Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-10-19
Negro Theology and schools

A Georgia correspondent Of the New
York WorH thus writes about negro tbeol.
ogy and schools:
PREACHING AND PRACTICING.
To judge the negroes by their professions,
one would think them very religious peo-
pie, but TO judge by the results. his opinion
would be vastlydiRGrent. Nero nrcpcIcr.
are noted among the Southerncr. for their
rascality. They are all fond Of roliriuu-
excitement, and sometimes grow 80 frantic
under IT, influence, that before emancipa-
ton white persons attended all their meet
lngs TO restrain them. At present no such
Wholesome influence can be exercised and
the places Of public worship formerly at
tended by them are almost entirely desert
cd for the services held every Sunday in
their school house \ lady passing by one
day heard their preacher discour.ing on the
human heart which he called that dog
matical member" Many Of the negroes
threaten to neglect these edifyinv services
On account Of the heavy collection. taken
up every sunday, rroic,-eIiy for the ''Son,
Of Benevoiencc, a society formed for the
protection Of female virtue. and reliafofthc
negro poor. ! have not learned any thing
about the society. except that it does vast
amount OF aim singing, and On the night.
Of It's meeting oil the hen rgJsts and corn
patches in the neiehborhooI suffer.
TIE SCHOOLS.
The last sensation with the blacks !. the
establishment Of a free school, which the
rebel, lecnngiy term the charcoal ins,i-
tute, the ebony institute, the African
university, &c., but it i, the pride and de-
light Of the negroes hearts, 10 20 to-
schOO. and carry books, like white folks. 3"
Is piece Of grandeur perfectly founding
To Their simple imagnatIon- One secs the
pupils IN the streets, on their way ~ aud
from school, carrying their books in th
most conspicuous manner, displaying and
comparing them with the greatest -atisfac-
ton. The teachers, equally proud Of theil
station may Ue seen struttug along with
bundles Of switches in their hands. There
are about one hundred and fifty scholars IN
this establishments and four teachers. The
superintendent Is Co!uuci Harry Williams.
formerly 'oid Jack Bradley niger man, '
and his principal assistant, Miss Pukuey,
who was. six months ago. Mrs. Smith s
Dicger WOMAN. Miss Pinkney" teache.
geography and tells her scholars they must
not believe what white folks say Of the
world being round. 1t ain round, say
she, it, square any Of you has got sense
enough to see that folks would fail oil Of Il
round thing. One Of the pupils. on being
questioned as to hi, progress, an. weleI that
he was studying philosophy. DO you un-
dcr-tund it, asked his questioncr.
No IL am but | reckon Miss Piul.u-y
doe" especially the laws Of grayitation,
one would think.
| stopped OH the street one day. to cate
chise u boy. Can you spell gih r. l
asked.
"Yes'm. g-u-i-r-le."
Bravo said /, what a smart boy: YOU
can spell girl with more letters than white
folks do, and he went his way, well satis-
fed with the extent Of his own erudition.
The discipline Of the African university
reminds one of what We read about Chinese
schools, where the children study aloud
The negroes do not all study aloud. but
three or four classes reciting at the same
time, in the same ROOM produces similar
effect Negroes have a peculiar aversion
to any but parental chastiscmcnt for their
children, and their prejudice sometimes in
terferes with Colonel Williams di~ci-
pline One day, after some unruly pupils
had received pretty wholesome thrashing,
they complained to their mothers, who i'm
went to school and avenged their
supposed wrongs in a general row with
the teachers.