Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-08-15
THE sTAUNTON NORMAL.

lals Il khNC Vic CNCltb vi buO uEct tNO
weeks OF the Normal the closing weeks
now come up for review.
Major Hatchkis lectured on the For
nation OF the Continents; Prof. Duns-
more on Business Education for Color
ed Youths; Mr.. Fitch of Hampton, on
Industrial Education and Dr. Currel OF
Washington Lee University on The
Teacher and his Textbooks. The lee
lures were of a high order and were
greatly enjoyed by the teachers
One of the features of this Normal
was the large number of preacher
teachers" as some one called them, in
attendance. Three of the instructors
were ministers and there we're ten
among the teachers. On Sundays all
the colored churches were supplied
three times a day from the Normal.
Their sermons were also excellent and
from a grammatical and commonsense
standpoint were above the average OF
colored preachers discourses. There
was no smashing of Bibles, but plain,
wholesome gospel, just the kind our
people need
The Piedmont Valley and Appala-
chian Colored Teachers Association
was organized on July 21st. 1t in
cludes all the teachers in the western
section of Virginia Its object is to
bring the teachers and their work in
closer touch. The officers were the
following:
President, c. A. holmes. A. B., of Win
chester. Va. /: Treasurer, Professor o.
]. Derritt, of Stanton; Secretary,
Rev. W. J. Madden, OF Culpeper; liz
brarian, W. b. Davenport.
A course of study covering three
years and a regular plan OF reading
no. = hofnor
pared by the executive committee, of
which +. X. Harvey is chairman. @. A.
Holmes was appointed TO deliver the
annual address, and Professor Madden
to compose poem, for the next meet
ing, which will be held at the time
and place of the Normal next summer.
The famous Stonewall Brigade Band
OF Stauuton, rendered the colored
TEACHERS a special concert on July 22d,
at the beautiful Gypsy Hill Park. This
was a great treat and showed that the
white people of Staunton appreciated
the presence of the colored teachers in
their city, although the concert was
given for the colored people, still there
were at least 1000 white people pres
ent and the evening was so full Of pleas
ant Fecollections that il can not be
soon forgotten.
Normal were issued to all ~ho attend
ed the full session. These certificates
are of real value to the teachers, for
they exempt the holders from exami-
nation. provided they taught last year
The greater number OF the teachers
received certificates.
Teachers and Instructors of the Nor
NAL agree that there was more solid
work accomplished at this session than
at any previous one. The Staunton
News commenting on the Normal said
that 1.-The intense application and I'M
6agi1g attendance of teachers and in
structors wers remarkable features of
the Institute, and that the success of
the Normal was largely due to the able
corps OF instructors, furnished by
Supt Massey to assist the accomplish
ed conductor, Professor Bader."
The News contained the following
sketch of each colored instructor:
Professor Trigg, who taught Histo-
ry and Langnag is at present supervi-
sor of II colored schools ct Lynchburg !;
has taught twenty years has been
President of Morgan College two years,
has taught in eight Rormals and Con-
ductor OF five. lie is a speaker of
great power and an original thinker on
the Negro question
Professor j. A. Bowler of Rich
mond is graduate of the High School
and Theological Seminary of that city.
He is at home on any branch of mathe
matics, his methods are the latest and
his model school has never been ex-
excelled in any of the Normals. He
has the envicus gift Of making friends
of little as we'll as grown people. None
were so sorry TO see Professor Bowler
leave Stanton as the "a little chill
dren OF his Model School"
Professor G. J. Derritt, teacher of
Physiology. is principal OF the Etaun-
/ ton High School. He has taught in
StauntSn eleven years, having risen
from the primary grades to the princi-
palshiD 4"
Professor NJ J. Madden taught
| Spelling and Geography, He is grad
| Howard University, Washington, d.
c., is a thorough scholar and is at pres
ent principal OF Culpeper schools"
sMxs. Ida Harris, of Petersburg
taught Reading and Drawing She il
one of the best informed colored wOm-
/ en- in the South. She has taught
grammar in the cQloged Normal held
at stauntoR in 1883; was principal al
Alexandria, and has taught SO years
She is the wife of the Hon. 4, W, Har-
ris, one of the leading colored men oil
Virginia"
The moving Normals, which are 10.
Gated at different cities, OF our State
afford the thoughtful teachers an ex.
cellept opportunity to look in nppI
the home life of our people. Located
as they are in the homes OF the people
for whom they labor, they get close
to the hearts and feelings of the par
ents, and are thus Influenced and in
spired In way that reacts for goOC
upon teacher and parents The par
ents begin to see the value of educa
their daughters and sons, 50 tina
sspe ,,.~ 90 forth to measure arm
with Others In Iife-s sreat pattle.
The closing exercises at mV~...s zio'
Church were grand. Professors Bow
Ter, Trigg and Madden spoke feelingl,
and eloqueRtly. Miss Lightfoot o
Culpeper, sang q be4utlfpl solo,
did Mr.. Lumpkins Friendship, Low
and Song was rendered magnificent.
Mesdames Davenport and Peters, as
sisted by Professors Peters and Lump
. kins. The Teachers Dream, a pOer
recited by Mrs. Harris was very i'm
pressive and many shed tears as Ii
lines recalled their every experiences
} found the Planet q popular pape
with the teachers, and our Piedmon
Valley and Appalachian Teachers Al
ISOLATION will doubtless adopt 1t 9
their medium of communicating in
telligence to its members in the var
Gus counties.
The colored ministers of Staunto
are intelligent and progressive an
rendered the institute every assistance
Long may they live TO do good.
Respectfully,