Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-03-05


time breakfast is ready and all repair to
the second story. form in ranks again and
at given signal file into large, we'll ar
ranged dining room, where teachers and
scholars, at least 225 persons, eat togeth-
or, the boys and girls at separate tables.
Here only conversation is allowed, and
nothing batter illustrates the happy effect
OF the wholesome influences thrown
around this large family than the cheer
ful chatter which accompanies the excel.
Isn't and abundant meal. BOYS of all
sizes, from ten years up and girls from
eight are arranged at the long tables &C
cordlng to their classes and altogether they
appear TO be the happiest, largest and best
appointed family the writer has ever seen.
After all have eaten and are fiIled-and
what an enormous quantity it takes to
I'LL over 200 elastic young stomachsl q
teacher strikes little bell and all rise to
their feet, another tap and they file quiet.
| ly out in the hall and are dismissed.
! After short time for rest and recrea-
ton, the pupils go TO their recitation study
rooms where, with short intermission.
| they spend the morning hours. After din
ner the boys are assigned their regular
manual work, some in the Woodshop, some
| in the iron and tool room, others in the
| engine and boiler rooms, on the farm,
fatigue and police duty; the girls sewing
knitting, cleaning, up. &c.; it is as busy
hive as ever queen-bee presided over.
| A To e
and rest, after which the lavatories are
again visited, then supper, followed by
| prayers in the chapel again conducted by
Capt. Vawter, the Superintendent. After
prayers, the little fellows go to bed, the
larger ones do some more studying, and
by 10 every pupil must be in his separate
bed, which are arranged in rows in the
the dormltories, and trusty watchmen are
up all night watching over them in order
to guard against fire, accidents from sleep
walking, or to attend to any sudden sick
ness or call that might naturally occur oc-
casionally among such number of young
people.
WHAT AUGUSTA is DOING FOR THE
SCHOOL.
One may spend whole day with inter-
est and profit visiting the various depart
ments, and an Augusta man will stumble
upon an old acquaintance at almost every
turn. In the study hall, the presiding
genius is Mr.. J. w. Calhoun, so long the
relgning pedagogue of Middlebrook. and
one of the most popular instructors in q
Augusta. Here his efficiency has larger
field and his knowledge OF boys, his tact
IN teaching and controlling them, makes
him valuable acquisition to the institu-
ton. His wife, Mrs. M. E. Calhoun, is
equally as valuable in the female depart.
ment and has large room full of as
bright, neat, and Intelligent little girls as
will be seen anywhere.
In the wood room of the workshop,
large and handsome brick building with
tower and observatory, the instructor is
| Mr.. T. W. Alexander of the WaynesbOrO
| family of that name so we'll known in the
| county for their skill and ingenuity in
/ woodwork. No more suitable teacher in
this department could have been found.
Nothing is too small, nothing too large or
too intricate for his genius, and he has
since he has been here, worked on every
thing, from piano to an OK cart. All the
boys who go through the course must work
one year with Mr.. Alexander, and they
make everything from wall bracket to
handsome walnut veneered chamber set.
One of his boys has on hand an elegant
set of furniture which. when completed,
will be worth $3.50 and would ornament a
room in the Presidential mansion.
In the plumber and gas.itting room
will be found Mr.. J. W. Smith, one Of the
handiest men in his vocation that Staun-
ton ever had or lost. He is highly appre-
ciated in the Miller school both as man
and workman, and the officials represent
him as invaluable.
The wife of Mr.. E. G.. Taylor. the prin-.
cipal of the boys primary department, is
daughter of Philip Fauver, Esq of Au-
gusta, and IS one of the valued members
of the Miller school social circle.
BOYS HANDIWORK.
The workshop is run by steam and the
whole building, rooms, halls, shops and
all, are heated in the same way. some
very fine and substantial work done by
the boys in iron and brass under the in
struction of Messrs. Higgins and Fuller,
may be seen in the iron room, among
which are two complete upright engines,
which are for sale. Every boy in order to
graduate must have taken two years.
course in this shop. One of the graduates
is now foreman and craftsman in the
Kansas Mechanical School. The ma
chinery in the shops is run by 25
horse power Corliss engine, and Civil En-
gineer T. U. Taylor, of Texas, has gen.
technical drawing Some excellent draw
ing and some we'll executed photographs
are to be seen in the drawing room of Mr..
R. B. Shepherd, who has very interest
ing class.
All the printing of the establishment.
letter heads, bill heads, circulars and a
neat monthly paper, is gotten out in the
printing office. where there are two presses
and horse power engine. From 10 to
Is boys work here in turn under the d.
rection of Prof. j. R. Baylor of Able.
marie, who also instructs in telegraphy,
and has turned out some excellent opera
tors.
Mr.. Seamon, the chemist, has very in
teresting laboratory of philosophical and
other apparatus. And in beautiful collec-
ton of botanical specimens, which the
boys are encouraged by prizes to gather
and arrange, one finds full collection of
all the woods of Albemarle. He is getting
together valuable cabinet of minerals,
in na hor nxx,ti r