New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-02-26
EDUCATTON OF THE NEGROES.
A LETTER FROM MARTHA schoPisLD'

LITTER FROM MARTHA sCHoFibLD'
10 Ms Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR, In your Notes on Education" IN yes
terday's paper you had from rhe Few Hacen Aorn'ng
rou, sketch Of the work Of two young eolored men,
and as your readers may want little more. wish 10
add my testimony their character and nobleness por
of humility and devotion to the right Nicholson ana
Mathis were motheress boys when they entered inc
schoneld Normal and Industrious School They were
chosen by churches that paid their board and ex
penses in they returned and taught In their
churches, to cancel the debt Then their own schooi
was started but the pupils gained them. and to keep
ahead the other had to 20 to a more ADVANCED
place Of learning was my privilege to be ~ he'
Academy last 4th Of july OF the two great days III
the year. Five thousand gathered there, and from
each church. companies with banners inscribed soeiety
OF Young Ladies' for Industry and Education Soeiety
Of Young Men Of Honor. Virtue and knowledge" etc.
There picturesque costumes. lads with nie ana
drum while the officer Of the day wore epaulettes,
and rusty sword in his green sash yet In all that
crowd, assembled to show respect for eduoatlon' 10
whiskey, no fighting, no quarrsng.
We, who feel the Unreasonable good to be done py
such teachers are forced cry aloud and spare not
to press the needs before the public eye, until from
private benevolencc and public treasury such worthy
voice shall not call In vain They do not ask for bread
they beg plead pray for teachers to train and educate
the children teachers that will lift them into nober
lives and show them the duties and responsibilities OF
citizenship
Here there is such pressure behind we dare not
stand still pushed on to new burdens, the CON-
peton Of which only by the eye OF faith shining
under the light Divine guidance We being forced
to erect girls boarding hall All winter, through sieet
storm girls and teachers have had to come from
rented IN other houses to the old school house Tor
meals as the boys are crowded in two Of its rooms and
the other. used for kitchen and dining hall Ground
was broken the Sd inst. The building Is
to be 4Oxeo feet two stories high, and will
accommodate forty boarders The cost, with careful
management will be about 81 300 Over 5000 has been
subscribed and the is the ground aud paid for
No debt will be incurred Carpenters stop wben inc
money gives out. 80,
one girl who came three months Inst year paid her
board with money from bale OF cotton she raised doihg
the ploughng hOeing and planting herself She low
writes II could como again If the money owed me wss
know the good material 10 have pupils leave Two months
before school closes the class goes on and next term
es s 's and d nDotoen years one mohcross told
they must week. felt that II Just orc or the
$50 bills Ts9 6S IN SEa sood coa be-
done. In so many places competent teache,s arc
wanted and how can we take boy who cannot 90 long
division and make a teacher In three months Churches
school as they return.
Our Industrial call loudly for help-t hammers,
boys how to tools. Only throe ont OF seven Ia
class knew how 10 hold and drive nail, o.
the gindsone under teacher ana are made 20 icf
II duty lift the homo and Its suTroundingSOut OF
the shess shackling habits of the Southern states
The great whirling vortex OF ignorance sucEng IN
the glory and strength and power or undeyeoped man
hood and womanhOod. and from that pit the American
people will yet hear cry OF despair wall OF injustice
eratons yet unborn who will look back with sorrow
and shame the blindness Of the nineteenth century
norauce and indifference. Respectfully,
Ahen, s. o. Feb. 20, 1883. MARTHA SCHofILLD.