Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-02-26
Freedmen Teachers in Virginia.

months, looking only on rock and ruin, long.
ing for the dear old places and the familiar
faces, to know all that whistle tells as its
piercing cry comes back in the echoes of
these rugged hills, and its gay green train
leaps FROM behind yonder sharp jutting angle
iron bridge which binds together MARYLAND
and Virginia. This train with its mails aud
messages from home, seems the only bond be-
tween the old life and the new Tho train
is coming today-look out for the teachers"
says Mignonne. That is precisely what am
doing, chere, and here they are o dear!
to think they will walk SO fast, and get so
soon out of sightl I am sure they wouldn't
if they knew of the friendly northern eyes
waiting aud watching at this upper window
But, what do l see? A troop of maidens,
who, in some uudeinable way, suggest Ten
nyson'S ''sweet girl graduates with their gold
Gu hair" although am very sure that their
tresses are not all of the hue of the sun.
see j"unty hats and natty jackets, gay scarts
and graceful robes l see elegance, beauty.
and youth; all come to brighten the lot Of
the lowly, to deliver from ignorance and vice
that victim race which our brothers with
their blood delivered from chains.
Opposite uy window they encounter Vir-
ginia belle, arrayed in the splendor of pur-
pie dress, and scarlet shawl a green hat, and
blue veil. Her sccrniul eyes behold the
object which of all others she dcspises most
IA "nigger teacher" What is worse she
beholds more than dozen "nlggcr teachers"
all together. 1t is dreadful unbcarable
sight. is it not, my dear? l suppose ought
to DO very sorry for you; but l am not sorry
bit. 1t is an affection of great magnitude.
to be sure, that your whlom servants should
be taught by better and prettier teachers than
you ever had in your life; but it is a tumili-
alton which you will hare to bear, and the
only way you can lessen it is to improve your
self But for you to toss your head and hirt
your dress at these teachers is as silly as it is
imbeciic This Virginia belle possesses very
positive convictions concerning these teach
ers. Her first conviction is that ''no respect
able woman ever comes South to teach Mig
gers, Her second conviction is 'sthat cv-
cry one who d"cs come, ought to be arrested
and pur into prison." She is perfectly sim
ccre i'll these convictions, and perfectly free
in expressing them. On the whole we can
afford to feel sorry for her This old house,
once occupied by the superintendent of the
armorles, is now used as the temporary abode
OF the superintendent of the freed peoples
schools in the valley of the Shenandoah, the
Rev. Mr.. Bracket, Of Maine. In a grand
old room delaced by war, yet frightened with
pictures and books from home, overlooking
the prospect which just inadcquately sketch
ed, saw yesterday scene not to be forgot
ten. That lovely Sabbath afternoon no
! church doors open to the teachers With
their books in their hands, they surrounded
this wide room holding. simple service of
their own. A room full of youthful women,
far from home and all its loves sang the
Lords song in a strange land. Those old
walls, which within the last five years had
rcsounded so often to the oath and Jest of dis
solute men, now sent back the echoes ofsweet
womanly voices, through which loving hearts
tremblcd as they sang,
''Nearer, my God. to Thee,
Nearer To Thee
Here was the red-lipped school girl, lust from
school; here the young widow, holding in
fearful love the memory of buried husband
and child; here were women in the prime of
matured power, with their rare beauty of
sumptuous wOmanhood-women whose ele-
gance and grace and fine mentality would
have lent lustre to the highest sphere. Such
were the teachers of the freed slaves. who
sat and knelt together; whose soft eyes dim
med with tearS as they sang tho hymns of
home, aud prayed for the blessing of God up
on their work. After making due allowance
Tor all superficial enthusiasm and the romance
which may be iuscparable from tic womanly
nature and missionary labor, who can measure
the significance of the fact. that hundreds Of
young, s;;!!teG and cultivated women from the
North arc now scattered through the South
as teachers Of its former slaves and, though
much against their will, and almost contrary
to their knowledge, teachers as well of the
old-tlmc masterS?- Ali unconsciously to them
selves, in their mere presence, these women
are educators. Their very appearance on the
Lfr. hoo FL g Ia. i
first despised and hated them.
MARY CLEMMER AIEs.
In publishing the above, at the request
Of a'iricpd, we depart from rule that we
have heretofore observed in reference to this
GLASS OF communications. We have ALWAYS
been of the opinion, and still are, that the
proper way to deal with such correspondence
suggestive alone of the hate that the = niger
teachers" bear towards Southern women. is
not to notice their venomous etfusions. The
article above is a fair sample OF the lucubra-
tons sent North. Its entire anImus is vile
puritanical hate of the Southern whites. and
of hypocritical cant about the "down trod-
den negro. Such emanatiOns are not wo7-
thy ofnny special COMMENT coming from The
source they do. The writer is of less conse
quencc to our people than the meauest negro
wcnch to be found in the whole South, and
we suspect if the truth was known, she is of
quite as little consequence in the land of
'bue noses"
The writer's sarcastic allusion to the dress
OF Virginia belle" is coolly refreshing.
1t is true that the ladies of the South are not
able to robe themselves now in luxurious ar
ray. but what thev do wear has not Lnnn stn1ou