Daily national Republican., 1863-12-04
LOCAL NEWS.

SS
FREEDMEN's Dedication Of ne
School House aHd Providence Home Yesterday ar
ternoon the sentry st the Aqusduct bridge WAS
kept buster than usual In the examination OF
passes and IN the inspection Of vehicles. Anbu-
lances and bArouchss Wended their way, Joltinx
and rattiins, towards Aflingtoa. Some or the oc-
cupants had never brsathsd virsinian air nor
viewed the "saorsd SOIL" They deseantsd In iu-
subrious straiss upon the dsvastations Of war;
upon the ruin Of sstatss that were the heritage Of
gensrationsj upon the neglect Of mansions that
ghttesed 10 afiusnee and rung with eaiety, now
the barracks Of troops The Others were familiar
with the Old Dominion-had fingered amid its pre-
cincts and hovered about its puriieus, startling
game from Its hills, aud, perhaps, rebels from its
bosky glens. These, however, were astoniahed TO
behold upon the demesnes Of Arlington 9 newly.
grown village, peopled, too, by men whose voii-
tions were formerly shackled, whose aspiratioss
were trammeled, but now rejoicing In freedom
and vaultins toward Parsmount civilization.
Thus whilst the opulent masters in the disloyal
states mourn the secession OF their chattles and
the destruction Of their homes, ready to exclaim
with the Persian poet saady: 1.-THE owl stands sen
tnel In the watchowsrs Of Afrasiab, the spider 10
chamberlain in the palaces Of the Cesars, their
ablect slaves have, by sid Of the gospel, issued
from the darkness which environed their oharac.
ter, and like Dante, when led on by his mystic
guide from the 'Inferno,' are enabled to see the
stars Of Heaven" "
People may look, may gaze, may stare, but such
10 the change which has been wrought-such is the
iuexorable logic OF events. On the estate oI Gen.
Lee, whs is battling for slavery and secession, has
been erected school, church, and even village
for freedmen, containing fourteen houses and a..
eommodatins hfty-six families, with .its Stanton
street, its school street, its Underwood row, It's
Wadaw0rth nd a A.. H.,
arg, farms, titled solely by contraband labor, and
yielding profit OF eighty thousand per annum.
The dedication Of the schools and OF the Prsvi-
denee. Home Of this village, yesterday afternoon,
was the occasion Of the increased number Of passes
and vehicles which kept 80 busy the ogling orbs
and delicate digits of the sentinel at the Aqueduct
bridge. The progress thus fer made among the
contrabands may be attributed to the efforts Of the
American Tract Society, under whose auspices the
work OF instruction began in March, 1859. These
freedmen were then located In the buildings known
~ Duff Green's Row." and schools were opened
in rooms appropriated for that object by the Gov
ernment. In June they were removed to an en-
campment in the north part Of the city, called
Camp Barker" ... rg...
The schools were continued here In quarters
provided by the camp authorities, until the bar
racks became so crowded that these quarters were
required for other purposes. The need Of suits-
bic building was now sorely felt. No sooner was
the want made public than funds were contributed
for the erection OF a building to be occupied a. a
school-house and chapel.
The building was dedicated May 2, 1852 and the
school was opened In 1t on the Wednesday follow
ing. This school has been superintended by agents
appointed by the Society, and the work OF instrue
ton has been carried on by teachers who have re-
eel ed regular salary, and friends who have vol
unit cred their services.
The present principal IL Mr.. H. Il. Simmons, OF
Providence, r. l., who 10 assisted by competent
corps of teachers. The day school has an average
Of one hundred and eighty children-the evening
school from seventy-hve to one hundred and twen-
ty-nve adults.
In May, 1868, colony was sent from Camp Bar.
ker to Arlington Heights With the approval OF
the authorities having this colony In charge, the
Society has undertaken to do for Il what Il has
done for the inmates Of Camp Barker. A eommo-
dious building that will seat I'VE hundred adults
has been erected for meeting the expenses OF which
special contributions will be needed from the
friends Of the freedmen, inssmuch A. the Tract So.
ciety cannot cxpend any Of its funds for school
houses or churches.
DIR. II. y. simmons will take charge Of the school
to be opened in the new building.
Mr.. Anson NJ. sperry, OF New Hampshire, will
succeed him at Camp Barker.
10 both of these schools the system Of instructions
" Ill be thorough, and strongly marked with the re-
ligious element that chsracterizes all the Tact 3d.
ciety's work.
Sabbath schools and preaching services are held
every Sabbath. Rev. ". A. Benedict 10 the general
OF all the religious and educational
work Of the American Tract Society among the
freedmen In Warrington and vicinity.
In addition TO the school-house large building
fleet In length by 20 feet In width and two storiei
high has been erected at Arlington for the inflrm
and aged men and women who have DO friends to
provide for them, and who need accommodation
and care which the Government cannot furnish
Towards this building individuals In Providence
r. J., have contributed one thousand dollars, and
AZ monument Of their lberslity II IL 10 be called
the Providence Home for Aged and Inhrn Freed
men,"
Here they who have spent long lives Of unre
quilted toll will bs made comfortable and happy ir
their last days.
Under Government authority the " Home" will
be controlled by the agents Of the American Tract
Society.
The success OF the colony 10 due to the individual
Irts OF Lieut.. Col. Elias N. Greene, Chief Quar-
ter,Aaster OF the Department OF Washington. II
honor, therefore, Of his laudable endesvors 10 be
half OF the colored race, the heights upon which
Freedmen's Village 10 erected are callsi Greens
Heights.
The dedication exercises commenced At o'clocl
with the singing Of" HAPPY Greeting" by = choil
of thirty colored children from the Sabbath schoo
at Camp Barker. A prayer was then offered b.
Rev. l.. b. lockwood, District Secretary OF tn,
American Tract societary. The children sang
" The Dear Old Flag" After which D. B. Nichols
Esq.. Superintendent of Contrabsnds, made a state
ment In relation to their condition.
He stated that one year ago last June he was ar
pointed by General Wadsworth a. superintendent
Of contrabands at Duff Green's Row, which 10 eas
OF the Capitol. The circumstances under which h
commenced his duties were very unpropitious. Ol
the day that he entered upon his new calling Their
were four adults dead, and contagious disease
prevailed to an alarming extent, The deaths aver
aged about three and = half each day. He knew
that the locality WAS hostile to health, and there
fore desired = change, though many renovation
had been made. He had visited Europe, and ha
paid particular attention to agricultural colonies
He suggested similar plan to Colonel Green, an,
that gentleman Immediately originated the presen
colony, whose successful ms ment 10 due chief
TO his indefstigable labors. The plan commend
itself The children are all healthy and Cheerful
in their present situation.
During the month Of October the mortality wa
only ten out of ,025 contrabsnds and two out
the ten were small infants. Last month the death
were not so many rs ten.
Statements of the educational work Of the Amer
lean Tract Society among the freedmen were mad
by Rev. Wm. A. Benedict and Rev. L. b. Rock
IL. aIal- .I-LA