The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-01-14
DEMOCRAT CORRESPONDENCE.
From Lebanon, q.
LEBANON, O., Jan. 4, 1886.

LEBANON, o., Jan. 4, 1886. j.
Mr.. Editor:-Perhaps some of the many
readers of the DEMOCRAT will be interested in
a few items from this locality.
Lebanon and the region around, you know, is
celebrated for its beauty, health and fertility,
and most of all for its University. We. have
taken the trouble to look over the neighbor-
ing farms and study the region somewhat, and
we can assure you that the favorable reports
which are continually heard of this place are
well founded. The town itself is beautifully
situated on a knoll between two creeks and
upon the hills which form their outer banks.
This gives the place most excellent drainage,
and is doubtless one cause of the remarkably
good health which always seems to prevail
here. 1t is a theme of constant rejoicing among
the citizens here that so few deaths occur,
even though thousands are assembled here in
the University from a distance and under cir
cumstances that are supposed to be conducive
to the best sanitary results.
Among the distinguished residents here are
Judge George R. Sage, of the u. s.. Court.
He is the son-in-law of the famous Tom Cor
win, the greatest orator Ohio has ever produc-
ed. The Judge lives in the Corwin homestead,
a very interesting structure, which Normalites
are accustomed to visit and write about. Hon.
Jas. Scott, of Scott Law fame is also a resi-
dent of this place. He is a fine looking veneer
able old gentleman. Hon. A.. e. McBurney
who was once Lieutenant-Governor of Ohio,
has a beautiful residence in Floraville, a name
given to a region of handsome dwellings at the
outskirts of the village Gen. Durbin Ward
has a fine mansion in this vicinity. Adjoining
his is the home of Prof. Holbrook, the Presi-
dent of the University. President Holbrook is
said to look younger than he did during the
war, though he is now in his SEVENTEEN year.
He is as active in body and mind as ever,
teaching just as much and attending to enough
business to keep two ordinary men busy. The
University is very 1ourishing and we'll attend
ed. There are at the least calculation $50 stu
dents here at the present time. We certainly
have a very enthusiastic and competent corps
Ofteachers. The fact has been we'll established,
that the reputation of this institution has been
built upon the fact that its professors are teach
ers, who do not cram their pupils with knowl-
edge, but train them to think and express
their thoughts. As it is an impossibility for
US to enter into the full details of this insti-
tuition, on account of our limited s%paceand time
we will only mention one or two of the most
interesting features connected with it. Not
long ago, we were visited by a lady correspon-
dent of the celebrated Louisville Courier
journal, who gave a most fattering account
of the University in that paper. She opened
the article with this statement: eff a stu
dent of slender means wishes to enter any
classes fitted to his needs without passing an
examination, or if, at a mature age he finds
himself rusty in the classics and higher math-
ematics, or if he wishes to pursue only those
branches which will fit him to enter a business
life, the Independent Normal School at Leb-
anon, o., offers such advantages as he will not |
find elsewhere"
We believe this is the opinion of every one
who attends here. This institution has been
in operation since 1855. 1t was founded by its
present head, Pres. Alfred Holbrook. 1t has
had a most wonderful and prosperous history.
1t was never more efficient and prosperous
than now. Yours truly
e II. W. r. |