The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-07-26

Addresses by Hon Jacob Yosf of Va. ana
Hon. John Lind, N. C.. of Mimi.

colored people. aud NUMBER OF WDlte
ueople assembled in the Augusta Street
church to listen to an address by the Hon.
Jacob Yost. After music by the Normal
choir. Mr.. Y ost was introduced by Supt
Robinson. Mr. Y ost expressed his great
qualification at meeting so large body OF
the colored teachers of the State, and said
he was glad to know that he had before
him bright, intelligent body of men and
women engaged in as noble mission as
ever occupied the attention OF people
He said he believed in the public schools
and in the system. 1t threw open the
school room to every child in the land. and
extended the blessings of education to all
who would avail themselves Of it. True
it was the teachers were employed only
! few months in the year, and poorly pald
for that service. I ct the system was
growing, and he hoped the time would
soon come when the overlooking treasury
of the government would extend Natlona
aid to our Impoverished people, and Keep
the schools open longer, and pay the
|
of the interest manifested in the public
school system, the fact that in our cities
and towns, were rising up magnificent
buildings. monuments to the liherallty OF
our people preparing workers for the
future generations. In our lard, said the
speaker, the masses are the government
By so much as they are elevated and adj
vanced by education and refinement. by
Just SO much is the government bettered
in all it's legitimate functions, and the
representative of an educated constituency
will be man better fitted for the respon-
sibilities of his position, from the fact that
he has behind him an educated constit
uency. The highest and best functions OF
government rest upon and are dependent
upon the intelligence of the masses
Catching the inspiration for the future
from the recollections of the thorny paths
of the past. through which you have come,
you should press on with noble resolu
tion to the accomplishment of your high
est destiny. Progress makes it easier to
progress, and with pre- JUDGES removed
surroundings and associations changed
the inheritance of past generations will be
more easily removed, and education and
refinement will make your homes happier
and your lives purer. Enthusiasm Is
necessary to make successful teachers and
workers. Education makes better labor
ers ana mechanics. and improves and ele-
Yates in every condition of life. Mr.. 1Ost
in concluding congratulated the teachers
of the Normal upon their manly, heroic.
and successful struggles in the battles of
life, and expressed his great pleasure in
noting the advancement Of the colored
race.
| Mr.. Yost introduced Mr.. John Lind,
M. c.. from Minnesota. Mr.. Lind said
he felt special and peculiar interest in
the present occasion. He felt a deep in
terest IN the future of the colored race.
because he believed it was closely con
nected with the prosperity of the nation.
not alone for Virginia and South Carolina.
but for the entire nation. Either the col
ored people must become intelligent Amer
lean citizens. receiving and comforting
blessings, or else be ignorant and detased,
the source of corruption and vice, and a
menace to good government and national
success. The speaker said he was stran
ger to the colored race. In his county
there was but one negro, and in his dis
trict only IL. He found the negroes in
much better condition than he expected,
and has people we're hardly prepared to
believe that so well dressed, well behaved
and intelligent crowd of colored people
could be found in such an audience as he
saw before him. He said the work done
by the first generation after the cessation
of slaverg and the close of the war, was
noble mission. He declared that educa>
tion and moral culture made good citizens,
happy homes, and yirtnous people. AS
regards the public schools OF his own State
he stated that pupils from these schools
had filed the highest and most responsible
positions in the gift of the people. He
urged upon the colored people the neces-
sity for homes and home influences.
AS this was Mr. Limbs first experience
with the colored people, he must have been
profoundly surprised at what followed ID
the neat and polished address of Prof.
Johnson of the Virginia Collegiate and
Normal School of Petersburg; and the
eloquent and forcible speech of Prof.
Trigg, both colored. Prof. johnson spoke
specially in behalf of the Normal College,
with its handsome building. costing $780,
OG0, standing as it does as monument TO
the liberality of Virginia to the negro race.
The capacity OF she building is for $50 day
pupils and 500 boarders. Students recon-
mended by county or city superintendent
will be received at the college for the
small sum of $50 per session. Both Profs
Johnson and Trigg paid handsome tributes
to Virginia and her people, adopting as
their subject the language of Ruth to
Naomi, "Where thou goest, &c"
Mr.. G.. A. Newman, of the Harrison
burg Colored High School, in rising to
move resolution of thanks, prefaced it
with some earnest and forcible remarks
which deeply impressed the audience.
A recitation by Miss Alice Bierne, col
ored, of Harrisonburg, was rendered in
handsome style, and was as good as any
thing of the kind we have eyer heard. A
vote of thanks was given Messrs. Yost and
Lind for their addresses and words of
cheer, and after music by the choir, the
meeting adjourned, all well pleased with
the pleasant and instructive entertainment
of the evening.
The exercises at the Institute on Friday
night last were very interesting, consisting
of essays. Rotations, solos and duets. and
choir music. An essay by. Miss Powell, OF
Staunton, was well constructed, gracefully
read, and impressive in its sentiment
"Music in the Public Schools" by Mr.. G
A. Newman, of Harrisonburg, was pro-
duction of much merit-methodica in it,
arrangement, practical in its suggestions
and throughout paper of force and ability
Solo by a. B. Jackson, of Stanton, was