The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-02
VIRCINIA'S SCHOOL TO
instruct teachers
History of the Female Normal
Institute at FarmYille.
FRUITS OF BEST MINDS
Its Graduates Take Leading Stand
in High institutions.
SCHOOL Is WELL MANAGED
The Cost to the State is Small Ia Comparison
10 the Result Atta!ncd-The Board OF
Trustees Distinguished Body-Has
Aiwsys HAD Men of High Attain
ments at lis Head-New
President Progressive.
SCHOOL is WELL MANAGED
Especial Dispatch 10 The Times.)

FARMVILLE. VA, March 1T was
not until about thirty years ago that the
public mind in Virginia came TO connect
The stablcness of the free institutions
with the intelligence of the people and
10 see that general education is the basis
Of general thrift. The first Legislature To
assemble after the adoption of the post
bcllum Constitution established system
OF public schools July II, 1902 For a
dozen or more years the conduct Of these
schools was entrusted to such teaching
force as was found ready at hand. In
this experimental period nothing was
iEore fully demonstrated than that. if the
returns were to be in any wise COM
mensurate with the cost and the high
mission of the system, some provision
must be made for reliable source of
supply for teachers fitted by education
and training for their work. To meet
this demand the Legislature. in March
1854 passed an act establishing the state
Female Normal School at Farmville.
J'e DR.. N. IL. Ruffner, and Dr. ]. l..
NJ. Curry undoubtedly belongs the credit
of The Normal School idea in Virginia.
Dr. Ruffner, as Superintendent of Public
Instruction in the State. having already
rendered most valuable aid to education
by his advanced and correct ideas and
his mastery reports felt the need of
public schools, of the schools were to be
really important factors in the elevation
of the people. DR.. Curry, as agent of the
]ecaboGy Fund. was able 10 give very
material aid financially. and besides gave
what was. il possible, OF more value his
able mental and moral support.
STATE NORMAL, SCHOOL.
The result of these efforts was the
;,ction of the legislature at its session
al 1881, establishing a State Normal
school expressly for the training OF
white female teachers fer the public
schools.
That tho school was located in Farm
Nile was due 10 the fact that the town
offered TO give the State for This purpose
. building formerly used as an academy
end this offer was warmly supported by
men of such character and prominence
rs DR.. w. ii. Ruffner, Rev. james Nell
son. D. ID, then pastor of the Baptist
Church In Tarmvillc, now president of the
Noman's College, Richmond. Va. and
Dr. NJ j. IL. Thackston, at the time
mayor of Earmyille and most anxious To
further any enterprise that would pro-
mote its interests.
The act Of the Legislature establishing
the Normal School carried with it an APP
preparation of five thousand dollars Tor
buildings ana necessary expenses in the
beginning and ten thousand dollars an
l.ually TO maintain it, with the following
Board OF Trustees:-W. II. Ruffner. J.
l.. NJ Curry. r. NJ. Manly, c. r. Hoi-
land, L. A. Mitchell, ]. L Buchanan, r.
n Watkins. q. @. Conrad, w. r. Gaines,
M w Herbert John b. Minor. c. s
Armstrong, II. il. Harris, and. eX-ofnclQ
State Superintendent, r. r Farr.
At meeting of this board held a few
weeks later in Richmond. DIR. j. L. NJ.
Curry was elected president of the board,
Or. ]. l.. Buchanan rice-president and
Judge j. y. Watkins secretary, while
Dr. w. II. Ruffnor was induced TO be-
come principal Of the new school, giving
10 it the benefit of his wide knowledge
OF the needs of public schools and his
unusual intellect At a meeting of the
board held September 5th. 1854. it was re-
solved to opcn the school october ;ioti
following. although, TO quote DR.. RUIZ
ncr'S words. all they had was 4 principal.
an appropriation. rough scheme and an
old academy bulic..ns. Not a teacher, nor
book nor ~ picca of apparatus or tur-
,ature But with DR.. Curry. at the head
OF the boad and d. Rufner al the head
of the school. its success was assured.
The first step was to secure teachers.
which was no easy matter. as teachers
in Normal School must be. s,;scially
trained for their work. There betIg IN
Virginia. at this time few people familiar
with the organization. and the methods of
It
iz.d TO seek in the North three persons
e,ited for the position OF instructors,
and his nominees were at once eiected
ny the board. To this number We're
added two ladies from the South who had
experience in teaching in the best pubic
school systems. So at TIE appolhteu
time. in spite of the discouraginE outlook
six weeks before, the school was opened
viii, DR.. Rufner principal: Miss Celeste
y Bush of Connecticut. rice-prlnclpa!:
Miss Brimbleoomh of Boston, teacher OF
music: Miss Lillian A. Lee. of Connect,-
c,,t, teacher of mathematics and draw
3nr. Miss Pauline Cash. of North caro-
lima. teacher of English, ana Mrs. Z I.
Rartkewska, of Richmoho. 1eaeiie. III me
preparatory school,
,Y,e s,st year there were accommodate
,,ons for fcrty-four boarders. lie at
tendance WAS one hundred and seven.
and three graduates. The second session
there was a slightly larger attendance,
aud eight graduates. among whom W.
Miss Cclestia Parrish and Miss Made
lin, Mapp. both afterwards teachers in
the school. and now boil, members OF tie
faculty of high grade female colleges.
lcses.
A MODEL SCHOOL,
al the beginning OF the second session
n model school was founded ana piaceu
In charge OF Miss Cara Miner, 4 graduate
u The Teachers zCoileSc Oh Nc" ioi
city.
In 1856 the school was incorporated by
ffe Legislature. under the name of the
STATE Female Normal School. and an APP
,,ropriation of $4,000 made for additional
buildings For three years the increase
o. students and graduates was steady,
an6 the teachers did their work so We'll
that the school became farorably known
throughout the State.
II. 1851 DR. Ruffner resigned TO resume
the work Of geoicgsst. which he had laid