The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-12-06
Arhor nar A fhe NormaI scIlool.

| cl-e- were lelQ ar the state ffiii1le
Normal school DR.. Arnold. professor
Of English aud History, was the orator
of The occasion, addressing an audience
consisting Of friends from the town, OF
the faculty and officer. Of the school,
aud Of nearly four hundred pupils,
training school aud Normal school
combined. Dr. Arnold made an iu.pir
ing address. In hi- usual happy vein
he told what Arbor Day ought 10 mean,
of the beautiful spirit shown ia Keeping
this day, that is planting not for self
but for posterity; of how Arbor Day
calls for outdoor life and what ont door
life means To the physical man and
through the physical to the mental
and spiritual make up Of man.
After Or. Arnold'- address the chill
dren of the training school had their
exercises, consisting Of songs aud reciia.
tiops. The primary grades, represent
ed by Margaret Baldwin, James Cowan,
Thelma Blanton, Watkins kearney
aud Elizabeth Sutherland. dedicated
their tree 10 LOnfellOw, the friend of
children. In appropriate words the
grammar grades, represented 10y Bessie
Pauett, Julia Pauett, Nellie Bristow,
Kathleen Baldwin. George Richardson,
Hattie Paulett and Lucy Rice, dedica-
ted their tree 10 a woman dear To toe
heart Of every child-that is to Louisa
VI. AlcOtt, the author who has given
so many, many happy hours to the
boys and girls Of America
The exercises were now taken up by
students OF the Normal School proper.
The first, second, third and fourth year
classes had each two representatives,
who spoke for them and dedicated their
tree a delightful part Of the pro
gram was the song 10y ali the members
of the class after the dedication OF each
tree.
The first year a and b classes, rep
resented 10y Misses Branch and Rex,
dedicated their tree to man, who Is
hOnored throughout the length and |
breadth Of this, our country; to him
who drew up the bill for the establish
ing of a State Female Normal School |
aud fought for the passage of this bill |
before the Legislature and after The /
passage Of the bill became the first |
president of the Board of Trustees.
Prompted by deep sense If gratitude,
these classes sought nus 10 do honor
to one who has been a true friend of
the girls Of Virginia, to Hon. J. l.. NJ.
Curry. to him who said: 81 desire
written on my tombstone The author
of the Bill establishing the State fe-
male Normal school," From this re-
mark of Dr. Curry's it seems that the
Of a Normal School for
girls was dearer To his helrt than any
other service he has rendered his coun-
try, although to few men have high
civic honors and the enticemenls OF
public life come in richer profusiun
than to this distinguished statesman
and patriot.
In fitting words, the second year IL
class and second year b class, repre-
sented 10y Misses Gresham and Bryan,
dedicated their tree To DIR. VIM. II.
Runner, the first Superintendent OF
Public instruction and the first presi-
dent of the Normal School. That Sc
rious minded, conscientious servant Of
the State was presented a. a typical
pioneer in education, pioneer not only
in putting in motion the public school
system of Virginia, work attended
with all the difficulties incident to such
a great undertaking, but also a pion-
FER in directing the affairs Of an insti-
tuition devoted solely to the prepare
ton of young women for teaching,
His work, it was claimed. has been
tested aud proved good aud true; for 1t
does not weather under the hand Of
time.
The Juniors, represented by Misses
Doughty and Paxton, dedicated their
tree to memory that fingers yet and
will liuger for years to come around the
Normal School, the memory of broad
minded educator, Of a man strong and
true, helpful and inspirlug-Dr. Jno.
A. Cunningham. mo man can meas
ure his influence, tending upward to
the things that are lovely and true and
Misses Kizer and Smith, Of the Sc
Nor class, with loving words dedicated
their tree to Dr. Robert Frazer, TO him
who had ever held up before them as
the ideal teacher of the public school,
that teacher who is thoroughly imbued
with the thought that he is forming
character and that this is the supreme
end fos which all education exists.
Through the exercises of this day, Dr.
Frazer. who suggested Afbor Day,
would say in the words Of Goethe:
1.-THE best instruction is derived from
the most complete environment"
As we listened to the ennObling SEN
timents expressed by DR.. Arnold aud
the others, who took part IN the
If the day we felt our hearts