The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-30
SUMNER WORK At FEssENDEN

The editor OF the star Hau the plSoS
ure Monday of visit to Fessenden
Academy, appropriately named the
Tuskegee of Florida.
The Star has always approved of
Fessenden, never failed to say a good
word for It whenever the opportunity
offered. and has been rewarded by
seeing it steadily grow and as steadily
increase its good work. There are not
many things that please a public jour
nal more than to see justified its con-
ndence In a man, a cause or an enter
prise.
Prof Wiley came after the newspa-
per man in his auto. This Is a fine,
new, 30-hp. Overland. Prof. Wiley Is
rather proud of II, and Is very careful
with Ii and everybody who rides in it,
No shaving of other peoples mud
guards or going round corners on two
wheels for Prof. Wiley. However,
when out on the open country road he
opens up, and the machine strikes
good, comfortable, 2O-mile-an- hour
gait that takes you there and gives
you the comfortable feeling that you
are going TO be brought back all in one
piece.
Fessenden Academy Is a little over
eight miles from Ocala and It's grounds
lie right alongside the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad. AS II Is summer time.
the 35-acre campus looks deserted.
and but few people are seen around
the dozen or more buildings. All the
same, a great deal of work is going
on, taking care of the grounds and
buildings, making large improvements
and some repairs.
Fessenden Is a much larger place
than anybody who isn't acquainted
with IT would suppose. good writer
could put in a full day observing in
teresting things to write about. And
the present writer had only an hour
didn't have that, but took 1t. Conse-
quently, he could only hit the high
places. tho there didn't seem to be any
low ones.
Prof. Wiley led the way into the
mechanical building, where the boys
are taught blacksmith, carpenter and
cabinet work. That they are taught
well is attested by many specimens Of
their handiwork in the building. The
lower floor Is filled with the mechani-
cal appliances and the drawing room is
upstairs. Some idea Of the extent of
the work Is given by the fact that
there are nine FORCES in the black
smith shop.
Next to this Is the building where
instruction is given the girls in house
hold work. 1t Is we'll equipped and
intensely practical The girls are not
only taught to do things but why they
are done.
These two substantial and well ar
ranged buildings were erected by the
boy pupils Of the school. They are
good testimony to the efficiency of the
instruction at Fessenden.
Next is Cravath Hail. Here Is the
postoffce and telephone station. In II
Is the business office, where the arch
ives are kept. 1t Is also central fol
the telephone system of the academy
Every building at Fessenden has It's
phone, some OF the larger ones have
two or mora great convenience ant
a protection. Upstairs Is one of the
boys dormitories. The rooms are spa
cious, we'll lighted and well ventilat-
ed. They are comfortably If plainly
furnished.
There are other dormitories for the
boys scattered around on the campus
The rooms at Cravath Hall are speci
mems of all. The boys live two in {
room. They have to take care of thei1
own rooms and have to keep them il
good order.
The principals house is centrally 10
Gated. 1t is nice house, furnished
with simple elegance, and looks yer!
comfortable-but, he says, he finds
very little time to stay In 1t.
Carnegie Hall, a big, three-stor!
building, Is the dormitory for TIL,
girls. 1t Is well-kept and comfortable
but IL the girls rooms are more ele
CANT than those Of the boys in tn,
other buildings they must be made s,
with their own hands. The kitchen
diningroom and pantry are kept II
splendid order and the rooms and pas
sages are spotlessly clean. The re
porter noticed that among the por
traits OF other great men on the wall
OF the big diningroom was that o
General Robert E. Lee, and on com
menting on 1t to Prof. Wiley wa
gratified to be told that he considers
the character of the great Confederate
general part of the lesson in com
mon Americanism to be taught to all
There are two new buildings goin,
up. One Is the academic annex. 4Ox5
feet and two stories high. 1t will TAX
care OF the extra Industrial and AGA
demic work, and will be ready by tn
opening of the fall term.
The other is the new laundry build
ing. 1t will be equipped with TIL
most modern appliances and supplie
with an abundance of soft water from
120-foot well. The water at Fessen
den is well worth commenting on. TIL
reporter had a glassful of it fresh. /
was just cool enough without ice an
had that absence of taste that is tn
best taste in water.
The big central school huildiDp ha
brief visit. 1t looks rather deserte
now: but it huns with life two-third
OF the year.
The library Is not only for the en-
tertainment of the pupils. but for thei
instruction. Most of them are anxiou
to read, but If one is found VIII
doesn't want to. he Cor she) must reat
just the same, and read understanding
iy enough to tell about each book whe
1t is returned
Prof. Wiley showed the reporte
with pardonable pride how the boys i
constructing one Of the buildings ha
used scrap lumber. which had bee
neatly fitted in so as to do as we'll a
expensive new material
Fessenden Academy has attached I
1t 800 acres OF farm land 1t has sew
eral fine Jerseys, and a number n
blooded hogs. Prof Wiley last wee
sold a number of hogs at a fair pric,
II Florida should be cut off from tn
world during a school term. Fessende
would be much better equipped to be
gin supporting itself than many othe
parts of the state-and it could be
big help to other places.
Fessenden is not strictly and entire
ly unitarian. Literature and art hav