In  1868  the  Legislature  granted  a  charter  to  the  school,  giving  it  degree
conferring  powers.  True  to  the  right  ideals  of  a  well  ordered  school,  that
power  has  never  been  used..
From  the  beginning  the  work  of  building  up  the  material  things  of  the
school  went  on  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The  rigid  policy  of  no  debt,  has
always  been  strictly  followed,  so  that  never  has  the  school  had  a  burden
of  that  sort  to  bear.  Its  growth  in  equipment  has  been  gradual,  but  cer-
tain, until  now  it  has  12  buildings  used  as  residences,  dormitories  and  for
general  school  purposes.  And  this  does  not  include  the  bam  and  other  out-
buildings connected  with  the  work  done  in  agriculture.
GROUNDS.
The  original  grant  by  Congress  of  seven  acres  has  been  increased  as  oc-
casion made  possible,  till  now  we  own  over  thirty  acres  of  valuable
property.    Camp  Hill,  where  most  of  it  lies,  is  so  called  because  it  was


776  Third  Bienmal  Report  Si'ate  Board  of  Control.       [W.  Va.
for  nearly  a  century  the  rallying  place  and  camp  ground  of  Federal  troops,
when  for  any  reason  they  were  assembled  here.  It  is  an  elevation  of  land
between  the  Potomac  and  Shenandoah  rivers,  facing  the  water  gap,  which
Tiiomas  Jefferson  said  was  worth  a  trip  across  the  Atlantic  to  see.  In  all
directions  the  views  are  surpassinp;ly  beautiful.
During  the  Civil  War  the  buildings  then  standing  were  constantly  used,
by  first  one  side  and  then  the  other,  and  the  campus,  besides  being  a
camp  ground,  was  in  part  the  cemetery  for  those  who  died  here.  Relics
of  the  strife  are  on  every  hand.
BUIIiDINGS.
