Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-05-03
Letter From Fayette County.

We have received the following letter
and think it worthy an Insertion as t
contains considerable historical infor
nation. The writer is a soldiers or
phsn,' II years OF age, a pupil at the
Jumonville Orphans School En-.
JrMoxyuLE, March 2S, 'S3.
The Unontown Soldiers Orphan
school is situated five miles from Uuiou.
town. the county seat OF Fayctte coun.
ty. The school is situated on one of
the highest points on the Laurel Ridges.
ON the east side of the school is high
hill, the highest perhaps in western
Pennsylvania. You can see the sur.
rounding country for about twenty
miles from il. People conc up here
every year to enjoy the scenery. About
nine miles from the school Is the place
where Washington built Fort Necessity,
1t is situated IN Great Meadows, a bat.
tie was fought there during the French
and Indian war. The Nlrglninn under
Major George Washington were com.
PEELED TO fall back to Font Necessity.
The first blood ot the long war that fol.
lowed was shed there on the 18th of
May l7ji The commander ui the
French wts kiilri Two d,,- after the
commander ct the British Colonel Fry
died leaving Washington in the chief
command OF the British. Hearing Of
some French and Indians Washington
fell back to Great Meadows and hdIlt
Fort Necessity. Near Fort Necessity is
Braddock's grave. Bradiock was
British general in the French and In.
dian war, lie was marching from the
Potomac river to capture Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne was situated where Pitts.
burg now stands. lie was near the
MononGahala river when his army was
surprised and defeated by some Indians
in ambush. Nearly all of Braddocll $
officers were killed or wounded. Wash
ington was the only officer not wound.
ed. He offered Braddock some advice
before the battle but Braddock would
not listen to him. Braddock was NOR.
tally wounded and died from the effects
of his wound. Washington read Brad.
docks burial services. Braddock was
buried where Clay pike now runs His
remains were taken up recently and
buried on the left side Of Clay's pike.
Clay's pike runs three miles from here.
II is so called because Henry Clay laid
it out. Jumonville's grave Is about one
half mile from here. JumOnyllle was
French general in the French and
Indian wars. There is a cross on his
grave with the words "kllled on the -.
of may l7ji."
We have about two hundred happy
boys and girls in our school. The
hours are divided into periods called
details. Each detail is about two hours
long. Church is held here every SAB.
bath at II m, and Sabbath school at
, p m. Each boy gets a citizen suit Of
clothes when he is sixteen ycars Of age.
All eat in one house. All the mend
ing OF shoes is done in one shop. There
are four rooms in the school building
for school purposes. All the studying
OF the higest grades il done in one room
and recited in the other two rooms.
We have half hour to prepare each
lesson and then another half hour TO
reclte IL. The primary school has one
room and one teacher. The hoya are
drilled every year and when Decoration
day comes we 60 to town and decorate
the soldiers graves We are examined
every year by the state -upt. or one or
his deputies. We get vacation Of six or
seven weeks every year. Waters IA the
principal and is very kind to Us. lie
had a church built last wear and il ia
nearly ready for use now. About every
year some Of the scholars Join tho
church. Worship IA held in the school
room every morning and evening.
Snrua nj tho Iaeu -
room and hear reading. Girls meet in
their rea ling room about every evening
for the same purpose. T. ". BAIL