The Assembly Home is still in operation, supported by the denomination, and holds a strong place in the affections of the Presbyterian church. It is now under the management of Professor Samuel W. Somerville. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The public schools were established in Fredericksburg, under what is known as the Underwood Constitution, in 1870. For several years they were not well patronized, principally from the fact that the system was not popular with the people. When the system was first put in operation in town the schools were kept at private houses, because the city had no public school houses and was then unable to build them, and as the appropriations for school purposes were small the sessions were held only for five or six months in the year. The teachers, in a majority of cases, were selected more because of their need of the salary than because of their ability and fitness to teach. In the year 1876 the schools were graded, and the funds received from the city and State were largely supplemented from the Peabody fund, which enabled the school board to adopt a ten months' session. By this arrangement the efficiency of the schools was greatly promoted; they grew in public favor, the citizens patronized them, and soon they became so large and popular the town was compelled to provide larger buildings for the accommodation of the pupils. To accommodate this large increase of attendance a commodious two-story brick building was erected on the north corner of Princess Ann and Wolfe streets for the colored schools, sufficiently large to accommodate four schools, and the Union House, a three-story brick building on the north corner of Main and Lewis streets, was purchased for the white schools and converted into a building capable of accommodating six schools. In addition to the schools held at the Union House there are two schools for the first primary grades, one held in the forenoon and the other in the afternoon, under one teacher, and were kept in the south wing of the courthouse until two years ago, when they were moved to the Union House and other grades removed to the courthouse. The grammar grade of the colored schools is taught at Samaritan Hall, on Douglas street. These schools have an efficient corps of teachers and the instruction is as thorough as is found in any of the schools of the State. There are ten grades in the white schools--seven in the primary department and three in the grammar department. There are six grades in the colored schools--five in the primary department and one in the grammar department. The town is divided into two school districts, the Upper and the Lower, George street being the dividing line. There are three trustees from each school district, the six members constituting the school board of the town.