Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-02-26
Mr.. Amdersoe's Column.
"reminiscences of the Freedmen's
Work,


ing -
The winona (MinnD RepnIcan Of the 18th inst, an.
SSnS M sv sn Sar OF SsSeS y ASss @ ssa AK rs
70 az who had made his acquaintance He was by pro
at Cleveland, Ohio aud in Montgomery, Alabama. ny
was one of the early victims OF consumption, induced
by Overwork and came here last autumn In the hope OF
late His young and esteemed wife starts to-day with
his remains for Clyde, Ohio.
The notice leads me back TO most pleasant
reminiscence connected with Mr. Adams work
among the freedmen in the south, which will
illustrate Something of the pioneer life of the
early teachers among the freed people
Failing in health, and advised TO get South
Mr. Adams, always anxious to do good, con-
sented to go TO Greenville, Ala, and organize
schools among the colored people, under the
auspices of the Cleveland Freedmen's Commits
sion, which formerly worked side by side with
and now is swallowed up in, the American
Missionary Association.
1t became my official duty to go there and
inspect the schools soon after he had entered
on his work
Accompanied by the Rev. Mr.. Richardson,
who had the schools Of Montgomery, l took
the cars on the Alabama, Florida, Mobile &
blCut ANOliiNin " w. Ut o NiONN w 'hS NNNh
ing, and got into Greenvile at midnight.
Here was now dilemma. No one met us,
and our letter telling the particular train on
which we should come, had evidently not been
received.
We went to n hotel, close by the depot,
where was a rough set OF men, and were fatty
refused admission. They told us we might
| find a hole" ut the other house." mile or
so away. But sundry ugly looks and mutter-
ed speeches, by pistol'd and bowie-knived
roughs, who evidently knew who we were, did
not make pleasant the prospect of a journey to
that other mythical hotel, where we might fare
no better.
Passing near the depot, brother Richardson
spied negro in the moonlight and said -
"IIcre, here's our hope. You can always re-
ly on darkey, lets try him."
| SO he went to him and said -
"Hi, my lad,-do you know Mr.. Adams, the
frcedmen's teachcr?"
xxi reckon docs, mas'r-1sc been on de
look for you. | reckon youse de advice
friends of Mas'r Adams. Now Use gwine to
consort you to his house, is"
Taking it for granted that our colored friend
had heard Mr.. Adams say he expected some
body, and that his queer expression had allu-
sion to the fact, we accepted his escort He
was about to gain distinction as a midnight
" consOit," with accutcness enough to find and
guide dc nord'n advice friends" of the teacher
1t was day to be marked with white in his
calendar.
Leading us into the tall pine woods he fol-
lowed for some distance, II blind road which
was soon lost and we were beyond all sight
of dwellings, treading our way among those
soughing giants of II southern forest, whose
thick branches shut out the moonlight.
After half mile or so of such walk, which
might have been taken with less of faith if our
stranger-guidc had been white man, we ar
rived at little one story house. the four rooms
of which were built in southern style, on both
sides of an open passagc-way through the
building, though with the same roof over the
the whole, and extending over a verandah
which ran all along the front of the house
The voclterOus barking of dog would have
caused us some anxiety, but that his voice AN
nounced his size to be small
We found Mr.. and Mrs Adams occupying
one room of this house which was owned by Il
white man, to whom Mr.. Adams paid $40 II
month for the bare room! They boarded with II
colorcd family, who brought their meals to their
room, and though far from being good
Northern diet, il was so much better than many
had that there could hardly be cause for com.
plaint in that country.
The room was about fifteen feet square and
not plastered, the inside of the clapboarding
and the studding being whitewashcd There
cdS little choice, we found, by daylight be.
tween the windows and the chinks, as u source
of light.
The chapel where the school was held was
new building, 80 by 80 feet, upholstered, which
had been erected since Mr.. Adams came there
aud on which he had worked with his own
hands, and it had been occupied only week
Though the school had been in session only
about four weeks, l was surprised at the quie
that reigned and at the singular discipline al
ready secured.
Mr.. Adams read a brief passage of scripture
with simple comments, and then offered shor
prayer, full of earnestness and pathos, and this
was followed by the Lords prayer, in which
all joined.
An original hymn on the Greenvlllc school
was sung, and this was followed by America
At our request the coored people sang some
of their own wild hymns, such MS :" Oh dc an
gel don, changed my name from natur into
grace" You ortcr ben sittln' in dc kingdom,
and Oh, young man do you know de road -
which latter called to our minds our walk o
the night before.
After some remarks by Mr.. Adams "advic,
friends" Qor so we were called by all, though
the expression was enigmatical alike to us and
to Mr.. Adams) the roll was called, and the ex'
ercises Of the school went on. The number OF
scholars enrolled was il5, and only ten were
absent, though some of the pupils came, on
foot. five and six miles.
was particularly interested in one a, b, C
class, the ages ranging from four to ten years
with the exception of q specialized old auntit
. of sixty years, whose deep bass voice sounded
strangely in contrast with the tenor juvenil,
voices about her as she sat In chair and re
cited while the rest stood around her.
asked Mr., Adams II lac found it necessary
10 fog the scholars; with quiet smile he an