National Republican., 1876-01-19
1HE coLoREp NORMAL SCHOOL.
Meeting ofths Board Of Trustees Of the 1nsti'
tution for the Education of the colored

HE coL0RED NORMAL SCHOOL
Meeting ofths Board Of Trustsss Of the Insti
tution for the Educatio of the coloret
Youth.
| The education OF the colored race Is subjec
| that has excited considerable attention amoni
the people Of this country, and none are NOR
alive to the importance and necessity ofthis worl
than the colored people themselves. The rapit
| advancement that many Of them have made, boil
| in knowledge and position, since the shackles o
| slavery were removed from their limbs, is aston
isling to the public and hattering to the race. L
demonstrates as a fact not only their possession
OF the ability to learn, but also an undenisbl,
will to secure an education and elevate them
they once occupied.
Schools have been opened in many places
throughout the South, and chances given the am
bilious to humor their thirst for study and gain
commonschool education. In this city the ad
yantages have been greater, and not only have
petent instraetOrs. but College where the colOred
youth can 1T themselves for the higher and more
prominent walks Of life, and lay in store oi
knowledge which, in the future, N ay prove the
magnate to attract them to places Of power and
While Howard University boasts of its msdI
cal, law and collegiate departments and the chill
dren it sends forth annually to represent It in the
various calliDgs followed by men, there is still
another institution seldom mentioned, but which
in importance cannot be eXceled by either OF the
three named above; that is the normal depart
ment Of the university, now filled to overhowing
ported BY what is known as the Institution for
founded by Miss Myrtiila Miner. and incorpo.
<l3 600, which was collected by Miss Miner during
the last ten years of her life, and by her dedi-
Gated the education OF the coIored youth IN TINS
fund chiefly residents of the cities of Boston,
New York and Philadelphia. For a number Of
years previous TO her death Miss Miner conducted
. school located in the northwestern part of the
city, where many of the young colered ladies Of
this place and Georgetown, now holding high
District, were educated. Three years ago the
property occupied by this benevolent woman, and
which she purchased short time before her
death, was sold, and there was realized upon the
sale about so 900.
The permanent fund, $4,000, has realized
U2o. During the years 1874 and 1875 it was ex.
pended in payment Of salaries of the principal
and assistant teachers OF the Normal department
year Is7I arrangements were made with Gen. O..
U. Howard, then president Of the University, by
which a committee Of three persons on the part
Of the trustees OF the Institution for the education
of the colored youth, consisting of Messrs Langs-
ton and Blanchard and Mrs. johnson, aud three
on the part OF the CnlyeTsity, composed Of Gen.
constituted a joint general committee for the
management and conduct OF the Normal depart
ment Of the University.
The ladies and gentlemen composing the trus-
tee board OF the Institution for the training of
the colored youth are determined to make the
wsest ard most profitable use of the funds en-
trusted to their care, aad dedicated by Miss
Miner for the purposes indicated.
They ieeI that such a course is not only due to
their own people, but TO the generous oestower Of
the gift, Miss Miner, who was one OF the most
selEsacrifcing, faithful and successful friends
and teachers of the colored people that was found
among the early laborers in their behalf who
sought their freedom, educational and moral ad-
yancement. In all the leading colored families
fully cherished. The custodians of the fund owe
it to the colored youth OF this District as well as
to Miss Miner, their patron, to see to it that this
donation is sacredly guarded and applied to the
purposes for which she DeQueathed it.
No Normal school for the education OF the COL
ored youth has been provided by the authorities
in the public schools Of this District. There is
what is known as Normal class in the High
school in Sumner building, but which 1t is not
claimed equals the Normal department Of the
white public schools. In the knowledge of such
an existing state Of affairs, would it not be wise
for the trustees controlling the legacy be-
queathed by Miss Miner to secure suitable accom-
modations, establish a Normal school, where
the entire colored youth could be bene-
fitted, sustaining the same from this endowment
District an opportunity to avail themselves Of the
generosity of Miss Miners bequest, and secure
that knowledge requisite for their social advance
ment and moral Improvement, thereby becoming
fitted to enter into an honorable contest for place
and position among men? As now conducted, its
sphere is inadequate for the purposes originally
too small circuit. With enlarged powers the
results will be greater and the benefits and infu-
ences of the Institution more widely spread,
bringing returns that will tell q fatterng story
to those entrusted with It's management.
At the meeting held yesterday majority Of the
board of trustees were In attendance reports
were received from the various committees and
acted upon and the following officers chosen for
the ensuing year: President, Mrs. Nancy NJ.
johnson; secretary, Mrs. Nellie O'Counor; treas
urer, Mr.. George Z. Baker. The different COM
mittees were reapponted for another year. The
report of the treasurer for the past year was sub
mitted, and shows a permanent fund of S43,-
GOO, with an income OF 5000. The permanent
fund is invested so as to nay interest upon
1000 at the rate of per cent. per annum, and
upon 1000 at the rate OF 10 per cent. per
annum, making the total interest and income as
above stated.
This amount has been expended in thepayment
of the salaries Of the Normal department OF How
ard University. Cash on hand January /, 1876
S4l69l.
The board of trustees have purchased fine
portrait of the late Miss Miner, which they pro-
pose at an early day to have suspended in q con-
spicuous place on the walls Of the Normal de-
partment that the scholars in pursuing their
studies may behold the face OF their benefactress
and helper in ginning an education.