Year: 1876

united in desiring his stay.

 WASHINGTON, May 15, 1876.

 This cozy little burgh has been very quiet and Sunday-like in its aspect for the past five weeks in the absence of the Gun nery school on the occasion of tlieir regu- lar spring vacation. Wednesday of the present week will witness the reassem- bling of the institution for their summer term, and in proportion as the quiet of the first few weeks of vacation was felt by the community as relief from excite ment, we are all prepared to hail their advent again as an agreeable contrast to the extreme stiffness which was fast be- coming dissally monotonous. We long once more to see our streets made lively by the innocent pranks of vigorous boy hood, and the sombre countenances of our staid citizens relieved by the usual sprink- ling of merry faces which the Gunnery so generously supplies. What would old Washington be without the quickening in- fuences of this wide awake school and it's accomplished instructor, who without neg lecting the numerous wants of his peculiar charge, yet finds time to assume his share in the burdens of society and sets gene- rous example of public spirit in the a1- mistration of town affairs ? At the close of the last term the school manifested it's progress in attachments of various kinds by an old fashioned public examination and exhibition in the New Hall. which was great success, artistically and scienti- fically speaking, although the dubious weather prevented as large an attendance would otherwise have tested the seating capacity of the hall. The proficiency of the pupils of all ages and classes i'll real practical knowledge was throughly de- monstrated, and especially noticeable was the perfection attained in the important accomplishment of rhetorical Reclamation.

 MT. Gum has long since become quite celebrated for his success in inaugurating superior dramatic representations out of entirely raw material, and the late exhibi- tion made the drama not only prominent and exceedingly interesting feature, but the more trying test of single declalnation showed the same satisfactory result of his skillful management. Where all did so we'll it would seem perhaps invidious to mention particular cases of excellence in this line, but the audience especially en- loved the forensic efforts of Frank John son, of Albany, and Will. Church, of Shell by Iron Works, Alabama, the former of whom has been a popular member of the school for the past three years and now is on his way to Europe for couple of years to study under German influences. The lat ter expects to continue at the Guhnery an- other year and is equally proficient in the manly game of base ball, the light tripping of the fantastic toe, or in the more ear nest work of school duties propee.

 Some or of the regular members left the school at the close of last term to en- gage in other occupations. but the pro- spect now is that more than enough new material will join the coming term to keep the usual number good.

 The wisdom of the Legislature has en. acted law prohibiting the playing of base ball on ''the Green, and certain nar- row minds which seem reluctant to recog- nize any virtue in amusements even for the young, may have chuckled over the prospect of an entire prevention of the evil of base ball as far the Gunnery is concerned, but a new private ground has been selected beyond the reach of our leg islatlve sages, and the preparations are now far advanced in the way of grading and otherwise smoothing the surface to se- cure ball ground as appropriate and in some respects superior to the old location on "the Green"

 Next week the lecture association an- nounce the long expected lecture by the inimitable Cough whose sudden indis- position broke off his former engagement and disappointed so many. Numbers are now looking forward to this event with great interest as promising to be an au- spicious close to very successful lecture season.