The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-09-03

the Mayor of Washington conseled
her to close the school, saying he
should be unable to protect her from
mob which seemed then inevitable.
This mayor was, as the world then
run in the capital of our Free Re
public" most worthy, public-spirit-
ed and benevolent man. But few
residents of Washington, of course,
cared or dared to sustain Miss Mi
ner. Amid all the opposition she,
nevertheless. carried on her school
with varied fortunes and frequent in
terruptions. Her great aim was to
fit girls to become teachers. The
public schools of Washington to-day
attest the success of her labors in
this direction.
Her ideas of education expanded
with experience. The work before
her enlarged. She appealed to friends
in the North to assist her. Liberal
people responded and some four thou
sand dollars were contributed to heI
cause. This sum she invested, in
trust, by the purchase of 4 square OF
ground near Twentieth and p streets.
on which was q small frame building
in which she kept her school. Until
within a year or two past this loca-
ton was in q distant and secluded
part Of the city.
The war came on. her health broke
down and her school was suspended
She visited California in the vain
hope Of improving her condition
Her great desire was to regain
strength TO pursue her vocation
again as an educator of colored you'll
in Washington. During her absence
Congress incorporated the "Institu
ton for the Education Of ColoreC
YOUTH of which Miss Miner was
made one Of the corporators. Thi,
was in 1868. She was not success
ful i'll her visit to the Pacific coast
and returned to Washington. to die
in 1865, The institution created by
| Congress succeeded to her trust
The little property she had endowed
it with had incrcasd in value. Othel
schools had been opened for colorel
children and emancipation had beer
effected in the District Of Columbia
The remaining cOrporatOrs deter
mined to devote the income Of tho
property to the education Of coloreC
/ teachers. The piece Of ground bought
by Miss Miner doubled trcblcd. quad
rupIcd in value, until the corporator.
sold it for ten times the price She
paid for it. This placed a fund o
over forty thousand dollars in th'
possession Of the Institution. Nari
Gus plans were discussed for utilizing
the income OF this fund so that tn,
object Of its founder might best b,
attaineQ-the education Of coloreo
youth for teachers. At present the
income is devoted to the payment oI
the salaries Of two professors in the
normal department OF Howard Uni
versity. This arrangement is ex-
l'NNbtN w iNlhlSIl Istl -C lttAHbCt Vi
competent teachers and supply the
increasing demand among the schools
springing up in the recent land of
slavery. The trustees Of Howard
University have named one Of their
largest buildings Miner Hail. and
the professors in the normal depart
ment are called 1.-The Miner proies-
sors.' Thus the work of a single
woman, begun amid trials and pow
erty, has come to be Il beniicent and
successful institution. To the heroic
efforts Of Miss Miner we may also,
to some extent. ascfibe the prosper
Gus and meritOri0us character Of the
public cOlored schools Of Washing
ton. The same people who q few
years ago secuted the idea OF cduca-
ting a negro, now see thousands of
colored youth in this city acquiring
the same education that the children
OF the most favored whites receive.