The Newtown bee., 1892-06-03

mona with the north end of Virginia hall, making it unnecessary to be exposed to storms in going to and from the dining halls. Between these two are Griggs hall, occupied by teachers, and Girls Cottage, in which are nearly 60 colored girls, with some teachers and hospital also for colored girls.
 Virginia hall is large brick bdilding having in the basement the different kitchens where the cooking for all the departments of the institution is done. From the especial diet kitchen,'' food is sent to the sick and, in dining hall ad- joining, those students are fed for whom the physician orders special diet. The work in kitchens and dining halls is done under the supervision of competent man. agers, by colored boys who work all day and attend only the night school; except the students dish washing, which is done by colored girls. Here also are the con- missary stores and the teachers laundry, drying rooms, etc., in which the work is done by colored girls who are also night school students. The first floor is occu- pied entirely by the several dining halls for teachers and officers, of whom there are S3, and students with the necessary closets, etc. On the second floor are teachers parlor, girls parlor, teachers offices, physicians office and dispensary, girls hospital and dormitories. On the third floor is the school chapel, where 1000 people can easily be seated and dor mitories; also dormitories on fourth floor, accommodating in all about 40 col- ored girls, some teachers and officers. The whole school assemble in the school chapel for devotions every evening after supper, except Thursday evening, when prayer meetings are held in the different buildings and the rector of St. Johns enter as they choose, but march out to music. They occasionally practice fire drill, when the room can be empted in three minutes. When, two years ago, word was brought while in chapel that the Whittier was on fire, they were marched out to music without confusion.
 One of the most interesting sights on a pleasant day is the battalion drill at noon. At the bugle call, they assemble and, to the music of the band, march to the fine lawn in front of Virginia hall, where they drill and then march into their respective dining halls, followed by crowds of visitors who have watched them from the balconies, and wish to see them at table and hear them sing grace.
 A little south of Virginia hall and cottage, formerly known as the Man. sion house, one of the few buildings on the place in 1868. He has, also, cot tage across the creek to which he can retreat for the quiet and rest he often sorely needs. Just south of that and further back is Marshall hall, in which one large room is given up to the boys for quiet games; in another room is an exhibit of the different kinds of work done in the shops; farm carts, wheel barrows, tables, chairs, harness, etc. in another room is an exhibit of Indian curiosities, while the second floor is the library and reading room, which is fur : nished with the daily papers and besi literature of the day. Some of the ad vanced classes have the study hour there that they may have easy access to books of reference.
 A little beyond Marshall hall is the beautiful Memorial chapel, in which ser vices are held every Sunday afternoon by the pastor, Rev H. B. Frissell, or in his absence by minister of some of the adjoining parishes. In the forenoon, very many attend SC. Johns church, while others are occupied in Sunday school work on the grounds and in mis- sion work among the colored poor out side. The singing by the choir of negro students is always fine and, after the benediction, any who choose to remain have an opportunity, seldom to be had elsewhere, of listening to the religious plantation songs. In the tower of the church is an illuminated clock, also a chime of bells which are rung daily at F m and at D m. Next beyond the church along the water front is Academ- ic hall, fine stone building, in which, and in Science building, lately erected close by, are all the class rooms of the students.
 It would take more than the limits of an ordinary newspaper article to give more than a faint idea of the interest that centres in these rooms. In the low est grade, we find class of Indians, ranging in age from the boy or girl of 10 or 12 to the young man of 2l, but all on the same grade in this respect that, in Sept. '9l, they knew almost nothing of English. They seem to you stolid and duninterested; they are slow to speak before strangers, for they are afraid, as one expressed himself after having been urged to tell what he knew, that ''they make funny of me- You need not wait a year to find whether they will ever learn anything, for last years class did not differ very much from this, nor the one of the year before and you can at once go to them. Each class room is provided with slate blackboards suffic- ient for large class to work at the same time and they copy great deal of work prepared for them by the teachers. It is surprising how soon they become really good penmen. The improvement in the manner of expressing their thoughts in their language and geogra- phy classes and their correctness and often their quickness ill working exam ples in arithmetic are also matters of surprise. In primary work, the Indians must be by themselves, as the negroes have the advantage of understanding English: but they join the same classes