Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-09-15
Letter From Washington.

Letter From Washington.
Mr.. EDITOR. You have requested
ne to write something for the Stand
ard about the work among the color
ed people, and particularly the schools
for them. Having never written for
the public | feel some delicacy in I'M
dertaking the task, but if a few words
occasionally will be interesting to
your readers they are welcome to all
they receive, conditionally, that they
pardon all error, remembering that
their correspondent is not an adept,
but a beginner.
In all that | write | shall be oblig-
ed to confne myself mostly to my own
experience or that Of other teachers
with whom | have been intimately as
ISOLATED by teaching in the same
school with them; for teachers ofone
school know comparatively little of
the work and progress Of others from
the fact that they have little time to
visit other schools, and very little op-
portunity to become acquainted with
their teachers.
Soon after the Emancipation Proc
lamation, among the schools that were
opened for the freedmen by various
associations, benevolent societies, and
churches, there was one started by. a
society that had always through evil
and through good report been the
friends Of the oppressed and cnslaved.
they erected house, military style
/. e. a frame rough-boarded outside
and not finished at all inside-and
then they began to teach the freed.
men of all ages and all sizes. Of the
first year and a half I only know this
that the number Of scholars was
large, that their great eagerness to
learn was proved by the rapid pro
gress they made. To this school, and
| TO thoso people it haa been my privi
iege to be sent as a missionary teach.
er-for the school has been made EN-
uhaticaIly a mission school, and all
Its teachers are expected not only tc
teach such branches of education as
are usually taught in our New Eng
land schools, but also as much as We
can Of the way that leads to eterna
life, to happiness aud God. \ sab
bath school has always been sustain
ed. and a good part of the time {
night-school for men and women anC
such boys and girls as were at work
through the day. All the schools have
been well attended from their com
mcncement until now, but with this
change, the newness has worn off, anC
finding the privilege of going to schoo
a permanent thing they are able t.
90 about their duties in a more order
ly and quiet manner, but still keepin!
up their interest their progress /!
steadier and surer than when the,
first began.
Pulpit and press have long asserted
the incapacity of the negro race to be
come an educated people. This as
5ertion can no longer be truthfuIk
made. They are proving to US da,
by day their ability to rise above ha
tired, oppression and prejudice, anC
their determination to seek knowledge
and improve by it.
| do not wish however to hold gu
the idea that colored children lear
faster or are superior to those of fan
er skins and with straighter hair
We find the same variety that is fOunt
in any school. A few are dull, eve
stupid, out is this to be wondered a
when we remember they have every
thing else as well as books to learr
and that they get little home training
for parents are ignorant as well a
children On the other hand tn
greater proportion are active and il
teresting, and many quick to learn eV
erything that comes under their notice
To illustrate: Some months ago
boy about sixteen years of age cam
: to school ; he could not tell one lie
ter from another; in less than tw
0 weeks he had mastered his first boo
- could read it all, and read it VEL
In counting and writing figures he di
. equally we'll At the end of thre
IT weeks the family left the city an
d whether the boy has had any chanC
/. at school since l do not know
.r Whether he has or not he made a b
ginning that did himself and his rae
= credit; and it will be an encourag
a ment for him to improve every oppo
e tunity that comes in his way.
d A few evenings since | met an o.
q man whom had not seen for son
time. He has already lived his fou
score years, but still is trying to g
Il in his second childhood that which
, is pity he could not have obtaine
n in his youth and 10 his eagerness
G show his progress he said; "Thank {
Lor | can write my own name nov
Use been tryin for three years an
! now 1 can do it." Can you fin
e greater perseverance? | might mt
o tiply illustrations of this kind, an
e give many incidents of their home Ii
i but have already made this letter tc
long aud will leave them all until al
other time.
/ S. e. MORSE.