The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-06-21
A Promising Young Virginian.
WAsHINeToN. D. C.. June 5. 1SS3.


M. Editor: desire sufficient space in
your columns to call the attention of your
readers to ayoung Virginian whose ability
and promise are worthy of the notice Of
his fellow state men. The subject of my
writing is MI. Scott Wool, Of Staunton,
Va, who graduated from tie College De-
partment OF Howard University Thurs
day evening, May 81, with great credit to
himself, his friends and h is instructors.
1t has been my privilege to know Mr..
Wood during his course at Howard Uni
yersity, and [ have noticed his student life
with an interest attracted by the peculiar
earneStneSS of his efforts to prepare him
self for a place among the world S able
men. This earneStneSS consisted of a de-
termination to understand everything and
a disposition to accept nothing which was
not well understood. The philosophic
principles and discussions with which the
college text book are rife. are too often
learned rather than understood by the
student. He who would profit most by his
scholastic course and develop his faculties
best must so far as possible investigate
and determine for himself the laws and
truths which he finds enumciated, follow
ing the methods of their ,propounders, as
we'll as original methods OF his own. MI
Wood was a true student in this respect.
searching after knowledge with thirst
which increased with advancement. l
have rarely seen among students such zeal
as he eyinced in the pursuit of some OF his
studies especially. lie has q pleasing ad-
dress and force and earnestness OF charac-
ter which made him the leader among his
fellows and respected and admired by those
who knew him. One who cOnyerSeS with
this gentleman is convinced of his ability
by the force and fluency with which he
presents the most plausible ideas in appro-
priate words. He is well read for a close
and hard student. Those who heard Mr..
Woods Grafton at his commencement were
gratified indeed He particularly eXcels as
a speaker. He has style of his own, at
once individual and forcible. To be an
orator one must lend his whole being to
his effort. So this speaker impressed us
because of the earneStneSS with which he
presented his well written speech. His
soul was in the effort-and so were the
souls of his hearers. | am convinced that
some of his utterances, il made by re-
nowned men, would be quoted and pre-
served because OF their cOnclseneSS and
pregnancy of thought.
One naturally wishes to see such young
men as the one am presenting succeed as
soon as possible in securing such positions
as will enable them to exert q full and
healthful influence upon the progress OF
their fellow beings. There is great need
Of young men with ability, courage and
manliness, and for such there are always
places. Even now Mr.. Wood scarcely
leaves the threshold of college ere the Vir
ginia Normal School looms up, devoted to
a race. destined to influence the future of
great State, and only needing men worthy
OF its cause. My subject is well suited for
a position as instructor in this school. He
has requirements adequate to the task, and
the cause is such as would enlist all his en-
ergy. He is fresh from a school of the
higher education, and is therefore well pre-
pared to instil into other youth what has
been so well and so lately taught him. He
at the University. Most OF all he has a
deep interest in his race everywhere and a
determination to devote himself to their
welfare, but especially is he interested in
that race in Virginia. He believes a new
era has begun for them in connection with
the late political movement, with which
he is in full sympathy. He regards the
school as most beneficent outcome OF pol
itics, and likely to do great good among
people reaching after wisdom. His anxiety
for the success of the school, if allowed to
spend itself as an effort in connection with
this institution, would lend material aid
toward the accomplishment OF the object
for which it has been founded. Influential
men all over the State who know him, and
certainly his many friends in his own sec
ton, the Valley would be highly pleased
to have this worthy young gentleman APP
pointed to one of the positions soon to be
filled at the Normal School. And should
he be appointed he would do credit to his
Alma Mater, his race and his noble State,
which cheers the young and fosters the
worthy. Very Respectfully,
j. II. HOWARD, M. d.