HAMPTON NORMAL AND AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE, for the instruction of negro and Indian pupils, stands on the e. shore of Hampton creek, a little below the town of Hampton, Va., 2+ m. from fortress Monroe, on an estate of 190 acres, once known as "Little Scotland." It owes its existence to the American missionary associa tion, which purchased this estate in 1867 and opened a school on the manual labor basis in 1868. The labor of its organization was largely devolved on its enthusiastic and imlefatigable principal, Samuel C. Armstrong, who early succeeded in gathering an unusually zealous and efficient company of teachers and helpers. The place was selected for its natural beauty and healthiness, as well as for its accessibility, and partly also because it is surrounded by a numerous colored population. In 1870 the institution received a charter from the state of Virginia, and it is now controlled by a board of trustees, with power to choose their successors, the property having been transferred to them upon condition that the religious teaching of the school shall be evangelical. It is neither a college nor a university, but a school adapted to the immediate needs of the colored population of the southern states, the managers, of course,. having power at any time to enlarge its scope as circumstances may require. It has invested funds amount ing to $79,814. Its income from all sources, including the interest of the state agricul tural land fund ($10,000), interest of invested funds ($2,500), and voluntary contributions, is from $30,000 to $35.000 annually. Several of its buildings were burned in Nov., 1879, and are not yet wholly replaced, but will be ere long. The principal structures are academic hall, of brick, 110 by 70 ft., in the form of a Greek cross, used for school and recitation rooms, and boys' sleeping-rooms; Virginia hall, of brick, 192 by 40 ft., with central wing extending 100 ft. in time rear. used for girls' and teachers' rooms, and containing als0 ktirge thap,el, students' dining-hall, laundries, ki!fehens, printing-office, knitting-room, etc. The smaller buildings are two cottages for boys' rooms, wigwam. for the use of Indian students, dwelling-houses for managers and teachers, barns and out-houses, ice-house, saw-mill, engine-house, and the Butler school-house. The insti tute also owns a farm of 339 acres, called " Shellbanks," on Back river, 7 m. from the school. This farm—the gift of a friend—is used for keeping and raising stock, and, in summer, for an Indian camp, and the labor upon it is mainly performed by the students, the institution being founded on the manual labor plan. The laboratories and appara
tus were destroyed by fire in 1879, and have been only partially replaced. The museum, with its collections, and the library also, have been greatly injured by fire. The latter contains 600 volumes, and embraces a reading-room, where from 50 to 80 periodicals and newspapers are kept on file for the use of the students. A monthly periodical, The Southern Workman, devoted to the industrial classes of the south, is printed on the grounds, affording occupation for some of the students and an admirable vehicle for advertising the advantages of the school. The departments of instruction are two,. academic and industrial, the former embracing a.three years' course of English branches, including through algebra, with intellectual philosophy, civil government, politica' .;conomy, book-keeping, history, English literature and composition, natural philo ,pny, chemistry, and practice in teaching. In the industrial department instruction i is given in farming and in the following mechanical branches: carpentry, shoemaking, blacksmithing, tailoring, iron and tin-work, housework, cooking, and sewing and knit ting by machine. The school has a military organization, as required by the act of congress appropriating the land-fund; an officer of the army being detailed by the gov ernment to give instruction. Calisthenic exercises are taught in the senior class to boys. and girls alike, both sexes being admitted -to the school on equal terms. Pupils on entering are only required to have a knowledge of the primary rules of arithmetic and to be able to read and write, and there is a primary department in which so much is taught. The whole number of pupils up to 1880 is 1429; of these 353 have graduated, and not less than 90 per cent of the number have devoted themselves to the work of teaching those of their own color, thus fulfilling one of the great objects of the institu tion, which is to raise up teachers for the free schools of the south. From 10,000 to 20,000 colored children were taught by these graduates in 1879-80, and their work is highly prized by the educational directors of the south. Since 1878 the institute has had as pupils a considerable number of Indian children and youth, sent thither by direc tion of the Indian department in Washington, and the results of this effort to instruct them in the elements of civilized life are thus far of the most satisfactory character. The principal of the institute bears testimony to the safety and advantages of educating the sexes together.