The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-31
WAYLAND SEMINARY.
Or. King and the Unique Institution
Which He Has Built Up.

Washington Letter to the Lewiston Journall
The genealogical annals of Maine have but
few if any names more worthy of honor than
the name of King. From near the time of
its first settlement to the present, the men
and women of this historic family line have
won respect and civic preferment in all its
generations. For 70 years the name has
been so prominent in the political history of
the State and nation that biography of its
most distinguished representatives might
well be called its "Book of Kings" Forty
years ago in one of the district schools uf
among the hills of Paris-that proud nursery
of statesmen and scholars-was schoolbOy
who was destined to help solve one of the
mightest problems of the century.
From the district school to the quiet viii
lage of Hebron, few terms under the tu-
telage of PRINCIPALS Small and Dunnell in
the venerable academy and four years at
Colby University, and in '57 our Paris boy
was graduating in class numbering some
who have since become distinguished citi-
zens of the State and nation. In the acade-
my he was associated with John ID. Long,
whose name is not less honored by the citi-
zens of his native State than by his peers In
the national Congress. In college we find
him in a circle of earnest youth like r. b.
Shepherd, W. j. Corthell and Ii. A. Hart.
But man gets no true title to distinction
by virtue OF his associations. The man am
sketching, by blood, training and high moral
purposes had In him the making of Christ
ian hero, and in pursuance of his ideal, soon
was found entering Newton Theological
Seminary Tor course of preparation for the
ministry. After years study, for purposes
of health he came South, visiting friends in
Washington. year In Maryland Agricul-
tural College as Instructor in the rhetorical
department, and In 1859 he Is back in New
England as pastor OF a church at East Provi-
dence, r. l., where he labored for five years.
During the last year of the war he received
leave of absence from his church to engage
in the work of the Christian Commission in
the field with Grants army, headquarters
near Richmond. The foregoing are some of
the principal steps by which the subject of
our sketch came to this stage of his dutiful
career.
1t was amid the awful excitements, the ex-
pl0sions, fire and terrific scenes of the fall of
the capita. of the confederacy that, without
any special preseiience or FOR @forboding he dis;
sacrifcial duty which has been blest with re-
suits of wonderful character in connection
with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of
the South. And now l will introduce to
the honored President of Wayland Semin-
airy, Washington, ID. c., and let him tell the
story of few of his experiences as teach
er and friend of the poor colored men,
women and youth, who have during twenty
years of freedom, been led from darkness to
light; from ignorance into the pathway of
learning and distinguished usefulness.
We were sitting in his quiet study the
other evening, and in response to my request
for some narrative Of the circumstances of
the founding of the institution over which
hs presides, and his subsequent work he
said 81 always refer backward to the eman-
cipation period, and the close of the war. for
the beginning of my special inspirations and
the discovery of the incentives to my ed
ucational work among the colored peo-
ple."
After speaking of his entry into Richmond
with the conqueriDg army of Grant, DR..
King described meeting of colored Baptists
which be attended in the city and the i'm
preSsions which he received. The idea of
opening a school for these colored people
seized him; and went with him after he re-
turned to the North. He says;
81 confined my desires and plans to nv
friends and my church, over which still re-