West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-05-16
More Charleston Notes.
(Ltst q Feao More.)


heard from.
Charleston has many things to
see and talk about and is a place
hard to get away from, especially
if one is stopping at
THE HALE HOUSE.
AS you enter the city by the Fer
ry the Hale's palatial front with
hospitable doors wide open, greets
you at once; and as you enter the
spacious office hall, there is such
an air of roomy restfulness, that
you feel at home all over and all
''round about"
The Hale House was originally
built for the future, when Charles
ton should be the political center
and Capital of the State, and for
room and elegant outfit was plan
ned accordingly. Now that that
culture" is here, the "Hale" is just
in season.
Mr.. Fitz, the genial proprietor
for several years past, has recently
become the owner of the house by
purchase, and will at once refit and
refurnish it throughout in first
class style.
One of the fixed institutions OF
this city of the valley is
THE KANAwHA MILITARY INsT1-
TUTE.
Major Snyder is evidently an en-
thusiast in his work, and as en-
thusiasm is always catching" the
boys under his care, are as a mat
ter of course quite ambitious in
their studies and drill.
If there be any who imagine
that this school is simply a place
for a little "uniform" fun, and
Observation-Disclosures" exercise they
are much mistaken. There are now
fifty cadets in the Institution re-
ceiving thorough instruction in
the sciences and languages through
a regular four years course.
Major Snyder informed us that
they had classes in Latin, French
and German, and were teaching all
that is taught in the Virginia Mil
itary School.
The "boys" looked gay, and
withal, as invincible as the "Old
Guard" themselves, when out in
their neat uniforms with martial
music doing the honors unto the
Hon. Sam Randall, while the said
"Sam" and ourself were in the city,
| eve want to say in passing that
the simultaneous visits of Mr.. Ran
dali and the FREEMAN representa-
tive had no special signification),
We spent no more pleasant and
profitable hour while in the valley
than that engaged in visiting
THE CHARLESTON SCHOOLS.
In accepting the cordial invita-
ton to visit the schools, we only
had time in company with friend,
to look in for few minutes upon
the several rooms-full of the busy
children and youth of Charleston.
1t was written examination day,
and we couldn't blame the Superin-
tendent, Prof. G. HI. Smart, for his
evident pride in exhibiting the
written work of the several grades.
We are by no means an expert
in Judging of school work, but the
exceeding neatness and accuracy
of the papers being prepared by the
pupils even down to the lowest
grades, certainly evinced most sys-
tematic care and thorough drill on
the part of the teachers.
Then too, the concert exercises
were well nigh perfectly done, as
many as two and three scores of
children all reciting some choice
selection in unison as if by one
voice.
We were especially delighted
with the military exploits" of
about a regiment of small boys.
This struck US in tender place,
as we used to be captain of a corn
stalk company of ten-year-olds our
SELF
| AS the little fellows came to the
hall door at the close of recess, Prof.
Smart took command, and the way
they We're marched and re-marched
up and down the spacious hall, and
put through the "about face" "sa-