78 THE VIRGINIA TEACHER [Vol. 11, No. 3

VII. The Heritage of Traditions CULTURAL RESOURCES OF Every college builds its own tradi- tions. It does not borrow them. The HARRISONBURG State Teachers College at Hqrrisonburg MIDWAY between Lexington, the has established certain traditions that "Athens of the South," and Win- would be a most valuable heritage for chester, one of the most historic a liberal arts college for women. cities in America; near Charlottes- 1. The Harrisonburg student has a ville, the home of Jefferson, and Staun- hopeful, happy, joyous, optimistic ton, the birthplace of Woodrow Wil- outlook upon life, an attitude that is son; with its main street the scenic Lee the reflection of the influence of the Highway, one of the most celebrated old invigorating and inspiring climate trails in the New World, Harrisonburg en- and scenery of the Valley of Virginia. joys unusual historic, scenic, and cultural 2. There is at Harrisonburg a tradi- resources. tion of unbounded loyalty to the col- The fine associations of the region are lege which places squarely behind suggested to the casual visitor and kept every interest of the institution the alive in the hearts of all residents by the energy and devotion of its 10,000 names of buildings on the campus of the alumnae. State Teachers College. For example, Maury 3. There is at the college the tradition Hall reminds us of the "Pathfinder of the of fine achievement, and dedica- Seas," who spent his last years in active ser- tion of one's energies and talents, vice at Lexington. Jackson Hall commemo- one's enthusiasm and vigor, to the rates the immortal "Stonewall," whose service of the Commonwealth. famous "Valley Campaign" was wrought out 4. A profound and constant devotion and fought out with Harrisonburg as a cen- to the cause of scholarship, learning ter. Ashby Hall brings to mind General and truth dominates the atmosphere Turner Ashby, "Knight of the Valley," of the college. whose death signalized a victorious day with 5. The students of the college prize the Jackson on a wooded hillside almost at the tradition in their social life of thor- edge of the College campus. Spotswood ough democracy. They look beyond Hall recalls Alexander Spotswood and the the external evidences of the wealth "Knights of the Golden Horseshoe," who, of an individual for other signs of in 1716, crossed the Blue Ridge only a worth—signs of character, of ability, few miles east of Harrisonburg. Harrison of worthy purposes, of friendliness. Hall bears the name of the distinguished These ideals we claim should pre- family for whom the city was named and vail in all State colleges and are neces- commemorates especially Gessner Harrison, sary to the success of any college for who was for many years a distinguished the daughters of all the people. teacher, author, and administrative officer Samuel P. Duke. at the . Reed Hall keeps in mind the fact that Walter Reed, DUTY OF PRINCIPAL TO PRESERVE eminent scientist and world benefactor, used SANITY to be a sojourner at Harrisonburg, where "A school principal is one who is paid his father owned a home and frequently re- sided during a period of twenty years. extra to refrain from working too hard, so that when everyone else about the place has Famous Men and Women gone fagged or wild, his cool head will Associated with Harrisonburg and Vicinity serve as a nucleus of sanity," writes Dr. In 1784 General Washington was a so- Daniel Wolford LaRue, professor of psy- journer in the county for several days, visit- ing Thomas Lewis and Gabriel Jones, both chology in the Pennsylvania State Teachers of whom were prominent figures in colonial College at East Stroudsburg, in the Journal Virginia. Washington himself tells of this of the National Education Association. visit to Rockingham, at considerable length, March, 1930] THE VIRGINIA TEACHER 79 in his Journal of 1784. From Washington and author of the famous "Riddleberger Irving's "Life of Washington" it is evident Bill," one outstanding feature of which was that Washington had been in the vicinity a more adequate provision for the public of Harrisonburg in 1756, while he was in school system of Virginia, lived two or three command of the Virginia frontier, with years in Harrisonburg and spent most of headquarters at Winchester. his life in a neighboring community. In 1794 the illustrious Francis Asbury es- spent the greater part of a tablished a school in Harrisonburg. year near Harrisonburg, in early life; prob- , cousin of the President, ably met his wife, Rebecca Bryan, at the old first Episcopal Bishop of Virginia, and for Bryan homestead on Linville Creek; and 35 years president of William and Mary Col- one of the first books on Daniel Boone was lege, was born at Port Republic, a few miles printed in Harrisonburg, written by a resi- south of Harrisonburg. dent, Daniel Bryan, in 1813. Near Tenth Legion, whose name preserves a declaration by , that this Scenic Wonders part of the State was his "Tenth Legion of Along the eastern side of the Valley the Democracy," was born John Sevier, "Nolli- billowy crest of the Blue Ridge stretches in chucky Jack," six times governor of Ten- an endless procession of majesty. Far to nessee. the west the ascending ranges of the Alle- At Timber Ridge, between Staunton and ghanies loom against the sunset. Dividing Lexington, was born the unique Sam Hous- the Valley is the Massanutten, a fifty-mile ton, liberator and first president of the Re- range that runs on a straight line from Har- public of Texas. risonburg to Strasburg. Thomas Lincoln, father of the President, "The glory of the Valley is Massanutten," was born eight miles north of Harrisonburg; wrote General Dick Taylor in 1879. In and his father, , was a 1825 His Highness, Bernhard, Duke of Saxe- captain of militia in the county before leav- Weimar, touring the Valley and writing a ing for Kentucky in 1781. book, was also attracted by this wonderful William H. Ruffner, the distinguished marshalling of mountains, in long parallels: State Superintendent of Education in Vir- "Very singular," he declared. "No instance ginia from 1870 to 1882, married his wife in occurs of it in the other parts of the world." Harrisonburg and lived here for a number From the College campus at Harrison- of years. burg one may see northward Brock's Gap, in Henry Tutwiler, whose bust stands in the the Alleghanies, through which McCulloch's Library of the University of Virginia; who Path led in Indian days and through which was the first man to receive the M. A. de- Washington came down into the Valley in gree from the University; and who made 1784. Due west is Buffalo Gap, also in the an illustrious record as an educator in the Alleghanies, through which Jackson led his state of Alabama, was a native of Harrison- "Foot Cavalry" towards McDowell in May burg. of 1862, and through which today the C. Emma Lyon Bryan, artist, composer, and & O. Railway and the Midland Auto Trail author, lived in Harrisonburg. stretch towards the West. Not far above Walter Reed, whose father had a home in Buffalo Gap, is Goshen Pass, immortalized Harrisonburg for many years, was an oc- by Maury. casional sojourner here between 1870 and Swift Run Gap, in the Blue Ridge, con- 1885. tains a monument to Spotswood and his John E. Massey, "Parson Massey," fam- Knights of the Horseshoe. For more than a ous Virginia leader of Readjuster Days, liv- century one of the main roads from Rock- ed in Harrisonburg and vicinity for about ingham to Richmond has led over this pass. ten years. Here it was that rode across Chas. T. O'Ferrall, author, orator, jurist, horseback in September, 1879, to Culpeper and from 1894 to 1898 governor of Virginia, and back. In 1784 Washington had crossed had his home in Harrisonburg from 1869 to the same way, after his visit with Thomas 1893. Lewis and Gabriel Jones, "bating" his horse Harrison Holt Riddleberger, U. S. Senator, before climbing the mountain. 80 THE VIRGINIA TEACHER [Vol. 11, No. 3

Other scenic and historic mountain passes 1745, John Sevier born near Tenth Leg- within a radius of twenty miles from Har- ion. .risonburg are Brown's Gap in the Blue 1746, the Fairfax Line surveyed by Ridge, opposite Port Republic, and New Thomas Lewis, Peter Jefferson, and others. Market Gap, through the Massanutten, on 1749, Bishop James Madison born at the old turnpike, now the Lee Highway, be- Port Republic. tween New Market and Luray. Both of 1752, the Boones sojourn here, moving these were used by and to the Yadkin Country. his "Foot Cavalry" in 1862. 1756, First tour of Washington through Through the New Market Gap Jackson Rockingham County. led his army twice, both times going east- 1776, Muhlenberg's call to arms at Wood- ward: first in May, 1862, to surprise Kenly stock. at Front Royal and outflank Banks at Stras- 1781, February, British prisoners from burg; again, in November of the same year, Cowpens brought through, going northeast. after Antietam and preceding Fredericks- 1781, the Lincolns move to Kentucky. burg. 1784, Second tour of Washington through Peaked Mountain, the southwest promon- Rockingham County. tory of the Massanutten, looms up out of the 1794, Bishop Asbury founds a school in Valley between Harrisonburg and Elkton, Harrisonburg. bearing a striking resemblance to Gibraltar 1813, Daniel Bryan publishes his book on and affording a panorama comparable to Daniel Boone. the one that is afforded by Lookout Moun- 1858, Jed Hotchkiss publishes a descrip- tain at Chattanooga. It was a famous sig- tion of the region. nal station of Blue and Gray from 1861 to 1862, May 8, Battle of McDowell. 1865. Around its rugged foot lie the bat- 1862, June 6, Ashby killed near Harrison- tlefields of Harrisonburg, Cross Keys, Port burg. Republic, Lacey Springs, Mt. Meridian, 1862, June 8, Battle of Cross Keys. Piedmont, and Waynesboro. 1862, June 9, Battle of Port Republic. 1864, May 15, Battle of New Market. Marvelous Caverns 1879, Summer, Sidney Lanier at Rock- Outstanding among the scenic wonders of ingham Springs. this part of the Valley are eight famous 1899, May 20, President McKinley makes caves: Weyer's, Madison's, Massanutten, an address in Harrisonburg. Harrison's, Endless, Shenandoah, Luray, and Ruffner's. Weyer's is now known as "Grand Educational History Caverns"; Harrison's as "The Blue Grot- It may be a surprise to some persons to toes." Ruffner's Cave is near Luray, but know that the first modern normal school not at present open to the public. Madison's in Virginia was operated near Harrisonburg, Cave is near Weyer's. It was described at and the first white teachers graduated there- length by Jefferson in his famous book, from. The latter statement is made on the "Notes on Virginia." authority of Supt. William H. Ruffner. The Natural Chimneys ("Cyclopean Tow- From 1873 to 1878 Alcide Reichenbach, ers,"), great scenic curiosities, are within trained in Europe, J. D. Bucher, with four easy reach of Harrisonburg; and Mt. Elliott, years of normal school training in Pennsyl- one of the highest peaks of the Alleghanies, vania, S. H. Owens of Richmond, T. S. Den- is in plain sight from the city. ison, A. L. Funk, and others conducted a normal school at Bridgewater, seven miles Historic Incidents west of Harrisonburg, offering a two-year Only a few of the notable events if his- course and a four-year course; shaping their tory that have taken place at or near Har- courses after the best in Europe and Amer- risonburg can be mentioned, and they, for ica; operating a Model School; with teach- want of time and space, must be put down ers in attendance from eight or ten counties in bare outline: 1716, Spotswood and the "Knights of the of Virginia, also from West Virginia and Horseshoe" enter the Valley at Swift Run Ohio. Gap. Among the special lecturers were Major March, 1930] . THE VIRGINIA TEACHER 81

Jed Hotchkiss, E. E. Higbee, president of Fishburne Academy and Fairfax Hall at Mercersburg College, Hon. M. A. Newell, Waynesboro; Staunton Military Academy State Superintendent of Education in Mary- and Stuart Hall in Staunton; Augusta Mili- land, Professor W. B. McGilvary of Rich- tary Academy at Fort Defiance; the East- mond, and Supt. William H. Ruffner. ern Mennonite School at Harrisonburg; In 1877 Supt. Ruffner wrote to the prin- Randolph-Macon Academy at Front Royal; cipal: "You have graduated the first white Massanutten Academy at Woodstock; Shen- teachers in Virginia." andoah Valley Academy at New Market; During the same years that the Valley and Shenandoah Valley Academy at Win- Normal School was going on at Bridgewater, chester, all speak eloquently of a region that a summer normal for music teachers was is loyal to educational enterprise. held from year to year at New Market. This was conducted by B. C. Unseld, Chester G. Historic Battlefields Allen, P. J. Merges, Aldine S. Kieffer, and Within a radius of sixty miles of Harri- others, some of the best teachers at that time sonburg we may find not only the birth- in the ; and the school was at- places of five Presidents, together with the tended by musicians from Pennsylvania, final scenes of labor of Jackson, Maury, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, West Vir- and Lee, but also a dozen or more battle- ginia, Maryland, and Texas, as well as from fields that are celebrated wherever military Virginia. annals are read and military skill is studied. In 1880 Bridgewater College began at Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign Spring Creek, ten miles west of Harrison- ranks with the most brilliant campaigns of burg, as a normal school and collegiate in- Napoleon Bonaparte. McDowell, Front stitute. In 1887 Shenandoah Normal Col- Royal, Winchester, Cross Keys, and Port lege was located in Harrisonburg. It was Republic were outstanding incidents of that short-lived, but it was a good witness to the campaign. The battle of New Market, best interest of this community to progressive known by the charge of the V. M. 1. Cadets, education. William H. Ruffner, the "Hor- was a brilliantly planned action, in which ace Mann of Virginia," declared the people the weaker side won a notable victory. of the Valley to be the leaders of popular Cedar Creek, for strategy and daring, ranks education in Virginia. Ruffner himself was with Jackson's attack at Chancellorsville. a native and an educational product of this Kernstown, Piedmont, Opequon, Rude's Hill, region. So were Henry Tutwiler, Gessner Lacey Spring, Mt. Meridian, all add luster Harrison, Joseph Salyards, John W. Taylor, to the genius and valor of Northern Vir- John H. Grabill, George H. Hulvey, and ginia and the Shenandoah Valley. many others. Ashby's Cavalry, Mosby's Men, Jack- son's Stonewall Brigade, Rosser's Laurel Virginia Education Association Brigade, McNeill's Rangers, Chew's Battery, In 1898 the Virginia Education Associa- Carpenter's Battery, Rice's Battery, all of tion had its beginning at Mt. Jackson, a the Civil War, like Muhlenberg's German neighboring town of Harrisonburg, when the Regiment and George Rogers Clark's Illi- Virginia Teachers League was organized nois Immortals of the Revolution, were, there. Men of this region were chiefly in- largely recruited in this part of the State strumental in launching this great organiza- and immeasurably enhanced its renown. tion and have ever since contributed ma- terially to its success. The Home of Home Music Joseph Funk, "Father of Song in North- A-Region of Colleges and Academies ern Virginia," lived and did his notable It is not an accident that Northern Vir- work as author, teacher, and publisher in ginia is a land of schools. Washington and this region with Harrisonburg as a respon- Lee University and Virginia Military Insti- sive center. His famous music book, "Har- tute at Lexington; Mary Baldwin College monia Sacra," first published a century ago, in Staunton; Bridgewater College at Bridge- is still in wide use and has run through water; Shenandoah College at Dayton; the 18 editions. State Teachers College at Harrisonburg; Joseph Funk's sons, grandsons, and great- 82 THE VIRGINIA TEACHER [Vol. 11, No. 3 grandsons, with pupils of his and theirs, have lived among and loved the Shenandoah many a score, have won distinction as sing- hills; both have won honors at home and ers, composers, teachers, and publishers of abroad; and both have places in our na- church and home music all over the United tional encyclopedias of biography. States and Canada. Among them are A. J. Showalter of Georgia, J. Henry Showalter A Brilliant Pageant of Ohio, J. D. Brunk of Indiana, E. T. At the foot of the campus of the State Hildebrand of Maryland, B. F. Wampler of Teachers College at Harrisonburg passes the Illinois, and Will H. Ruebush of Virginia. main street of the city—the Lee Highway, Literary Associations the Valley Turnpike, the old stage road, the "Indian Road," the "Long Gray Trail." The Shenandoah Valley and adjacent sec- From generation to generation, from year tions have a notable literary history. Lex- to year, since time unknown to the present, ington was the home of Margaret J. Pres- a ceaseless company of changing figures ton, one of Virginia's most gifted writers of have passed along that way. It was once verse. Staunton is the home of Armistead perhaps a buffalo path. It certainly was a C. Gordon, distinguished author, and an warpath of the Indians of the North and early collaborator with Thomas Nelson of the South. Then came a few white men, Page. The lower Valley was the birthplace driving packhorses. Then others, many of Willa S. Gather and Joseph G. Baldwin; others. It was the main trail to Cumber- the birthplace and home of John Esten land Gap, to Boone's Wilderness Road, the Cooke, Philip Pendleton Cooke, and Sam- way to Kentucky, to Tennessee, to the Caro- uel Kercheval. This is also the chief scene linas—a way of danger and death, but a of many of John Esten Cooke's best ro- way of glory and opportunity. mances, for example, "Surry of Eagle's After awhile this narrow trail was made Nest," "Days and Nights in the Shenan- wide enough for wagons, and then began a doah," "Leatherstocking and Silk," and steady stream of white tents on wheels, arks "Fairfax, the Master of Greenway Court." of empire, ensigns of national daring and Frank R. Stockston was some years a resi- destiny, moving forward to the wild fron- dent of this region. was tiers of prairie, mountain, woodland, and an occasional visitor and wrote of it in glow- river plain. Then came the swaying stage ing terms. Thomas Buchanan Read found coaches, with fleet horses oft relayed, and moving themes and real inspiration in Sheri- the strong Baltimore bell teams, laboriously dan's Ride from Winchester and in Muh- drawing their heavily freighted wagons to lenberg's call to arms at Woodstock. Sid- Bristol, Blountville, and Knoxville. In years ney Lanier wrote his "Science of English of gloom came marching men, with clank- Verse" at Rockingham Springs. James ing steel, while near and far the sounds of Hay, Jr., the well-known novelist, and Wil- battle smote the air. A nation's destiny was liam J. Showalter, popular writer and dis- in the balance. One day a battalion of tinguished editor, are both sons of Harri- mere boys passed down the "Long Gray sonburg. "The Long Roll" by Mary John- Trail," and soon came news of a stubborn ston and "The Great Valley" are examples fight, of many dead, both younger and older. of the literary wealth of this part of the Fifty years passed, and again a battalion State. Ticknor's beautiful poem, "Virgin- of boys were in the pageant, this time going ians of the Valley," and Mrs. Mary A, to celebrate the victory of '64. Townsend's "A Georgia Volunteer," true But soon real war called again, and again history and true poetry, are known where- the boys came, in gray, in blue, in khaki. ever the English language is studied. This time they went beyond the seas and it Eminent Sculptors seemed that the destiny of the world was To the history, the music, the valor, the in the balance. When the pageant returned natural wonder, and the poetry of this part many of the boys were out of the lines. But of the Valley have been added the imagina- their spirits march on, up and down the tion and skill of two great sculptors: William "Long Gray Trail." Randolph Barbee and his son, Herbert Bar- Two hundred years and two million souls bee. Both studied in old Florence; both are in this pageant—statesmen like Clay and March, 1930] THE VIRGINIA TEACHER 83

Houston, Jefferson, Washington, and Hick- A LIFE WORTH LIVING ory Jackson; Benton, Sevier, and Lincoln; soldiers like Ashby and Early and Stone- THE doors of this college open out- wall Jackson, Fremont, Sheridan, Rosser, ward today. Those who have been and Taylor; pioneers like the Boones, the nurtured within her walls go out to Bryans, the Harmans, the Lincolns, the participate more actively in the society Walkers, the Gilmers, and the Harrisons; which this institution seeks to serve. Those Red Men, White Men, Black Men; Germans about to depart have high ambitions and and Scotch-Irish, French and English; In- dian chiefs and Moravian missionaries; great hopes for the future. Their Alma staid matrons and blushing brides; frolicking Mater has confidence in them and in their children and hoary grandsires; some with ability to render important professional ser- heavy burdens, many with tired feet, but vice. most with brave hearts, and all with faces The college expects much of those who forward. are admitted into the fellowship of her What a pageant! Still 'tis passing. Now most of the figures in the pageant are happy alumnae today. She has high hopes for the and speed by quickly, southward in one sea- success and happiness of you who today son, northward in another. But the stream receive your diplomas. Your life here in keeps moving; it is never ceasing, never end- the classroom, library, and laboratory and in ing. It is full of color, full of beauty, full association with your fellows and your of destiny. teachers has opened up for you the paths It passes at the foot of the campus. The which lead to a life worthy of the traditions "Long Gray Trail" is still a path of promise, a highway of empire. of the college. Because of the opportunities John W. Wayland. which you have had here, there is the pos- sibility for you of joy and satisfaction in the activities in which you are to be engaged SCHOOL JOURNALISTS TAKE in the years which lie ahead. The door is WARNING! open for you to go forth to render impor- Gold keys will be awarded to five per- tant professional service and to develop a sons, faculty advisers or school officials, life worth living. Whether or not you are who have done the most outstanding work to realize these ends will be determined by in the school publication field during the the choices which you yourself make. past year, when the Columbia Scholastic It is ordinarily proposed that those who Press Association holds its sixth annual attend a professional school are interested convention at Columbia University March above everything else in preparing them- 13, 14, and 15, according to Joseph M. selves to make a living. This ideal is not Murphy, director of the association. The sufficient for those who would enter the presentation will be made at a general meet- profession of teaching. There are two main ing of the convention, in the presence of lines of endeavor which the graduates of a more than 1,200 student delegates from all teachers college should pursue. On the parts of the country. one hand, this institution and the state The keys will be awarded by the associa- which supports it has a right to expect from tion annually, and their number will be you devoted professional service. On the limited to five or six, according to Mr. ! other hand, you must choose to participate Murphy, who says that the conditions un- in other activities that will add to your pro- der which the recipients will be chosen will fessional life and which will enable you to vary with individual cases. The selection will be made by the association's advisory *A commencement address delivered at the State Teachers College, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and executive boards. June 12, 1929.