New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-11-12

and bear part and the superior intelligence and cam.
bilty Of that portion Of the communtyis tins in part
accounted for.
The schools Of Nantucket are Of hgs ebsr.c,.,
and there s purpose for which the town 80 freely .S
generally votes its appropriations for the support n
is scLoolg The population q the island IL nov N,
lie more than eight thousand, and the number Of ekl
dren IN the public schools il not less than az
this number, or one thousand. The town expenls Cor
ia gchoOIs over eleven thousand dollars year-th,t
H. about eleven dollars year for each child There
one Ugb School, three Grammar Schools, fosr Prm,
res snd four Introductories, besides tco or tl,.,
schools out Of town. There is also another school
called the Coffin School, endowed by Sir Admiral Isaac
C.fIin deceased once officer in the English Navy
and believe, n native Of this island, where the name
OF Coffin j. quite numerous, or At least related 20 iona
of its inhabitants There besides these several
private schools The public schools are all free, AL
books and stationery furnished TO the cblldren Of
poor families al the expense OF the town
Several years ago there WAS great contest here on
the question Of admitting coOred children 20 the High
School and other public schools, an equality with
white children. IL lasted two or three years, and
ended with the triumph Of justice and liberty
over prejudice and tie spirit OF caste. Tie
colored children were admitted to the enjoyment
of equal privileges in the schools and there IL
10 longer any prejudice felt on the subject
They set and study and play promiscuously with the
children Of the white inhabitants without detrment 10
either and of the brightest scholars of the town
have come from among their numbers, though gen.
orally, perhaps they not equal, labOring the
cOlored people still do, under many disadssn.ages
even in the Free States. The youngest scholar that
has ever entered the High School, Except the son Of
the Principal, who enjoyed peculiar advantages, and
who was admitted at the ace, wien the require
ments of scholarship were not high is cOored
boy of nine years old, who went in with the greatest
ease, under a rigid examination, in which many cal
dren from twelve to fifteen frequently fail He 10
little fellow of great promise, and passes by the nine
of Louis Philippe. His surname is not known TO ne
There was similar contest in regard TO the a,fm-
sion of colored people 10 the Atheneum, which endein
the same way, in the final triumph Of right prea.
Dice and the hateful spirit of the Phaisee, stand Dr.
. / am better than thou" The Athcneum was az las,
thrown open to the admission OF the public withoa.
distinction OF color In this contest there thx.
whose names deserve honorable mention for their 6de
" 10 truth and principle; but they class of per.
sens who would object 10 any publicity being given 70
their deeds II is a significant fact that these sams
persons are now identified with the great party offr
dom, while their opponents the Cossacks OF those aat
are the most conservative aud int0lerant Of TIA
Old Hunker Wings and Democrats. They still retain
the relative position TO each other, the friends as
enemies of progress. of liberty and humanity.
In concluding this letter, viii mention one encour
aging fact in regard TO the future of Nantucket Al
estatlsbment for the manufacture of straw bonnesh
lust going into operation, which viii give emplOymi
TO the female portion OF the community, and il is b.
lieved will contribute materially to the prosperity
the island large part of our population is OF tbs
class who have not hitherto bad sufficient opPorui
ties for diversified and profitable labor Thus haze
given YOU tOlerabe sketch of the present conditions
this island Should it be deemed OF sufficient ntsrc.
10 your readers, may, in some future paper attem
sketch of its early settlement and history, and Dc
rise and progress of the whale fishery here. For A
present, bid the reader adieu. COSMOPOLITAN.