After Colonel Fontaine moved South a high school for young ladies was opened by Mr. Wm. Caruthers in the Presbyterian Asylum, known now as Smithsonia, assisted by his sisters, Mrs. Davis and Miss Caruthers. He was succeeded by Mrs. Wm. A. Campbell and daughter, two excellent teachers, but the school did not appear to prosper and was finally closed. In addition to these schools of high grade there were many excellent primary schools for girls and boys, which succeeded well until the public free schools were opened, which became popular because of their graded system and the thoroughness of their instruction. Since then most of the private schools have been abandoned, yet some few are yet conducted and are doing well. THE ASSEMBLY'S HOME AND SCHOOL. The Assembly's Home and School was founded by Rev. A. P. Saunders, D. D., then pastor of the Presbyterian church in Fredericksburg, in 1893. It was incorporated by an act of the Virginia Legislature December 16, 1893. It consisted originally of a home designed for the maintenance and education of the orphans of deceased Presbyterian ministers and missionaries, and also of a college. The latter was intended as a place for the education of these orphans and also for the youth of other denominations. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, each year, commended the institution to the confidence of the churches within its bounds, and by their contributions the Home was maintained. The college for some time was supported partly by contributions from the churches, but more largely by the pay students attending the school from home and abroad. In the year 1897 the General Assembly of the church separated the college from the Home and ordered the sale of the college and all the property belonging to it. The city of Fredericksburg recognizing the value of such an institution in its midst, had subscribed ten thousand dollars of bonds, the interest on which was to pay for ten annual scholarships in the college, the scholars being selected from the highest grade of the public schools of the town. This arrangement continued until 1898, when the college and property were sold and the ten thousand dollars of bonds were returned to the city authorities and cancelled. The property was purchased by Rev. F. P. Ramsay, who conducted the college for two years, the city continuing its patronage of ten scholarships, paying the tuition in money. In the year 1900 Mr. Ramsay sold the college and property to Rev. John W. Rosebro, who had just become pastor of the Presbyterian church in Fredericksburg. He is a gentleman of rare ability, and, with his corps of able assistants, is making the college worthy of the confidence and support of the public. A bright and prosperous future is predicted for the institution under the management of this scholarly gentleman.