ere installed. A
circular setting forth the purposes of the school was published and
scattered abroad. We then thought that this was nearing the end of the
great task, when in reality we had hardly begun.

[Illustration: GIRLS GARDENING.]

The Board of Managers did not oppose the boarding department, yet they
did not sanction it to the extent of supporting it.

I had confidence in my plans and was willing to start alone. This step
was far more perplexing than I had at first imagined. As the time drew
near for the opening of school, I was aware that for the boarding
department I had to find a suitable house and procure necessary
furniture. In the basement of the school building was some lumber which
had been used for a platform. With the assistance of one of the teachers
this stage-lumber was converted into five bedsteads and three small
tables. I succeeded in getting one of the merchants to credit us for
several lamps. With this furniture, several stools, an equal number of
dry-goods boxes, and a few kitchen utensils, the boarding department of
the institution was started. Notwithstanding the scanty arrangement, I
am glad to say that for the most part there was but little or no
complaint.

Sufficient money was appropriated by the Board of Managers to provide
for the purchase of necessary working tools for the added industrial
classes.

I kept our friends in the North reminded of our need of additional land.
The industrial-school idea with a department of agriculture was not
succeeding well on a half-acre of ground. After two years of patient
toil this question of land was recognized as a necessity, and
accordingly two friends undertook to solicit subscriptions to the amount
of $5,000 with which to purchase a farm of 100 acres, two horses, a set
of harness, a wagon, and a plow. By this time spring was well on and we
were planning to make a crop. In a runaway one of the school horses was
badly injured. The purchase of the farm, etc., had about exhausted our
Northern resources and the school was in debt. To my credit in the Bank
of Christiansburg was a small sum of money, with which I purchased a
horse. The crop that year was fairly successful.

Before taking possession of the farm, it was understood that instead of
the proceeds of the farm going toward maintaining or paying teachers'
salaries, the money should go toward building up the soil, which was
well run down, and that we should devote all possible effort