National Republican., 1886-08-09
THE VIRGINIA INSTITUTE.
Summer Session of the Normal and
ColIepiate Dranches.

Summer Session of the Normal and
Collegiate Branches.
A day spent In visiting the Virginia Normal
and Collegiate Institute during Its summer ses.
sion would be instructive to those who may be
somewhat skeptical with regard to the genu.
Inc Intellectual progress of the negro In the
south, as well as entertaining tothose who may
be interested I'm what he is doing for himself
TO worthily merit his American citizenship.
In 1882 the legislature OF Virginia appropri-
ated 500, 900 for the purchase of grounds and
erection of buildings to be dedicated to the
higher education OF the colOred youth of the
state, and further provided that an annuity Of
$4,000 be paid the treasurer OF the institution
for Its maintenance.
board of education proceeded at once to the Sc
lection Of site for the buildings, and aiterin-
tpecting several localities, finally settled upon
| thnt.upon the southern border of Chesterfield
| county, know as Fleets Hill. Upon this hill,
| towering above the famous Appomattox and
just overlooking the city of Petersburg, is now
tiful buildings in the state, whose grandeur
| and educational functions picture to the mind
noble Phenix, rising from the ashes of the
rear of the main building has been in use for
| about three years as kitchen, dining room,
dorInitory, and class rooms for the preparatory
wing is another large building. built many
| years ego after the style of the Virginia aris-
| tocracy. This latter building is at present
|
| and treasurer and also for dormitores. The
I, Sumner Institute 10 which l wish to call the
specia, S.s:s,liron OF tho reader, Is now IN
session. The president of the institute, whose
| influence is fast infusing itself into every edu
/ CatiUnal vein OF the state, Is John Mercer
| Iangston, LID, and ex-minister to Hayti
| He is essisted by a most excellent corps of In
schoo's in America, va, Profs. james N. Col:
son, Dartmouth william ,1, IL. smith; Riehmond @
Il II RnstOn
and Harvard College; John j. Carter, Lincoln
University; Mr.. r, i. M. Norton, Mrs. Ida Il.
Harris, Misses sallle 7. Gregory, Lucy Morse,
Harriet Little Carrie Bragg, assisted by Miss
Emma Sparrow In music.
The summer session is designed to impart
both instruction and the methods of instruc-
| tion TO the colored teachers OF the state. The
school was opened for their reception on the lat
day Of July, and during these first four weeks
Of the session, which Is to to continue during
| and gentlemen-have been In attendance.
| They pursue courses In reading, grammar,
arithmetic, descriptive and physical geography.
| algebra, and q few OF the higher studies. The
| school is divided into first and second dvis.
ions, and upon the merits OF an essay, the writ
ing of which the president makes prerequi-
| site 10 admission, these student teachers are
assigned either 10 the one division or the other.
| In these essays the spelling, punctuation and
general makeup, so far as they indicate the in.
tellectual standing of the writer, are taken
| into consideration as basis OF assignment.
Among those examined are many that will
equal the best OF any OF our white high
| school scholars and graduates. This method,
while 1t may merit some criticism, yet has the
effect OF making these young people express
their thoughts upon paper In a manner the best
had never before written an essay and yet II
Is really wonderful 10 see the improvements In
their subsequent ones, since they are required
| to write an essay each week.
The bell is rung at $40 each morning, and on
this ringing the lady teachers get into line In
the corridors leading to their apartments,
| while the gentlemen form In the large and un-
finished dining room. On ringing Of the sec
ond bell these lines pass into the chapel for
devotional exercises. The Scriptures are read
and prayer is offered BY one OF the professors;
then, accompanied either by the plano OF
organ, the united voices Of these two hundred
teachers ascend In strains OF such thrilling
S The most no Interesting feature of Of these begin.
nings of tho days work and by far the mos,
instructive are the lectures by President Lang.
and, and While delivered in then the nomenclatare OF
psychology, are 80 graphically and eloquently
Illustrated that he holds with the utmost ten
acity the attention of every teacher. The mind
Us functions and phenomena are SO treated by
this gifted son OF the race that the teacher
feels as he ought TO feel.-that he canuot hope
for any great IN h o
ophy which deals with what Is Godlike In
man. The eloquence of this scholar and orator
is itself phenomenal, for truly may u be said
Of Judgment we begin to discriminate, and
when he speaks Of conscience we think oi
The lecture Is finished. At the tapping ol
the bell the whole school is on its feet, and
with an ease and grace that Is always com
mended by the president these teachers file
into their respected class rooms, r,..
60 the day begins. 1 Will not attempt u
carry you into their recitations, their discus
sions as to the methods by which reading may
metic the more advanced, or into those as u
the best methods OF discipline, organization
&C.; but Iightln justsuch work as Is being done
at this school one sees most important factor
In the solution OF the negro problem.
Another very important feature OF summers
work Is the Saturday oratorioal exercises
supervision OF President Langston. For thest
exercises every lady and gentleman In the
school is required 10 prepare an essay on any
proper subject whatever, besides three or foui
ladies and as many gentlemen are required In
the beginning OF each week TO prepare extern
pore orations. These are previously writer
or thought out and then delivered from mem.
ory. III addition 10 this a very interesting
part of the exercises are the debates which art
participated In by both ladies and gentlemen
The enthusiasm which ts witnessed In these
exercises and the dignity and ease with which
these young ladies and gentlemen, most q
whom have never before stood before an audi
ence, handle themselves and their matter upor
the stage is truly wonderful, and can be at
tributed TO the enthusiasm only which Mr.
lahgston Il putting IN every part OF his work a
the institute and the ability which is his o
making every one work at the height OF hi
powers At one OF these later oratOrlcal eSer
eTcises resolutions were passed unanimously
against all tardineSs on part OF the teacher
while attending this institute, as we'll as II
their individual schools.
II is TO be borne in mind that the work o
the summer session Is only an auxiliary par
of the great educational work that is being dont
in the regular session OF this institute whose in
tluence is now being felt throughout the state
and beyond Its limits, and when one contem-
plates the fact that, In addition to the collie
giate, the professional departments ara soon 4
be put in operation, by the president, one see
now in embryo what must soon become Ou
intellectual Mecca OF tho south.
would recommend this school as placI
for visiting for those interested In tho work o
education, and who may wish 10 learn OF thu
negTo's capabilities, his aspirations, aud pur
poses would recommend visit TO this
school II II be only to converse with its presi
dent the scholar, who but for the pale shadow
of his skin might be to the whole American
people what he is TO his raOe--a consunmat,
Intellectual light. ID. Il. s..
| PITEHHBpR0, Aug o. 1885,