Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-06-21

established in 1912 school near Mt. aoor
Church, in Augusta county, Va, some
eight miles from Stanton. Ii was
modest little school, but it flourished, and
within three years was chartered as 1.-The
Virginia Collegiate Institute" In lS47 it
was moved to Salem, and in 1858 It be-
came Roanoke College. Rev. Mr.. b lIgh-
mau, who had been principal up TO this
time. resigned, and DR.. Bittle was elected
president. He was brother OF Kew.
Daniel Biule, who was for some years
pastor of the Lutheran Church OF Shep-
herdstown, and he remained head OF the
institution until his sudden death in Sep
tember. 1876. The late lamented Rev.
l.. Smith and Rev. w. ]. Smith, BROTH
ers who had learned the printing busl-
ness in the Register office in Shepherds
town. were educated at Roanoke College,
and the writer we'll recalls visit from
DR.. Bittle in the summer OF 1876, a month
or two before he died, when The good
Doctor sought TO get another printers
devil from this establishment from which
10 make Lutheran preacher. DR.. Bittle's
death ended The ambition and removed
the opportunity OF the little "deviP' TO
become minister-so here we are IN the
same old business in the same old town.
DR.. L. w. Dosh succeeded DR.. Bittle
as president, and DR.. Julius D. Dreher
followed DR.. Dosh in the office, filling
the place with ability for twenty-five
years. In 1903 Rev. DR.. J. A. Morehead
was elected president, and is still the
active head OF the institution. Wise and
able and resourceful, DR.. Morehead has
been a tower OF strength to Roanoke COL
lege, and his influence has been Tar
reaching, moi only in the prosperity and
DEVELOPMENT OF the school but, more
important, upon the character OF the
Young men who have been privileged to
come under his counsel. Some one re-
Gently said OF DR.. Morehead that it was a
liberal education TO be associated with
him and a blessing to have linn as
friend. We are very sure that it is no
small privilege that is enjoyed by the
young men who come under his influence
as head OF the college. and parents may
be sure that their sons are in good hands
while in his charge. The faculty is COM
posed OF strong men-some eighteen or
twenty OF them-anong them being such
men as the learned DR.. L. A. Fox, pro-
lessor of philosophy; the talented DR..
F. V. N. Painter, professor of education,
whose literary genius and reputation are
known Throughout the country Prof. w.
+. Morehead, Prof. Hildreth, Prof Powell,
and other able teachers who are giving
such satisfactory service.
The college has very valuable prop
erty in Salem-a campus OF some twenty
acres located accessibly and conveniently.
The old buildings are the main structure
ofthree stories, thanked on either side by
smaller edifice. Newer buildings are a
very handsome dormitory recently CON-
structed, 250 feet in length, admirably
planned and with modern conveniences,
which accommodates l20 students the
new commons l0l by "A feet in size, much
frequented by the students three times a
day the new gymnasium, Is by 40 feet,
well equipped with suitable apparatus.
These three new buildings are OF most
excellent architectural design, substan-
TALLY built OF red brick trimmed with In
diana limestone, and make handsome
group. A good library building is filled
with literary treasures and thousands of
useful books. A comfortable new preSi-
dents house, long needed, completes the
equipment in buildings. Structures con-
templated when the cost of building shall
become reasonable once more, are new
chapel, which is real necessity, and an
addition TO the dormitory.
Salem is fine old Virginia town of
some four or five thousand population,
and having been college town for three
quarters of a century il follows that to
the natural culture OF VirginianS have been
added the intellectual graceS that come
from such associations. Salem is beau
tiful for situation. Ii nestles in the lovely
valley OF the Roanoke river with pic
turesque mountains guarding it from
storms and outside calamities, and these
walls OF living green seem friendly sem
tines that bid the inhabitants to be at
peace. There are many beautiful homes
in Salem-indeed. some very elegant and
costly estates that show the good taste
and the wealth OF their owners and occu-
pants. We think we have never been
in place where there are more beau
tifully located homes. for though the town
is on plain, there are eminences all
about il from which may be observed the
most enhancing views Of valley and
mountains. Well-kept lawns and plenty
Of shade trees and profuSion OF flowers
adoru many OF the homes. Although
Salem'S new and pretentouS neighbor,
Roanoke, long ago outstripped her in
population and business and general i'm
portanCe, the county seat is still located
here, and the people are properly proud
of a very handsome courthouse that
graces the public square. 1t is really
fine building, and we hope that il may be
the anchor to hold the county-seat here
from now on. In the courthouse yard
is an imposing monument erected as
memorial to the Confederate soldiers
from that county. II is doubtless costly
affair, but the statute that surmountS it is
not as impressive as it might be.