Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-05-31
Letter From Ohurchyille.

correspondence of the Staunton VINDfGAToR.1
Editors indicator:
lnotice frequent communications to your
paper from almost every part of the county
except Churchville. From this the infer
ence might be drawn, that this place is of
1883 Importance than almost any other in
the county. This however would be very
erroneous conclusion. AS, in many re-
spects, Churchville will fairly rank first
among the numerous little villages of Au-
gusta, and the fact that she has not come
forward to assert her claims upon the at
tentlon of the public, as a progressive town,
IS, think, entirely owing to the intense
modesty of her people, which Of itself is
commendable. Il think after that last
statement, it is entirely superhuous to say
that the present writer is not native.)
There are no dot BIT many of your read
ers who know all about Churchville; but
as there are many more who do not, | pro-
pose to give brief cursory description of
the place and its people. That is, from
the Impressions made upon the writer as a
stranger. Ii / make mistakes I am will
ing to be corrected.
Chnrchville has two thriving stores,
with fine stocks OF goods, and merchants
who know how to run them; two carriage
and wagon shops. two blacksmith shops,
two Touring and chopping mills, two tailor
shops, six shoemaker shops, an undertaken
and cabinet makers shop, two physicians,
who by the way are altogether too skilful
for the prosperity of the undertaken, and
skilful architect and builder.
The public institutions are, four
churches, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lu-
theran and United Brethren, the pulpits
of which are all ably filled. and graded
school, which means [ conclude frcm
slight observations made, that the two
dozen pupils are al! graded on one level.
The graded school building is great won
der IN its way. Its appearance reminds
the beholder very forcibly of the Western
Lunatic Asylum, in your town. For fur
Their particulars enquire in person.
Churchville is pleasantly located, nest
ling among the hills, with the rich wood
ed slopes of the North mountains in the
background, and surrounded by rich
agricultural district, and at an altitude
which insures freedom from all malarial
diseases. We now come down to the peo-
pie. Of them as a whole, too much cannot
be said in their praise They are plain
unobtrusive ingenious people, preemi-
nently social, and dispense that genuine
whole-souled hospitality which SO delights
the heart of stranger, and makes it i'm
possible that he should not become attach
ed to, and feel at home among them.
There is in Churchville notable lack of
that rough dissipated class, Indigenous to
most little country towns and villages.
This then is the Churchvillf3 of the pres
emit. What it may attain to in the future
l am not prepared to even suggest. The
nIQna Of ocf to F,.,N
elements of progress. It has plenty OF
room in which to grow. All it needs is
to make it grow. In fact Churchvllle is
susceptible Of ''great possibilities For in
stance it is barely possible that in the dim
future, the unparalleled undertaking Of
fencing in the grave yard, in the center of
the village, and which is now utilized as a
hog pasture, may be taken UP. There; II
have get my foot in it now,7' so I may as
we'll wade through. This is the one great
eye sore OF this otherwise pleasant little
village: Inere are two grave yards on the
main street of the village, one of which is
surrounded by fence consisting of a few
broken posts, filled in with air of the usual
density, and as this kind OF fence does not
stop cattle and hogs, they have the uninter-
rupted run OF What should be a sacred
spot, and this is not recent thing, but it
has been so for years. A burying ground
In WHICH a hundred or more stones make
the resting place of the dead, III the centre
of thriving village like Churchville, be-
ing turned into a commons, a hog pasture,
is not pleasant sight, and is a crying re-
proach upon the community. And it is a
| matter of great surprise to me, that such
| really clever people as the Churchvillians,
should allow it to remain so.
1t cannot but create a Dad impression Of
the place upon the mind of stranger
| passing through, aud who can only judge
of the people by the surroundings. He
would take it for granted that it was from
| an entire lack of respect for the dead, and
thus he will get wrong impression Of
what is really a pleasant little village. and
what are decidedly agreeable and excellent
people. Therefore the people of Church
vile owe it to themselves to remove this
| one cause of reproach, and the compara-
lively small outlay OF money necessary
would bring large returns in the degree of
selt-respect that would accrue tberefrom.
There is another graveyard a little
lower down the street, which, although
fenced in, it would be difficult to decide
from appearances if it mad been fenced in
because Of being a grave yard or because it
was fine blackberry patch.
If these two matters are remedied and a
good school established, Churchville would
be one of the most desirable places Of resi-
dence in the Valley.
S. A. Y. OLDBoY.
Churchvllle, May IS.