Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-07-03
For the SPECTATOR.
Letter from Highland.

Doe HILL, VA. June 2Sth, 1877.
Messrs. Editors The Normal school
at this place, established by the enter
prising efforts of Prof. Butcher, Camp
bell, and MeQuain. IL progressing fine
ly. The exercises are both interesting
and instructive, The days work is be-
gun with singing and prayer; then fol-
low Rotations Of fifty minutes each,
with recess Of ten minutes ut the close
Of each one. The hours devoted to the
parliamentary drill".and the Theory
and Practice of Teaching'' are especially
interesting.
DIR. Ruffner, the State Superintendent
OF Public Instruction, was present dur
ing the first part of this week. His lee
lures were very instructive, especially
upon the geological formation of our
mountain country.
Teachers who do not avail themselves
OF the training in Normal Institute"
must certainly labor at q great disad-
vantage, compared with those who do.
superintendent should, and no doubt
Will be, Ve'y eracting with those teach
ers who could avail themselves of the
advantages of schools of this character
and fail to do SO. Indeed, it is a ques-
ton whether they should be licensed at
all or not. Their neglect of improving
themselves would indicate that they on
ly care to have sufficient education to
procure teachers certificate" that
they may go through the motions of
teaching and make money without
earning it. The calling of the teacher
is too sacred to be assumed merely as
means of making money.
Your correspondent recently spent
some time in the enterprising village of
Mcdowell. For neat buildings and gen
eral elegance, it surpasses any other
town in the county; indeed, Ishave
seen but very few prettier towns any
where of equal size. Three hotels, two
stores, two churches, and several shops,
constitute the public part of it. Its
peaceful precints were somewhat dis
turbed day or two ago by the arrival
OF messenger bearing the startling
news of shooting ARRAY, which ac-
Cured about five miles below town,
near Meetings. mill. 1t appears that
Jasper Bradshaw and Pierce Graham
engaged in a fist and skull fight," some
odious epithets having been first in
dulged in. In the fight Graham came
off best. But asssoon as he released the
antagonist, he bradshaw went into the
store, got gun, came out, and, as Ora
ham was making off, shot him. His
gun was loaded with squirrel shot. The
wound is very painful, but not necessa-
rily fatal. In the trial before the magis-
trate it was ascertained that Graham
was in fault in picking the quarrel, and
Bradshaw in using his gun after he was
released. The prisoner was bailed in
the sum of 5000 to answer an indictment
by the grand jury. This is the first oc-
currence of the kind that has taken
place for several years
The County Court was in session du-
ring Monday and Tuesday. Some in
dictments were made against parties re-
siding on Jackson's river. From this
part OF the county comes most of the
The rain continues to fall in copious
showers. Vegetation is growing rapid
ly, and there is promise of peace and
plenty.
A Sacramental meeting was held ut
Hightown last Sunday by the Rev. Mr.
See of the Presbyterian church, assisted
by Rev. Mr.. Laird.
A quarterly meeting will be held in
the Methodist church at Monterey next
Saturday and Sunday. Uric.
MCDOWELL, VA, June 29th, 1871
| Great excitement filled the minds of
the Villagers mere This evening at
an alarm of fire, occasioned by the
burning of the stable at the Methodist
parsonage. 1t was struck by lightning.
From the locality of the parsonage and
stable it seemed to be the parsonage that
was burning instead of the stable. All
knew that the Ere had been caused by
the vivid flash of lightning that had
just flashed through every dwelling
From the terrific thunder, which was
simultaneous with the flash, those who
ran to the scene of disaster expected to
find the inmates,dead-h the great
excitement. Several persons Tented
before it could be ascertained where the
fire was. There was one horse in the
stable belonging to Rev. j. L. Gilbert.
Strange to say. he was unhurt and leap
ed out as soon as the door was opened.
URIC.