The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-18
INSTITUTE FOR COLORED GIRLS
81. Francis de Sales, at Rack Castle,
Va, Model of Its Kind.


For some eight years a very c.liet and
yet very distinctive and forcefuI work
IN the educational field has been develop
ing In the 81 Francis de Sales Institute
for Colored Girls. Rock Castle. Va.
This school was erected in 1893 by
Mother Katharine DrexeI. and placed I'M
der the supervision OF her own sister
hood, the Sisters OF the Blessed Sacra-
ment. No effort was spared 10 make
building and equipment as nearly perfect
as possible, and the writer, who has visit
ed many Of the colored and white edu-
cational institutions of the Southland.
can state without hesitation or fiattery
that he found II equaled by very few and
surpassed by none.
Travelling on the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railroad west from Richmond, following
the graceful curves and Windings of the
historic James for forty miles. one sees
on an emfnence, about a quarter of a mile
south from the river. large brick build
ing with granite trimmings, the modified
type Of Elizabethan architecture. The
main building looks down upon the James.
while the two annex wings face Deep
Creek on one side and Lick Creek on the
other The situation is ideal for earnest
study. Beautiful nature is pre-eminent,
while distractions and noises Of busy
city are remote.
u may be Of interest to know that the
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, under
whose direction the school is maintained.
were instituted some twenty years ago
for the education and advancement of
the colored and Indian races. these
earnest. self-sacrificing women make a
speciality of their work and are always
seeking t9ave the best and TO give the
best to the two races to whom they ex-
clusively devote themselves. The sisters
believe that faith in God and reverence
and love for His teaching should form
the basic element of all training; that
religion and science should go hand IN
hand; that the one should always uphold
and strengthen the other.
While St. Francis de Sales is conduct
ed by a sisterhood OF the Catholic
Church, a cordial welcome is extended
to all cOlored people, regardless OF creed,
10 send their daughters TO enjoy the priv
ileges held out by this institute, and no
attempt is made to interfere with the
religious convictions of the students. 1t
is the aim of the sisters to- educate their
pupils physically, mentally, and morally;
to form them into truly noble, whole
souled women. and thus make OF each
individual a potent factor In the better
ing of the whole race.
A golden era of opportunity is dawning
for the cOlored people of the South in
this select school, which offers unrivaled
facilities which the better class will not
be slow to recognize and appreciate in
their endeayors to procure the highest
advantages of culture and education for
their daughters. The purpose of the
school is found in its broad. well-round-
ed curriculum. II has been shown that
large amount of manual work may be
carried on without In the least jeopardiz-
ing the results in the fundamental and
academic branches.
The school is unique in this, that there
is no primary department. Pupils must
come prepared to enter the sixth grade;
that is, must have successfully passed
fifth grade examinations. There are two
courses in TAe literary department-an In
termediate course and academic course.
Each course covers a period of four years.
The intermediate completes the full gram
mar course and gives to the pupils a
thorough education in all the essential
branches of everyday life
For pupils who wish 10 fit themselves
as teachers or take up more advanced
literary studies, the academic course is
admirably adapted. comprising a fine
course in English literature, the sciences.
botany, physics. chemistry. higher mathe-
rha tics. Latin. elements of pedagogy, and
psychology.
n thorough course is given. In domestic
orr beginning with preparatory class