Longwood College - Virginian Yearbook (Farmville, VA)

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and his nominees wore at once elected b y the board. To this number were added two ladies from the South who had had experience in teaching in the best public school systems. tSo, at the appointed time, in spite of the discouraging outlook six weeks before, the school was opened with Dr. Buflner, principal, Miss Celeste E. Rush, of Connecticut, vice-principal. Miss Brimblecomb, of Boston, teacher of vocal music, Miss Lillian A. Lee, of Connecticut, teacher of mathematics and drawing. Miss Pauline Gash, of North Carolina, teacher of English, and L-s. C. T. Bartkowska, of Eichniond, teacher of the pre- paratory school. The course of instruction adopted embraced elementary courses in English, Arithmetic, Alge- bra, Physiology, Physics, United States History, Geography, Penmanship, Drawing and Vocal Music. To them were added Lectures on School Economy, Methods of Teaching and Psychology, the whole course of study, subject-matter and methods, covering a period of two years. The first year there were accommodations for fortj ' -foar boarders. The attendance was one hundred and seven, and three graduates. The second session there was a slightly larger attend- ance, and eight graduates, among whom were ]Miss Celestia Parrish and Miss Madeline Mapp, both afterwards teachers in the school, and now both members of the faculty of the Randolph- Macon Woman ' s College, Lynchburg, Virginia. At the beginning of the second session a model school was formed and placed in charge of Miss Clara W. Miner, a graduate of the Teachers ' College of New York City. In 1886 the school was incorporated bj ' the Legislature, under the name of the State Female Normal School, and an appropriation of fifteen thousand dollars made for additional buildings. For three years the increase of students and graduates was steady, and the teachers did their work so well that the school became favorably known throughout the State. In 1887, Dr. Ruttner resigned to resume tlie work of geologist, which he had laid aside in order to undertake the organization of the school, and Dr. John A. Cunningham, was elected to succeed him. Dr. Cunningham was at the time engaged in work in the public schools of Rich- mond, which fitted him peculiarly for the duties upon which he now entered. The course of study, in pursuance of the plan already outlined by Dr. Rufiner, was extended to cover three j ears, two of academic

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State for this purpose a building formerly used as au academy and tliis ofl ' er was warmly sup- ported by men of such character and prominence as Dr. W. H. Ruftner, Rev. James Nelson, D. D., then pastor of the Baptist Church in Farmville, now president of the Woman ' s College, Rich- mond, and Dr. W. ir. II. Thackston, at the time mayor of Farmville and most anxious to further any enter- prise that would promote its inter- ests. The Act of the Legislature es- tablishing the For- mal School, car- ried with it an ap- DR J. L M CURRY, propriatiou of five thousand dollars for buildings and ' necessary expenses in the beginning and ten thousand dol- lars annually to maintain it, with the foUowiag board of trustees : W. H. Ruff ner, J. L. M. Curry, R. M. Manly, C. R. Holland, L. A. Michie, J. L. Buchanan, F. X. Watkins, G. 0. Conrad, W. E. Gaines, W. W. Ilerljert, John B. Minor, C. S. Armstrong, H. II. Harris, James Nelson, and ex-officio, State Superintendent, R. R. Farr. At a meeting of this board held a few weeks later, in Richmond, Dr. J. L. M. Curry was elected president of the board, Dr. J. L. Buchanan, vice- president, and Judge F. N. Watkins, secretary, while Dr. W. H. Rufi ' ner was induced to become principal of the new school, giving to it the benefit of his wide knowledge of the needs of public schools and his unusual intellect. At a meeting of the board held September 7th. 1884, it was resolved to open the school- October 30th, following, although, to quote Dr. Ruffner ' s words, all they had was a principal, an appropriation, a rough scheme and an old academy building. Not a teacher, nor a book, nor a piece of appa- ratus or furniture. But with Dr. Curry at the head of the board and Dr. Ruft ' ner at the head of the school, its success was assured. The first step was to secure teachers which was no easy matter, as teachers in a normal school must be specifically trained for their work. There being in Virginia at this time few people familiar with the organization and methods of normal schools. Dr. Ruffner was authorized to seek in the North three persons suited for the position of instructors

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work, and one year entirely professional. The model school was converted into a school of practice, in which every member of the Senior class was required to teach daily, her work being carefally supervised by the several teachers of methods, and bj ' an experienced teacher placed in charge of the practice school. To carry out this plan, the faculty was increased in number, the academic work extended to embrace Trigo- nometry in Mathematics; Latin and German were soon added; Ancient liistory was included; good courses in Physics, Chemistr y, Astronomy and Botanj- outlined, and the English course extended to cover the ground usually covered by the Eng- lish courses in the l)est secondary schools. The Legislature of 1888 appropriated tifteeii thousand dollars for additional buildings; that of 1890 increased the annual appropriation to twelve thousand dollars; that of 1894 still further in- creased the annual appropriation to fifteen thou- sand dollars besides giving five thousand dollars for additional buildings. The school has also received aid from the Peabody Fund of sums varying from one thousand dollars to fifteen hundred dollars per annum. With these sums, the course has been ex- tended from time to time. Shorthand and type- writing, as a department of industrial work, and French have been added in the last few years, laboratories for instruction in Physics, Chemistry and Physiology erected, adequate apparatus for tlie needs of the school purchased, and the foun- dation of a good working library begun, the capacity of the building enlarged so as to accom- modate more than one hundred and fifty boarders and man} ' comforts added. At the close of the session of 1897-98, we could number, including the j)ractice school, three hundred and fifty-two pupils and three hundred and fift ' -one graduates. Iq the fifteen years of the existence of the school, there have been four presidents of the Ijoard of trustees, viz: Dr. J. L. M. Cnrry, to whom the school owes much, General W. B. Taliaferro, Colonel J. P. Fitzgerald and Hon. Robert Turnbull. Dr. Curry, having done what he could for the establishment of the school, resigned the presidency of the board after one year of service, though he remained a member some years longer. General W. B. Taliaferro gave his heart ' s true afi: ' ection to the institution from the time of his election in 1885 until a few weeks before his death in 1898. It was his boast that he never missed a meeting of the board of trustees and it was his greatest pleasure 1o feel