratt of Benton, a graduate OF
Maine Wesleyan Seminary and a successful teach
er in charge of the Normal school is well calcula-
ted to lead this class forward in their preparation
| for the active duties of life The studies pursued
| in this division in addition to the common Eng
lsh are Algebra, Physiology and History. The
students are full of animation, decofous, studious
and reasonably proficient. The two intermediate
| departments under the care of Maria W. Morrell,
Fairfield, and Annie Pratt, Benton, efficient wolk-
enthusiasm Of their studies on them, number each
| about scventy-tvc. In the second of these de-
partments, Geography. Grammar and Arithmetic
begun and successfully carried forward in the
| first. Arvilla Chapman of Pittston, assisted by
| Julia E. Jones of China, has charge of the Primary
| school, which numbers over two hundred and is
composed of all the rude, unframed geniuses who
have never known any practical definition of the
word school before. Here the tact and patience
| of the good dscplnarian find their match control
| ing the element Of mischief exhibiting itself in
| grimaces, antique evolutions and every magina-
BILE style of man@uyreings approximating the
ridiculous. They are taught much from the chart,
often learning the alphabet in an astonishingly
short time. 1t it amusing to see twenty of the
little fellows and girl, boiling over with fun and
animation, standing with restless feet before the
chart on which their great laughing eyes are fixed
with supreme delight, watching to catch the first
motion and word Of the teacher Us she points them
to the simple elements of our mother tongue.
| This department is fortunate in having teacher
of experience who has spent several years in this
work and combines all the genteness of maternal
| Kindness with the frmness which makes her mis-
tress Of the situation. Tie school at Danville is
only one of several in this State and in North
Carolina under the auspices of the Friends of Phil
adelphia. These are made efficient a. educational
centres, from which there is constantly radating
powerful influence, which is being felt on tie
masses through the country with whom we arc
not brought in direct contact.
In this blessed work Of educating, Maine has
had her share. The much loved james Van Blar-
com, long time Superintendent of Oak Grove
Seminary and faithful minister of Christ, con-
tracted the seeds of disease which issued in death
while experimenting the work of this association
ON the Peninsula. Many Of the most efficient
teachers have been from there.
Not only at Danville is Maine represented this
winter; at Chrstiansburg Nellie X. Phillips Ct
yassalboro' is one of corps Of four. Lucy S.
Reed of Benton and Annette Drummond of Wins
low are located at Salem, N. c. Mary and Ada
Rideout of Benton are at Salisbury and Louise S.
Dorr of Norridgewock Mary l.. Nelson of Sedge-
wick and Maria Page of Rockport at Raleigh.
A. whole there are no better in the field, whose
labors are justly appreciated. A. II. JONES.