Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-08-03
For the SPECTATOR.
Letter from the University of Virginia.
UNIVERSITY OF VA, july %, 1880,

UNIVERSITY OF VA, July %, 1880.
This quiet eve, lulled by the faint
sound of rafting cabs and volumes of
inspiring music pervading the air. we
attempt to give the current news of the
day. Just two jocund weeks have
passed DER our head since the cerulean
skies and vine-clad hills of old Augusta
recedeG in the distance and b. r verdure
go gently died away, as the nadden'd
train rushed fearlessly into the Blue
Ridge tunnel. that lonely sepulchre,
suited only for the dead The solemn
knell of death came and went in sad
vibrations until few glimmering rays
of light beamed forth as much welcomed
as the returning dawn after II tedious
night of lowering storms. From the
eastern slope of the Ridge our eye was
directed to the right over par ched and
apparently inhospitable laDd- cape, al
though a wooded dell, scattered here
and there, might contain gems of purest
rays. A few moments more, and the
object of our observation has vanished
away like shadows over the heath.
Gliding along through hills and valleys,
when finally the whistle of he great
locomotive indicated our approach to
Charlottesville, the place of our sojourn.
Now we are safely here in almost the
elysian fields of Paradise, environed by
atmospheres of erudition, refinement,
and affabilities. Our Institute ladies at
first bore expressions of age, SORROWS,
and disappointments, but of late, by fire..
quent applications of hair-dyes. paints,
and starch, $50 / am informed,) they
resemble the roseate lustres of the early
morn, quotation borrowed from law
student, who was DESTROYS of poking
fun at our school marms.
All of our school girls are modest, ac-
complished, sociable, and, in fact. they
are fine specimens of Virginia's proud
daughters. They seem quite fastidious
in points of appearance, one having re
marked she had not seen a handsome
gentleman on the grounds. Home
sickness and absence from sweet hearts
appear to be their prevailing complaints.
The school is still complete in num-
Der, and will prove, beyond doubt,
highly beneficial to- all present At 81
o'clock, A. M, the school is taken in
and closes at IL, NJ, and during those
intervening hours lectures are delivered
by Messrs Newell and McGlvray,
though in the past few days, in these
hours, DR.. Ruffner has commenced q
course of lectures on Geology" and
also Prof. Mayo, Of Mass. on Tine The
ory and Practice of Teaching"
When exercises are concluded at noon,
the school is divided off into sections OF
some forty or fifty teachers each, pre-
sided over by what is termed a repeat
err" selected by the officers. Some times
animated discussions arise on various
subjects, participated in by both sexes.
Every afternoon, at 81 o'clock, some
one ofthe University Professors lectures,
and the following topics have already
been discoursed upon: "Chen, istry,"''
by Prof. Mallet; School of Athens,
by Prof Davis; Recent discoveries in
North America by Prof. Holmes
Mathematics, by Prof. Venab!e.
The gallery in the public hall is open
at all hours Of the day to spectators, VINO
adorn these apartments especially III
crowds in the evening.
Miss Magill has given two of her Sc.
lect readings in Washington Hail. Las'
Friday night, in our leisure moments
we attended her reading exercises IN tne
hall. replete with literary taste and cul'
ture. She is evidently skilled in eiocu'
ton. In Rotations where grave, serious
or appellative sentences are cor cerneo
she executes them in a most toucnlng
and pathetic manner When those OF
ludicrous or ridiculous nature are taKen
up, she cannot be excelled. Her reclta,
tions on "Wilyum's Watermllyum'