Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-07
OPERATIONS OF THE FREEDMEN'S
SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT OF COL
UMRIA AND WEST VIRGINIA


From the report OF Mr.. John klmball, Su.
parin,endent Of Freedmen's Schools in the Dis.
trict of Col nmbia and State OF West Virginia,
addressed to Brigadier General q. H. How.
ard, Assistant Com mis- sioner OF the Freedmen's
Bureau for the District of Columbia, we learn
that from the first OF October, 1866, TO the first
OF July, 1867, there have been in oper alton in
this department an average OF loo schools,
taught by 1856 teachers: of whom, SO At As re
ported, lug are " bite and 81 colored. Tue av.
( erage whole number of scholars in schools not
regularly reported is CUB, making the whole
Dumbe in the lG6 schools 5,929 scholars or
these schools 3 were primary, . intermediate
and grammar. Most OF the rest are OF mixed
grades
DIR. Turner has taught a class Of men fitting
for the mn istry in a room on Louisiau1 ave-
nue.. furnished by the Bureau
Rev Nj Gregory. Superintendent of Amer.
can Bapt. II. NJ. Schools. has also small, but
very good, theological class.
A charter has been granted by Congress for
''The Howard University which is to De open
10 all OF beth sexes. without distinction of
color. This institution bids fair to do great
good. The normal and preparatory depart
meats OF The University were opened on the LIST
OF May, and at the close of the Month it mum.
bel ed 81 scholars. 1t has since increased 10
about 60, and Miss Lord. of this city, has been
appointed assistant TO Rev. f. +. Williams
the general suprrintend dent and principal The
Bureau alone has provided buildings for 81
schools, and assisted in providing buildings
for 10 more II has furnished houses for Is
Of buyin provisions of the CommIssary OH
Ger, and PAD their transportation.
Ga" school house, large enough TO acconmo.
dat II sCDClars, has been bGlit in Al-xanirIg,
W.. and three hosses OF the same size hay-
baen erected In part by the Bureau) in lie
District Of Colombia. Assistance has also
Den rendered IL building three houses in
Maryland.
Ten northern societies have aided in sustain
Ing he sckools IN this1pepartment, the amount
expended by Them be u not less rnan -:s5 OsH,
he = poturpt schools "a
ton and GeoI getown have expended about
s .0Ua. I he amount raised by the coiored
people by subscription Is very small
In Maryland, STATE school money is drawn
upon the enumeration OF all the school chill
dreD, but II Is expended fer the education OF
the WHITES alone except so much As is paid bv
the colOred people. which goes fer the supp ,rt
of colorsd schools. " hich amount very SIN III.
The report recommends that lands given or
bought Tor schools be decided to the school
boar ds OF the several counties, because it will
do better and keep the business Of education
dis inct from sectarian influence
The school law in West Virginia is highly
recomm. nded. The Governor ana h CHEST Of
fcias OF the State are interested in the work
and at Wheeling the City Government has
bhilt an exceliect scnoolnouse and employed
teacher. Schools have been established at
MaItinsburg, Shepherdstown, Harpsr's Ferry
and Chariesrown, and sustained by the Free
Baptist Association. an organization which
have also purchased a fine site for a normal
school and college on Bolivar Heights, near
Harper's Ferry. At Chariestow n the teachers
could not obtain board in a white family. The
number of colored people in West Virginia is
probably not larger than 1u,GOE and they are
gathered for the most part in few localities.
Applications have been made to build school
houses in Paramount and Marunsburg.
The amount due TO the trustees OF the colored
schools in the District of Columbia 10 about
$1,000, with which 70 erect school houses and
carry on schools. 1t is expected that the trus-
ties viii provide about thirty teachers and the
societies many more next year. 1t is not
recommended that any new homes be provided
for teachers, bur that still further aid be rem
dered in the building and furnishing Of school.
houses.
DR.. Barnard. U. S. Commissioner OF Educa-
ton, Is having census OF the school liidren
taken. which, with other important informa.
ton, he " i'll furnish 10 aid in the future leyis.
Iation of Congress.
The report speaks eDcouragingly of The abil.
ity OF the colored people to become educated
compliments the teachers for their untirng
exsrtions 10 make their schools first-class, and
says hat their effort SHAVE been productive of
great good About ), No Sunday School scho,.
ars ara reported every month.
fIom the free library ABOUT ], 900 books have
been drawn per month, and many thousand
Sabbath School papers have been furnished
Sunday School teachers for distribution among
the sch GLARS
The orphan asylum school, near the Bound
airy and Seventh street. is we'll managed The
farm school. near the Eastern Branch. has be-
come a failure. owing TO misTanaRement.
industrial schools 1or women have not been
great success. The practice of teaching girls
to sew in day schools is recommended as a
good one. and should be continued.