The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-08

broad, will on slight reflection convey
in a better way than 1t can be other
wise the idea I have in mind. The
atmosphere Of her home and of the
social life in which she grew up was
one whose chief characteristics were
those high qualities for which our
best Virginia society was famous
refinement and gentleness Expressed
in the primary sense of the word gen.
tleman) and modesty. And dare say
that no woman ever exceeded her and
her co-worker and sister, Miss Emma
B. Scott, in this unconscious exhibit
ton.
I might here tell an incident I re-
cali. as we sat about the Preside one
evening in the school home. Mrs.
Chandler had been out on a social
visit In the town. and returning was
IN a nervous, distressed state of mind.
When we inquired the cause, she re-
marked that she had been to see one
of the ladies of the town, and that the
conversation was In such vein.
meaning subjects not the most refined
or modest. that 1t had almost made her
sick Since ! began to write this SEN
tence another incident came to my
mind which will accentuate the view
I am trying to give of the Ideals and
Seminary at its very birth. At Mrs.
Chambers funeral. though a member
of the family. I rose from my place In
the family pew, and said that while 1t
was unusual ! felt ! would be under
stood If / spoke. ! then said, that
after years of the most intimate life
with Mrs. Chandler / felt that K one
were to sum UP her most conspicuous
characteristic In one word. It would
be refinement.
But God In his providence was do
ing a more definite work in the prepa-
ration Of this remarkable woman for
her mission. She had the inestimabie.
and ] might almost say, the indis-
pensable advantage of education in
the old Buckingham Institute. under
DR.. Blackwell. 1t was only a few
weeks ago I recall at this writing hav-
ing heard Rev. " Sidney Peters say
that 1t was a remarkable fact that
every woman he had ever known edu-
Gated In the old Buckingham Institute
had been a woman OF exceptional
ability and success, and especially in
the work Of education.
Years must be leaped over for the
limitation of this article. After the
of Rev. e. H. Rowe to Mrs
Chambers sister, Miss Emma B.
Scott. Mrs. Chandler gradually re-
tired as the head OF the seminary.
and Rev. E. H. Rowe, became the
principal. In 1891, Mira Chandler
withdrew entirely. and went to At
lanta, Ga, and having purchased from
Mrs. Stewart. after Mrs. Parke, the
wife of Captain Parke, one Of the
chief men OF Georgia, the Washington
Sem mary. she re-entered with re-
newed zeal upon the great work of
OF school in the Southern
administration.
Under the management of Rev E.
H. Rowe the seminary continued to
grow.
In 1894 Mr.. Rowe accepted the
presidency of Wesleyan Female Col
lege of Georgia. and when he left that
institution he went as president-elect
to Martha Washington College, at
Abingdon, Va. This position, however.
he resigned, and returned 10 the
seminary. He signalized his return to
the school by distinct improvements.
and started the old institution upon a
new career of enlarged usefulness. 1t
was at this time that Mr.. Rowe
changed the name OF the school to the
mentioned here that Mrs.
Chandler also once changed the name,
Its original name having been Home
School. So It will be seen that the
present policy Of the Southern Semi
nary to DO tn dual work at home and
school. which 1t has been 20 success
full in and has earned reputation for.
Is no accident The present .nsistence
on the atmosphere and the axsocia-
tions and the personal care at the
home In the school being the Towering
out or the fruisage OF Its original
spirit.
It was not long after Mr.. Rowe's
return to the seminary that he began
plans and labors that brought the
Southern Seminary into its present
location, a situation pronounced by
Bishop Vincent of the Northern
Methodist Church. who was four years
bishop OF Zurich. Switzerland. the
finest he ever saw for school. at
Buena Vista, Va in the heart Of Blue
Ridge Mountains. In the famous Wall
ley OF Virginia. and secured b school
home costing about one hundred
thousand dollars. which for artistic
beauty and conmodiousness 10 un-
II equafled In the South.
The institution has Grown tiIi II has
become one Of the mpat attractive 1n
the Hcpth. with it, wonderxuf climate,