The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-28
Terms $S per annasns, i,s adrance.
Contraband Schools in Washington.

To the Editor of the Press:
Your readers are well aware of the exist
ence OF Freedmen's Schools in Washington.
under the direction of the National Relief As
sociation, and encouraged by the Freedmen,s
Bureau; and they have also been apprised of
the fact that Miss Julia A. Lord of North
Yarmouth is one of the teachers.
recent number of the National IntelH-
9encer, published at Washington, contains an
extended notice of these schools, written by
the editor after personal visit, in which he
makes the following complimentary allusion:
son the same floor is also the senior division,
under Miss Julia A. Lord, of North Yarmouth,
Maine, Of whom it Is safe to say that q m1re
capable and accomplished teacher is not to be
lound IN any school in the city. The school
comprises some sixty scholars. The room
Is iurhished with plain single furniture. The
chudren eieaniy and deeently clad, some
dressed with taste, ten to sixteen wears of ace.
are studying Colburn's Lessons, Greenleaf7s
Common School Arithmetic. oramn,ar and
geography. All read and spell well nearly all
use writing books, and many write yery fair
hands. These fine schools are under Mr..
James ii. Zelie, as principal, who was for
some time superintendent of the school at
Vicksburg. AS We entered Miss Lords school
the class in Colburn's Lessons, some twenty
hye or more in number, were on the floor, and
a boy dozen years old was reading the fol-
lowing question: @54 is 9-6ths of how many
times ~ which he promptly, methodically, +,
and handsomely analysed, and that was fair
specimen OF the class"
have also lately received communication
from Miss Lord-who has occasionally fur
nished me with information in relation
to the progress of the schools-from which
1 take the liberty of making the following
extracts, in the hope they viii prompt
to some immediate action in aid of these
schools, especially that under the direction of
Miss Lord:
"We have in our day school four hun
dred and twenty-five scholars from four to
thirty-iive years old. Many are of the dark
est hue, while some are white as the fairest
Northerner. The room for the senior depart
Inent is furnished with desks, maps, black
boards, charts, &c. / often wish that some of
our New England friends, who still feel that
it is Useless to attempt the education of the
negro, would look in upon me and judge for
themselves. No one who daily mingle5 With
these dusky faces can fail to note their rapid
| Improvement. Even some of the blackest
and most degraded OF the race are among the
| quickest and most promising pupils. We find
| them easily governed, interested IN their books
and proud OF their school.
| "0ur night school. too, is full of interest.
One hundred and fifty persons, mostly men
| and women, who are employed during the day
| IN their various occupations, meet here two
evenings each week for the purpose OF receiy-
ing instruction in reading, arithmetic and ge-
ography. Some who six weeks ago but just
knew their letters, are now reading in the First
Reader. Their desire for knowledge Is very
great, and their progress truly astonishing.
o
sour school is really an improvement on
those OF last year. There Is only one thing TO
make me perfectly satisfied with our present
arrangements. As / am the only teacher from
Maine connected with this institution, feel
that my support ought to come nom that
"The demand for clothing is very great
Hundreds still mi2ht be gathered into our
school If we had the means of making them
comfortable. We have already formed sew
ing circle, consisting Of those parents Of our
school who are able to render some assistance.
A visiting committee of six are required to
visit the different families and report the wants
| Of each to the distributing committee, so that
! no clothing shall be given to the indolent or
| thoSe in comfortable circumstances. As teach
| ers we hope to do much this winter towards
| clothing our poor children. Yet we look to
| friends at home for sympathy and assistance.
| We feel very grateful to Messrs. Denison ami
| Winslow, of Mechanic Falls, who made the
| first donation to our circle.
'Tf you know ofany benevolent societies in
your vicinity which have boxes Of clothing on
hand, they would be very acceptable to u.s.
| We are in great need ofbedding and clothing
of every description and for all ages. Thick
cloth OF all kinds, stocking yarn, spool cotton,
needles, &C., could be made good use OF In
i our circle. Shoes and boots Of all sizes are in
great demand"
Packages of clothing, &C., LEFT with George
r Davis, Esq, firm of Davis Brothers, Ex-
change St, and money Left with James I. Nc
Cobb, Esq, also on Exchange street, Portland,
will be promptly forwarded. And 1t may be
| hoped that donations will be made TO this OBJ
| ject to such an extent as shall at least satisfy
the just expectations of a self-sacrifcins and
devoted teacher. s.