Evening star., 1869-11-10
THE SCHOOLS FOR FREEDMEN.
Report Of Superintendent Alvord.

General Superintendent of Schools among reftl-
gees and freedmen, for the six months ending
July 1, 1859, just issued, contains great deal OF
matter of interest TO the citizens of this District,
and the friends of education everywhere. The
educational returns furnish evidence OF decided
progress. The report says that difficulties indeed
stir continue, arising from prejudice, indiffer-
ence, and want of means; more especially, dur
ing the last year. from political disturbances
throughout the whole country: and also from
agitation OF the various unsettled southern
questions on the subject of reconstruction. But
these difficulties have been, in the main, sur
mounted. Organized opposition appears TO have
mainly ceased. and favor towards schools fer all
is in most of the States publicly professed. The
sentiments of former masters as to educ alton
are by no means elevated TO the standard of pub
lie school systems at the North. General taNa-
tion for this purpose is questioned. Paying fo.
"educating other peoples children" fcr t1c
public welfare, is not well unders tood. o-lte
inferior schools are thought sufficient for the
coOred race. But with universal suffrage cun-
ceded, surely the freedmens vote should be IL
telligent; as the coored man is TO become ia. Z
OF society, he must have substantially its pI ii
leges; taxation for schools implies the uI'quos-
toned right to have schools.
An efort the last year, almost unanimous, has
been made to organize and endow high ami
training schools for the preparation OF teachers.
This effort has been eminently successful.
Thirty-nine such schools, having 3,517 pupils.
with many normal classes i'm those of lower
grade, are reported. The late concentration OF
the Freedmen's Bureau more directly upon the
work of education meets with general approla-
ton, but by the sudden cutting down OF eNpen-
ses plans were lett unfinished; efforts ceased i'm
mid career. and lOcalrespOnsibility dropped into
the hands OF lone teachers and the few friend,
with whom they might be surrounded. Notwith-
standing this, the evil has been retrieved in u
great measure, and although more schools are
reported than ever before, Yet il should be said
that besides these there are many others under
instruction in small irregular schools, taught
usually by colored persons, throughout all the
interior Of the Southern States, but which do
not in any way appear i'm our report. This Is
the home effort OF these people after knowledge
imperfect indeed, and with no outside patronage
from any quarter. lfsnch schools were counted
considerably larger number would appear.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
The following is a summary Of the statistics
contained in the report: Day and night schools,
2,11s; Sabbath schools, 1,I36-total, asa.
Teachers in day and night school, 2,455; teachers
in Sabbath schools, 5,i54-total, ,903 Pupils i'm
day and night schools ia 3d. pupils i'm Sabbath
schools, e9,i31-total 24 ,253. (Of these pupils,
l92,2H are reported as having been slaves before
the war; OF the above day and night schools
the freedmen sustained wholly or in part 1, ,5sl.
and are the owners of I59 of the buildings in
/ which the schools are held. The Bureau fur
nished 1.2 of the buildings used for educational
| purposes. The majority OF the schools are con-
| Quoted according TO the most approved system.
II
in them, as is proved by the number of advanced
schools, $40 of which are reported as graded.
| These rival many institutions OF the same class
| i'll the North, of much longer standing.
| Besides these there are ''witliin the knowledge
| OF the superintendent, but not regulorly re-
| ported" Day and night schools, 19I; Sabbath
| schools. 31c-total, lilo. Teachers in day and
night schools, 500; teachers i'll Sabbath schools,
| o32-total. 1.59i. Pupils in day and night
schools, 3i.,22 pupils in Sabbath schools, IL 81
total, 80, 100 Adding all these to the regularly
Of aoss al
kinds, 9.503; total pupils of all kinds. 2j6, ,3J3;
comparison with the corresponding six months
OF last year shows large increase.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
In this city and District the experiment of
incorporating the schools into the public system
has been quite successful, and we consider the
work of the Bureau here as substantially fin
ished, only still continuing its deep interest in
their welfare. In the District OF Columbia the
whole number of schools regularly reported Tor
january, 1868, was 50; number of scholars 4C. :;
while in January, 1869, the whole number re-
ported was to; number OF scholars 3,6ls. This
monthly report gives about the average decrease
In the District OF Columbia for the year. The
cause OF this decrease is the withdrawal of most
OF the society teachers, and the failure of the
CITY trustees to I'LL the vacancies with teachers
OF their own, or to open any night schools. The
amount reported as expended by the societies in
the District Of Columbia is over $4,000. The
IN carrying on normal and theological schools.
but in addition there have been some fifteen
society teachers having schools of lower grades.
These schools have accomplished great good
but they are carried on at heavy expense. The
amount paid for one school i'm this city would
certainly support four i'm Maryland. Ii the So
cleues 90 not feel called upon to aid schools in
West Virginia, do not see why they should .!o
so in the District of Columbia. The opinion
was expressed more than year ago, that as the
District had good school system, and the col
Ored people their share OF the school tax, it was
the duties of the societies to Withdraw from that
held and throw their united strength into tn,
too long neglected country places, where lao
State aid was given, and where We must look
for the best fruits of our labOrs. Nothing re-
ieves our crowded cities and carries content
ment me 10 5ne quiet country like planting there
hoped that missionary societies will continue i'm
southern, as in northern cities, to aid i'm estab-
lish,ng sabbath schools and preaching stations.
The District OF Columbia, with the exception
OF the society schools, including the High and
Normal schools, is now quite independent of u.s.
The public schools have not been reported to us
for months. i recommend that only paw at
tentlOn TO these schools as becomes good citi-
Zens. In my opinion Congress should enact
law placing a II the schools of the city under one
school board, with equal advantages to all class
es, and give them a large fund from the General
Government. But this Bureau can safely leave
the passage of such a law TO the enlightened
citizens of the District.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.
II IL an encouraging TACT tflat during the VIII
ter Of 1867 '6S the government was expending,
for some months. from two to three thousand
dollars per month for material, and the manu-
facture of the same into garments, for the poor
people i'm five or six industrial schools. During
the past winter but very small sum, not
tithe Of that OF the winter before, was eApended,
and the number of these schools has been ra-
duced to three nominally, and really TO about
one. Mrs. Griffng has continued sewing school
in connection with her intelligence office, but 1
have received no reports from her; and only oc-
casiOnal ones from Miss Susan Walker who has
school where She instructs few women.
The Lincoln Industrial School, i'm the large
new building corner of Eleventh and X streets,
has dOre good work. There, every week, a
large number of women and children have been
taught sewing, and a few have been instructed To
work with the sewing machine. This is school
which commands the sympathies and cO-opera-
tive labOrs OF many of the best people of city,
and bids fair to have healthy existence many
years after the Bureau work is ended.
1t is well that these schools should be con-
tnued where various branches of industry shall
be nearly gratuitously taught to the poor and
unfortunate, though we need such schools only
to limited extent, merely to give employment.
this being easily obtained in every direction by
those who are industrious, honest, and capable.
NORMAL AND THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS.
There are seven of these schools, with an
average attendance for the last nine months Of
AS scholars, of whom $40 are males, and Ei3