The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-22

100E RcH0E~/
lust been completed in time for occu-
nancy this fall and winter 1t Is a
magnificent brick building. costing
something over $4,000. 1t Is two
siories. with n basement In the base
ment there is splendid assembly,
room and an up-to-date gymnasium.
The floors of the two upper stories are
beautifully arranged for public school
purposes and nothing has been left
undone in the general arrangement OF
the building to make 1t an ideal pubic
high school of the twentieth century.
The grounds and walkways are hand
somely arranged, and all the facilities
for outdoor exercises and sports have
been provided for If sanything Is lack
,ng-and there seems to be nothing.
to make 1t the ideal public school OF
the State and q pattern for other towns
to follow, the wide-awake and progress
siye people of Blackstone will find
some way to raise the money to supply
the deficiency.
Including the principal there are
now seven teachers in charge of the
school, and there are 257 scholars on
the roll. The school shows as good
an average attendance as any institu-
ton in the State, whether 1t be a pub
lie or private school.
Boys In Uniform.
The Hoge Memorial Military Acad-'
envy located here is another institution
OF which Blackstone is justly proud.
The academy Is hardly dozen years
old and yet It has become one of the
leading educational institutions Of the
state. Built as a. memorial to the
late DIR. Moses D. hoge, who in his
day was an advocate Of higher educa-
ton, as we'll as of popular education.
lit has been kept up to the high stand
ard which it's name deserves. The
academy building. situated on COM
imanding knoll. is fully equipped with
/ all the modern paraphernalia of the
up to-date military school. and the
moral standard which the school has
| always maintained makes 1t safe
place for the training of a cadet corps.
not only for the business and pro-
Ifessional walks OF life. but also for
the better standards OF Christian citi-
zenship.
The school is in charge of Colonel
z. B. Fishburne. a Christian educator
and g man of military training. Col.
| tishburne is ably assisted by a corps
of teachers and trainers. all OF whom
are men of experience and who are
the youth OF the land. Eight five.
cadets are now on the rolls, forty of
whom are from the surrounding Sec
ltion and OCCUPY quarters in the bar
racks as boarders. With their bright
uniforms, their brighter guns and
their soldierly and Christian demeanof
| at all times. the cadets are the pride
of Blackstone The academy building
and the parade grounds are kept in
lapple-pie order, and everything about
the school is suggestive Of order and
/ military regulation
\ Blackstone Female Institute.
The Blackstone Female Institute
needs no, commentator at my hands.
1t is known all over Virginia and al,
over the South. While the institute
lis really Blackstone venture it Is a
Methodist State Institution. In fact. 1t
lis the only educational enterprise in
the State claiming to be under Meth
odist control that actually belongs to
the church and Is absolutely under
the control Of that denomination.
While have no disposition to get
into the discussion which was sprung
in the recent sessions OF the Virginia
Methodist Conference. as to what is
really Methodist school, and While ]
do. not intend to meddle with that dis
cussion or anything coming out OF it
I do not think 1t improper for me to
say in this connection that the course
of the Rev. James Cannon. Jr.., the
principal of this institution. before the
conference and In the newspaper dis.
cussion that followed has been en-
tirely consistent The trustees OF the
institute do not become trustees I'M
til their election has been confirmed
by the proper church authorities tina,
lis to say by the district conference ir
the territory in which it Is located
1t is now In what Is known as the
Farmville District Conference.
Distinctively Christian. +
Being owned and controlled by the
Methodist denomination, it goes with
d out saying that this educational !nsti
tuition is distinctively Christian in al
itc aims and ohiacfs Uhao nv Co~por