WILLIAMSBURG ACADEMY, WHITLEY CO., KY.

BY MISS EDITH WILLIAMS.

In this land where the people live by their crops, it was most encouraging to see the number of older boys who remained in school till the last of the term. Two of our boys remain with us during vacation, to do the needed work. They are earnest Christians and faithful workers, and appreciate the home influences here.

Many of the girls tell me that their fathers used to be "moonshiners," and they say that at that time they thought it all right; did not realize the evils of alcohol until taught about it in the school. We believe, however, that the morals of this part of Kentucky are steadily improving, and feel confident of it in our own little town.

Last week I visited a country school house about four miles from town. It was made of logs. Three small holes were cut in the logs for windows. The benches were split logs, and the floor was the earth. The great stone chimney, (the only spacious thing about the building,) was beginning to crumble away. This is a typical log school house of the past, but much better ones are going up all over the country, giving brighter hopes for the future.

With the better school buildings through the country, our Academy will be ready to furnish them with better teachers than they have had in the past. Our hope for the future among the Mountain Whites is great.