The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-10

COORDINATION OF
ALL THE ACADEMIES
Or. Hatcher Believes it Could
and Should Be Done.
SAYS ONE HERE is FIRST STEP
The First Official Statement Concern
ing the Boys School for Rich<
mond College Interview
With DR.. Hatcher.

story Of hlchmOndS progress. 11el az
vaacement is like that of magnificent
army moving in various directions along
many roads, and all marching under
common impulse toward the same end.
Already there is much reason for con-
graduation on the superb educatlonal "a
vantages of the city. There is an au"'r
able public school system, professional
schools. business and industrial 1nstl-
tutes and two noble collegiate institu-
lions. Richmond College and the Wo-
mans College These are all our own.
and they work with rare harmony and
with an efficiency which fairly entities
this city to the honor Of being chlef
among the educational centers OF the
South. This Is a good place TO i've. ana
as q citizen said recently, a wonderfully
fins place to bring up and educate chill
dren.
TIE NEW CLAIMANT.
But a new educational claimant now
enters the field. 1t Is to be known as
the Richmond Academy, and is to have
its local habita ton at the corner OF Park
Avenue and Lombardy Streets. 1t Is to
be established under the authority OF
Richmond College. and is to have tho
best support and inspiration of that in
stitution.
The sood friends Of Richmond College
have had this matter under advisement
some time, but they are conservative
folk, and have taken no step except aiter
most deliberate reflection. The academy
has been one of President Boatwrights
fondest dreams for several years, and 1t
is largely due to his successful energy
that the movement has now taken shape.
The trustees took up the question OF an
academy. some months ago. but no def1-
mite action was taken until at the an
nual meeting in June. AT that time 1t
Ia5 fo
opened in September and to occupy tenn
porary quarters on Lombardy Street un-
til permanent buildings can be provided
The present property after thorough rem
ovation will be we'll adapted to school
purposes having large study-hall
which is quite capac!ous, besides three
recitation rooms. The college has ad-
mirable grounds attached to the prop
erty. and these will be enclosed and the
academy will be allowed to use them
for athletic purposes. 1t Is hoped that
money can be secured to provide n up
to-date gymnasium, and also hrst-ciass
playground for the use of the academy
boys The trustees Of the college com
mitted the mana cement of the sschool to
a COMMITTEES of five. President Boat
wright being one, and the other four be-
ing trustees. These last are Drs. Fit
and Cooper, and Messrs. J. Taylor Ely
son and ]. ]. Montague. To this com
rlittee has been entrusted the orSaniza-
ton and management of the academy.
Already plans are on foot for arranging
every detail necessary to the successful
inauguration of the new enterprise.
Everything necessary to the comfort OF
the students will be arranged. Already
the advertisements OF the school have
appeared in the city pa :. and the
committee is now busily at work to make
the academy No. / and up-to-date in
every particular. The principal OF this
new school is to be a man Of the very
highest character. rich in scholarship.
skilled as teacher experienced already
in dcpline and administration and there
will be also the utmost care exercised l.,
the choice of the associate teachers.
Gentlemen Of the college faculty have al
ready indicated their readiness to take
part in the academy instruction incident.
ally or regularly as the interests Of the
new school may require. 1t is expected
also that instruction can be provided for
in the new gymnasium to be erected.
While the academy will be quite distinct
from the college. 1t can be easily seen
that the relations between the two Will
be cordial and helpful.
DISTINCTLY LOCAL.
It is understood that this academy Is
interded to be distinctly a Richmond
school It will have no boarding DEPART
rent attached. and VIII in no way corr
Oete with the several dCHOellllSS III Jliltl
portions of Virginia. which are now ork-
ing as secondary schools for Richmond
College. The academy enters the educa-
tional arena. with thorough good will for
all and with the distinct purpose to do
the broadest AID most distinct foundation
work It is to be in the highest and most
general sc:.Se fitting school, intended t.
equip the youth of the city Tor college
work While 1t will naturally work in the
interest of Richmond College il will at
once he understood that its training will
he equally adapted to the preparatio of
the. Youth of the city for entering other
COLLEGES It's course will be sufficiently
flexible and advanced TO enable student
tf take the masters degree in any other
college in three years, the policy Of the
academy being to enable the student to-
enter college as soon as his habits of
s1rdy his advancement and his personal
development will make it to his advan-
tacc to co SO. The academy will restrict
itself tc secondary work. and will do that
work thoroughly. In n few DAYS the
courses of instruction will be duly an
nounced.
This is The first attempt that Rich
n1ond College has ever made for the es
Enlistment of an academy. In its early
DAYS it did have what was called an
academic department. which was intended
to coach its students which We're unable
tn enter its college courses II VIII De
remembered also that about twenty years
ago Professor Bartlett Davies started an
academy at the corner of Grace and Sec
ond Streets. and had Mr.. Morton Mercer
now DR.. Mercer. OF West View Baptist
Church. as his assistant. Both Of these
gentlemen were scholarly and they had
large patronage. but Mr.. Mercer went
away to pursue his theological education
and Professor I'avies died during the
~;
as feeder to Richmond College but
was in nc sense under its CONTROL beirs
entirely a private enterprise. The Rich
n.ond Academy will hold a closer rela-
ten with the college End share the ben
efits Of its wise and experienced over
sight While in its Organization and its
courses Of instruction it will be entirely
separate Friends of the new academy
are filed with hopefulness and are receiv-
ing many assurances of sympathy and