Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-07-06
PUBLISHED Daily AND TRI-WEEKLY
at the Gazetts Baild'g e., 31O & 312 Prince st.
Letter from Bedford

Correspondence Of the ALEXANDRIA GAzETTE.]
BEDFORD CITY, July 2. 1891 lett Alex.
andrla on Tuesday moFni.g last 10 atterd e
school meeting at this pace. Ga the trsn
we're the superlntendents of Lou 9ouD, K1g
George. Westmorelend, and Aie1aodria
city, aud as it prooeedsd, thcss Of Fsirfsx
snd the other count!es on the route bosfced
the train, unti on cur arrival at Lynchourg,
there was goodly company. Thsre we
met q great number of superintendects ard
teachers from the line If the Norfolk ind
Wee ern and though two additional cars
were added, seats could not be bad for all.
We reached this place 10 driving ralp. IL
merits tae appeilation once given to Wash
ipgtop, 1.-The City OF Magnificent Distances"
nd es the ladies filed ell the vehicles, we
bad 10 proceed on foot balf mile to our
destination ths splendid building OF Ran
clph- Msco1 Academy, FAR out beyond the
old town OF Liberty. which this new boom
town encIoses There was g board walk
most Of the way end some of US bad um-
bre!ss, but the walk wss sometimes Sip
psry. the red mud bad sometimes to be en-
oounteie5, and the rain got heavier and
heavier so tha. on the whole many In the
wobsgcne procession were not disposed ito
shower bsnedictons upon boone, Or desire
second visit to Bedford. A. the academy
we found Mr.. Robert Harrison, who Is a
teacher, and son Of Mr. Samuel Reed, who
is 6 pupil, aod bob were active and ener
getic in getting rooms and administering 10
the wants of the tired visitors, whose
numbtrs exceeded ell expec.ioDs and nearly
6 led the great house at once.
a pood eupper restored comfort and gcci
feeling and music bS fac orchestra and
some pleasant speeches dsptl ed the gloom.
Tae mayor welcomed us to town which
ne said we had never seen on any map or
heard CT 10 any hietory and which extended
from the far eff mountains 10 the far oG riy'
er, and when the clouds rolled away and
the sun shope brightly In the morning we
saw that the Chicago plan bad been imitat.
ed and that the new CITY, the area OF which
is, understand, about 40 square miles con-
sisted chiefly cf red mud streets e'aborateiy
laid out over bill and valley end the little
old town OF Liberty, In which the arts OF the
m .eon and the carpenter did not seem 10
have h1urished fer some gears past and the
chief part of Which appears tc have been
furnished 10 .be good old times when more
attention was given to comfort thar to show.
Tais eplendid building, unequeled amoDg
those OF i,s kind, the msguif'cent Hotel Bed
celed view of this beautiful country. the
Bslmont Female Seminary end one the Bsp-
tls;s ers building, with some picturesque
cottages OF which. as The old negro carpen-
ter said, Queen Aune, she drawed the
pan" ere about all of Bedfor oily proper,
We have seen, and though the schools are
hourishipg, the hotel does not seem to be
overwhelmed With guests. A number
OF the Superntendents, g., not satisfied
with the arrangements here have gone over
to 1t to board and are finely entertained.
1t is one of the most elegant hotels | have
seen, but the question Ia "Will 1t pay ?"
The Academy people have done their best
to accommodate us, bat they ere over
whelmed With the crowd. When woman
expects to pay for month's board she
comes the first day and stays until the sst,
30 the SupernteDdeuts' Conference has been
held 10 msss meeting.
Supt Massey was not here until yester-
dsy afternoon, baving been detained by bis
duties as member of the board of visitore
of be agricultural and mechanical college
at Biacksburg. and Supt. Glass, OF Lynch
burg, presided.
Yesterday excellent papers we're read on
State Associations by Supt. Fox, Of Rich
mond on Public sentiment-ho@ 1t can be
educated to a higher appreciation of the
value OF education and OF the necessity of
keep ping lts development abreast With the
progress iu other sctivities-by Supt. Muir
ray. ofNorfoik on Teachers sa!aries-what
legislation ehsll be recon Eended to secure
more prompt payment-by State Supt.
Massey; Safe Instiiutions or Training
Schools, by supt Handy, OF Northampton
county, and Uniformity of Stats Examlna-
sio1s Of Teachers, by ex-State Supt. Hol.
oombe, of Iudane, now Assistant Commits
siouer of Education OF the United States.
Thesa subj sots were all discussed By vari-
oua s1perintsndente FIDBLIs.