Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-02-19
HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS.
A Visit to the Normal School and the
Present Home of Prof Bal
dwin. A View of the
old Home and Grave
ofSam Houston.


nc In the days of its infancy, We
trust this communication may be
accepted though miles and months
have interviewed. In a recent trip
from Missouri through Texas to
the Rio Grande and the Republic
of Mexico we stopped at Hunts
vile for the purpose of seeing our
old and venerable teacher Prof.
Baldwin. Immediately on our ar
rival we wendell our way to the
Sam Houston Normal building.
where We found its president in
room number fifteen at his post of
duty. We are somewhat accus-
toned to Mountaineering business,
yet when ushered into the pres
ence of our former teacher, we felt
as though Old Time had taken a
backward roll and made us a
school boy again., and that, our
duty lay in the line of answering
rather than asking questions. We
were introduced to the professors
and listened to recitations in alge-
bra, psychology, school manage
ment and few drills &C., after
which we were shown through the
various departments of the school
II which we saw much to COM
pllment and nothing to censure.
We found library here with over
1000 volumes and school where
the girls far out number the BOYS,
and in which the state pays all
the expenses of many of the pupils
for the purpose of fitting them to
better teach in its public schools.
| wonder if our Missouri legisla-
ture will ever reach that high APP
probation for its schools and
teachers. We saw calesthenic
drill conducted here by a young
lady which surpassed the exercises
we observed in Harvard College
one year ago. The Peabody Edu-
cational fund makes an annual
donation to the school, besides this
the Texas Legislature recently
made an appropriation of $1,000
for library and apparatus. The
school building is not so extensive
as the Kirksville Normal, neither
does it have so large an attend
ance, but the students are all of a
higher grade before they enter;
thus it Is made school composed
entirely of teachers. After the
sixth hour we accompanied
Prof. Baldwin to his residence
surrounded by wild cedar, pine,
pecan, gum, toothache tree, the
green hey, oak and. the sensitive
mimosa; also the magnolia and
here and there beautiful bough
of green mistletoe with its white
berries. In his garden we saw
the apple, pear, plum, peach and
tig; concord, scuppernon and Cali
lorna grapes, also the cherry,
strawberry, pomegranate and
ounce, all OF which do well here,
save the apple. Peaches never
fail and we saw last years pome-
granates yet on the tree. As to
the quality of the figs and peaches
the Professor raised last year, we
made practical test about
twelve that day. We found the
family all having the best of health
and well pleased with the Lone
Star State. The two boys are run
nlng large ranch near Sanatonio.
Texas. They have made a success
of the business and as this is one
OF the great industries of the state.
we predict very prosperous fu-
ture for the young men. From his
pleasant Texas home we were con-
yeyed to the Old Homestead of
Gen. Sam Houston, the soldier.
nero, statesman, governor, presi-
dent and father of the Lone Star
Republic. 1t is comely country
mansion, nestled among evergreen
hills. Near the residence the old
spring house yet stands. The
house is of the pioneer type and
possesses Democratic simplicity.
1t is ceiled and battened on the in
side, with lattice work, for ventila-
ton, over the door. There is a
long front gallery and wide hall,
separating the large and airy
rooms of the old mansion. In ali. |
the old hero made good selection
for a quiet, handsome, country
home in which to spend the long
afternoon and evening of his event
tut life. From here we drove to
Fair View cemetery where we
found his much neglected grave
The fence is falling down; the
grass, weeds and thorny vines are
growing over the mound, and
around the neglected and
iefaced slab. Other graves near
by are kept green and clear of
weeds, while his seems stranger
in strange land given over to all
he natural weeds of Texas. AsIe
We stood by the neglected grave {
We thought, hasTexas forgotten the ]
zero of San Jacinto and his battle 5
'ry, Remember the Alamo" by a
which he gave nerve to the Texan !,
.rmy and caused them to break !
he CALLING yoke of Mexico, and | t
hus gave birth to new nation ? v
March IL I.