BY DEACON SAMUEL HOLMES.

May 31st was a proud day for Gloucester County, Va., for not only was
Hon. Frederick Douglass to give the annual address, but the new
dormitory called "Douglass Hall" was to be used for the first time. With
only the roof on and but partially covered, still the lower story had
been temporarily floored and seated so that a thousand persons could be
accommodated. Although the previous twenty-four hours had been dark and
rainy the crowd had been gathering all the time--many of whom
accompanied the Holly Grove Brass Band in early morning to escort Mr.
Douglass and other visitors from the river to the school building.

After breakfast the school went on with its regular forenoon work,
interesting the visitors, who also inspected the barn, the workshops and
farm. By noon the campus and vicinity was a wonderful sight, while the
outskirts reminded one of an old-fashioned general training in
Connecticut, with its booths and tables. An official count of teams on
the campus as reported to me was, 357 horse, 7 mule teams, and 1 ox
team. Many of these had driven fifty or sixty miles, and generally
carrying the fodder behind or tied under the wagons. There were from
1,500 to 2,000 people on the grounds and vicinity.

At 1:30 p.m., after a well prepared lunch for the trustees and invited
guests, they were escorted by the school, headed by the band, to the new
hall, which was soon filled to its utmost capacity. With excellent music
by the school and band, followed by prayer, came not the least important
part of the programme, the collection and pledges towards completing the
building. Including the admission fee of twenty-five cents from
outsiders, the money raised was over three hundred dollars, besides over