SINCE publishing the rates, &c., over the different lines of railroads to conference, we are in receipt of letter from Norfolk and Western Railroad Company extending time of return tickets to April 25th. The Shenandoah Valley railroad will sell round-trip tickets to Waynesboro and Roanoke at rate of two and a half cents per mile each way. Teachers' Institute Held at Gloucester C. H., February 12, 1884. An institute was held on February 12th, with a very encouraging attendance of thirty-five teachers out of forty-three on roll. The day was threatening and the roads in a very bad condition, so that far-off teachers could not well attend, and all the teachers within reasonable distance were present. Four of the absent sent valid excuses. After the usual religious exercises the business proceedings commenced with a lecture by Superintendent. Subject: "Constitutional History"-first of a series to show what constitutional government is, where and when first established, and through what tribulation. Next was an essay by Miss Anna Bolden, teacher at the Sassafras graded colored school. Subject: "The Phenomena of Geography -eruptive phenomena, their uses and effect in geography. "In what respects do our schools fail, and what is the remedy," was opened for discussion by Mrs. Sarah Hughes, principal of the Hook graded school, and was spoken to by several teachers, who all seemed to agree on two main causes of failure, viz.: poor and imperfectly furnished school-houses, and apathy or poverty of parents causing irregular attendance of pupils. Pea time-or peanut time— strawberry and trucking time and corn-planting time being death to school attendance, for which there seemed no remedy except in compulsory attendance. The failure from poor school-rooms is being gradually but slowly remedied by the increase of district schoolhouses. Mrs. Hughes was followed by Miss Fannie L Wiatt with a "Synopsis of Ancient History" from the dispersion of mankind to the dissolution of the Roman Empire. "The Difficulties of the Verb" -verbal exceptions, how to distinguish between verbals and true verbs, was the subject of a lecture on grammar by the Superintend"Good Reading-what are its essentials and how to have it," an essay by Mrs. Lelia B. Robins, was next in order, followed by "The Solar System-its relation to and effects upon our earth," by ent. Miss Cary J. Cooke, which was an excellent lecture with a great deal of useful information for our young teachers. "Review of the Examination on Geography," by the Superintendent, was a continuation of my practice of reviewing the questions and answers at examination of teachers, showing where failures were made and giving full answers to all the questions, which I find to be both useful and interesting. Proceedings concluded with some routine business and appointment and distribution of subjects for next institute. Respectfully, ROBT. H. FRANKLIN, Superintendent. Items from Reports of Superintendents for February. ALEXANDRIA CITY.-W. F. Carne, Superintendent: "I held a most interesting Institute on the 9th of February, when Prof. E. V. De Graff of Brooklyn, N. Y., author of several education works, gave our teachers a normal lesson on 'How to teach children to read, and followed it by illustrations of some obscure and difficult sounds in the phonic system.'" AMHERST COUNTY.-J. C. Deane, Superintendent: "My schools have increased to seventy-three. There are three white and two colored schools yet to open which will increase them to seventy-eight. These would have been opened before but for the difficulty of getting teachers. Everything is moving along smoothly. If the Superintendent's appointment was settled in some way, we should get along better." APPOMATTOX COUNTY.-J. B. Bristow, Superintendent: "Two more colored schools will be opened on the 1st March. Will be able to run a majority of the schools six months. This is good considering the fact that we are running a sufficient number of schools to place a school in reach of nearly every family in the county. Some colored schools are too large and ought to have assistants. These large schools are taught by well-trained teachers who are doing good work. There is only one colored school in the county taught by a white teacher, and she was appointed at the almost unanimous solicitation of the patrons, not, I think, because they prefer such teachers, but because they could not obtain one of their own color. This report shows a considerable increase in the enrolment and average, though the month has been a poor one for school attendance." AUGUSTA COUNTY.-H. S. Roller, Superintendent: "During this month I have held three institutes. Only a few teachers laid themselves liable to the legal fine by non-attendance. The spirit and interest with which my teachers entered into the work I hail as the harbinger of a fairy day for the public system in Augusta. I must say to the credit of my teachers, that our institutes were indeed" teachers' institutes," for all the work, with the exception of slight aid by neighboring teachers, was performed by my own faithful and efficient educators. Right nobly did they perform their parts, and their zealous and untiring labor in this praiseworthy cause augurs well for future efforts. My schools are progressing finely, and, judging from the spirit manifested by the majority of my teachers, I feel assured that the session of '83-4 will be one of marked success." BOTETOURT COUNTY.-M. D. Obenshain, Superintendent: "Our teachers' insti tute was held at Buchanan on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, February the 27th, 28th and 29th. The institute was well attended, considering the bad weather and the condition of the roads. We were pleased to have Superintendent Hamilton, of Rockbridge county, with us. We had a fine meeting, great interest being manifested by the teachers and the community at large." ESSEX COUNTY.-B. G. Rennolds, Superintendent: "Our schools are in a flourishing condition. Reports are in from all of the white and fifteen of the colored schools. From them I find the average daily attendance for both white and colored much larger than it was for February of last year. From the reports received during this month I find that there is a daily average of more than three hundred over the January report. There are three colored schools that have sent in no reports, not having been started long enough; they will increase the enrolment one hundred and fifty. FAUQUIER COUNTY.-W. H. Strother, Superintendent: "While I report only eighty. three schools in operation, there are eighty-seven now running in this county. Three of these schools not reported were opened this month, and from them I have not yet received monthly reports. One teacher has been sick and his school has been closed during February. One school has been closed because it could not make the legal average. Our schools are now generally in good condition in this county." GRAYSON COUNTY.-W. S. Hale, Superintendent: "I have visited thirty schools during February, notwithstanding the bad state of roads and weather. Aside from some sorry houses and a lack of energy in a small number of teachers, I have no serious complaint to make. At those points where we have been able to secure new houses I notice a better attendance and a deeper interest among children and paThis fact indicates one way to success." rents. HANOVER COUNTY.-J. L. Valentine, Superintendent: "Twenty-seven white and twenty-eight colored schools have reported for February. Nine schools have not reported, consequently this report does not show the whole number enrolled in the county. There still exists some factious opposition to some of the public schools. One new school house has been built in Beaver Dam school district this month. The School Board contemplates building two more during the present session. I intend holding a teachers' institute as soon as the weather opens." HENRICO COUNTY.-Daniel Gardner, Superintendent: "We have made several changes of teachers during this month, discontinued one school and established another (both white). The schools in Tuckahoe ended the session of five months on the 22d instant. This is to be regretted, but it is folly to attempt to run the schools on credit, or upon the supposition that funds may accrue before the school year ends. The levy has been reduced five cents on the $100 in this district. I think our Board of Supervisors will raise it again, as they now see we fall short one month in Tuckahoe." OPENED THROUGH KENTUCKY TO LEXINGTON, CINCINNATI AND LOUISVILLE, RUNNING PULLMAN SLEEPING CARS and SOLID TRAINS from WASHINGTON CITY, RICHMOND CHARLOTTESVILLE, WAYNESBORO', STAUNTON AND CLIFTON FORGE -TO LOUISVILLE AND CINCINNATI, Nashville, Memphis and Texas Points, -TO CINCINNATI, INDIANAPOLIS, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, KANSAS CITY, ETC. RATES OF FARE ARE AS LOW AS BY ANY ROUTE. 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