ound in such
employment. For ourselves, we admire the conduct of these
females; it was not only excusable, but praiseworthy--it was
almost heroic! It takes Spartan mothers to rear Spartan men.
These were among the women whose sons and grandsons sustained
Washington in the most disastrous period of the Revolution."

There was little social life in those early days such as their eastern
cousins knew along the James River. Except for their church festivals,
they did little entertaining. Twice a year they held the Lord's Supper
and this lasted for four days, with religious services each day. During
these times families living nearest the church invited those who lived
at great distances to stay with them. Often some young couple would be
married, either just before or immediately after these services. Then
there would be a little merriment, extra cakes and a few playful pranks.

THE FIRST ACADEMY IN THE VALLEY

Dr. Ruffner has left us a description of Timber Ridge, which was built
near Fairfield in Rockbridge County in 1776. The school took its name
from the fine oak trees which grew along its ridge. He writes:

"The schoolhouse was a log cabin. The fine oak forest, which
had given Timber Ridge its name, cast its shade over it in
summer and afforded convenient fuel in winter. A spring of pure
water gushed from the rocks near the house. From amidst the
trees the student had a fine view of the country below and the
neighboring Blue Ridge. In short all the features of the place
made it a fit habitation of the woodland muse and the hill
deserved the name of Mount Pleasant. Hither about thirty youths
of the mountains repaired to 'taste of the Pierian spring.' Of
reading, writing and ciphering, the boys of the country had
before acquired such knowledge as primary schools could afford;
but with a few late exceptions, Latin, Greek, algebra, geometry
and such like scholastic mysteries were things of which they
had heard--which they knew perhaps to lie covered up in the
learned heads of their pastors--but of the nature and uses they
had no conception whatever.

"It was a log hut of one room. The students carried their
dinner with them from the boarding-schools in the neighborhood.
They conned their lesson either in the schoolroom where the
recitations were heard, or under the shade of the trees where