Valley Spirit

Proceedings of Franklin County Teachers convention. Includes debate on whether the rod or moral suasion is the best method for "school governance," as well as discussion of the best methods of teaching reading, arithmetic, grammar, and so-on. The convention also adopted a resolution encouraging more women to become teachers.

This letter takes the Repository & Transcript to task for asserting that the recent re-election of Shoemaker as County School Superintendent was politically motivated, and points out the support of Republican school directors for Shoemaker.

Argues that someone like Breckenridge would be the better candidate and would neutralize Bell's support.

Many Pennsylvanians lost money when the Supreme Court declared that stock in the California Land Case company was fraudulent.

The next in the series of letters from a former abolitionist nephew in the North to his uncle in the South; in this letter he writes several jokes about blacks in politics and warns of black plots for insurrection.

Report of surveying crew on proposed rail line between Chambersburg and Gettysburg.

A large number of citizens of Franklin County gathered in the Court House to chose delegates to the Railroad Convention in Harrisburg. They chose the men who are listed above. Article points out that possible connections west to Pittsburgh make Chambersburg an especially attractive site for a railroad from either New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore.

Urges the businessmen of Chambersburg to seize the opportunity to promote the rail line between Gettysburg and Chambersburg.

Notes the appointment of assistant census marshals, and prints list of questions so that heads of households can prepare accurate statements to give to the census takers.

Thanks Senator Stephen A. Douglas for a copy of a recent speech in the Senate.

Chastizes the Superintendent of the Cumberland Valley Railroad for not granting free passage to the delegates to the Railroad Convention, noting that the railroad would benefit if the proposed route is granted.

William Heyser Jr. has opened an agency for the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York in Chambersburg.

James Nill, delegate to Charleston Convention, had returned after a brief tour of the South, confident that the divisions in the Democratic Party will be healed at the Baltimore Convention.

Married on May 22 at residence of bride's mother.

Poem urging women to beautify their homes.

Organ of North Carolina Democratic Party deplores the disunity of the National Party and disagrees with William Yancey of South Carolina, leader of the secessionists.