The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-12

Perhaps the most famous school In
Virginia before the war was Fred Cole
mans Concord Academy. in Caroline
County. OF this school. which was
given ny about ls45; Captain W. Cor
don McCaDc has published "A full nc
cc3unt IL Is to be regretted that Mr.
MCCabc. certainly judge of good
SCHOOL. has not made an exhaustiv,
study of Virginia schools before tho
war The subject has never been APP
preached with anything like the degree
of attention it deserves. There we're
many good schools In the Virginia OF
that period. but. unfortunately, the re
cords OF most of them have been al
loved TO grow very din.
With rare exceptions, our excellent
private schools In Virginia to-day have
grown up since the war But IL Is GER
tain that those which arc excellent now
are rooted in the methods formed be-
fore the war. ana this Is but natural
since the University Of Virginia. in tic
Older 40 well as IN the later period. las
been the source OF inspiration and dis
ciplinc. this Is not saying that the MIL
tary Institute ana the colleges haze not
shaping the scholastic regimen Of Vir-
ginia. However. what since 1890 has
been known as i university school has
:" strong rs TO be- recogni>hhlc Al once
on its merits. Those i4et!ts have al
Ways been. in essence. an Intolerance
Besides Fred Colcrnan's Concord
Academy, there VIII be recalled by
elderly men. Lewis Minor Coleman'a
- Z.
In King william county, the North ?
cumberland Academy. NewIngton Acad :
en-, IN Glouces,er; The Happahanm,qek
Aiaurins school. ia ttchmond; John
Hastings Winstons W"stwood school
near LynchburB; Pike Powerss East.
view Acadeny, near Staumton; ths
l.ecsburg Academy. The Warrcntoi;
Academy. tn. Culpcper Academy. and
numerou. other good schools In Eau
qulcr and Culpcper. as well as else
where In the nature .: the case.
Chnrlottcsvill. has for long been u cen.
tr- OF eNceil.n, schools. private ana
public. The Martin Dawson bcquest
has passed out OF the mcuoT? o! most
people. iiut the Dawson fund enabled
Albeu.arle County 10 have IT, own sys-
tenn OF public schools long before there
Was amy OF ;he modern machinery OF
public schools in the state II may bo
enii ~ once that the state had pub
lie school system many years hcior"
TIE war and the snperlntendent Of II
gave a great deal OF tirno 10 celebrating
the system.
That WAS not time Of cnlciency
BY tho card index, but OF efficiency
index VIC viii not stop here to ais
cuss efficiency. and viii at once return
School where en!ciency was :, matter
OF course from an carly hour IN tho
Tia many who care for such things
authentic record remains OF FrankNn
Minors IidpwAy school. fun ac-
count or franklin Minor himself would
FORM = salutary document Why should
W. be allowed 10 forget win such
alarming thoroughucsS2 Tho facts
given below IL Regard to the Ridgway
school ar" due TO tho courtesy and
public spirit Of William W Minor,
of Albcmarlc County.
u vas schoulboy ~ Ridrway from
1851 10 1851. In which year the school
was closed. because Of Mr.. Minor III
health. at the cud OF the regular sos
sion In June, Hud got all Eny educa-
ton preparatory for the university
there. as did many other hoys from
virginia. and lhe south for M Minor
ran the school v"ry successfully for
tca years OF NOR. can rene mber
that WAS TO 20 10 Ridgway a. soon
as was old enough 70 walk there,
which | did for six years through q
ton months session. getting to school
~ sunrise winter ana summer. and
until october. 1850 when ! was given
q week. trip TO Richmond To tho state
Agricultural Fair as q reward for my
regular attendance. The school WAS
located about four miles from Char
ioitcsVillc. aud averaged In my day
sixty boys thcardcrsb. besides about
eight or ton da$ scholars
The bonrders were housed In dorm! =
tories built for the purpose. very plain,
uuprct.utious buildings. two. four or
SIS rooms. the larger part four--oon
owned a large end productive farm.
which he managed himself with sen
s!b!e, practical ovcrscer To carry out