Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-03-17

''fanks" were, but except the shade trees
few, If any, traces of the old homes car
be seen. Personally cannot find it in my
heart 20 blame the average white Georgian
for hating Sherman with the utmost cor.
dislity, as think he does.
As the colored people are so largely in
the majority in this county they enjoy
their political rights to greater extent than
anywhere else in the state. Unless divid
ed among themselves, they usually elec,
their representatives to the legislature and
might secure their own county officers il
they had wealth enough among themselves
to secure the necessary bonds; as of course
the whites do not propose to compass
their own defeat by giving bonds for Il ne
gro. So they do what they consider the
next best thing, which is to select the hest
and most friendly white man (Democrat)
and support him against the regular Dem
ocratic candidate. In this way am told
they often, in certain sense, elect their
candidate.
w tbJVy tHt pNScih- VI III q pio-
hibtion county, and in our immediate VI
cinity the people seem to be very temper
ate. have seen but one intoxicated per-
son during our sojourn here. Then by
state law, a saloon cannot be opened with
in three miles of a church or school house
In the rural districts. and as such buildings
are often much nearer together than that,
the sale Of liquor is virtually prohibited in
many sections.
The colored people of this region are
very different from those we knew in Ken
tucky aud, am told by competent ob-erv-
er>, from those of any other part of the
South. 1t is said that they came from a
wholly different tribe in Africa They are
whole generation behind those We have
met elsewhere. They cling to their old
plantation melodies yet, and even in pray
er meeting II il quite common to hear gos-
pei hymns interspersed with their old-time
slave songs. There is q difference in the
spirit with which they are sung too. Com
paratyely few of the older people can
read or write. One Of the Older women
tells us the story Of how she was whipped
for spelling the word pin when. as a child,
she was passing school for white children
Some Of our students from eighteen to
twenty five ar. doing work which children
of twelve would do in our northern schools
We have teacher of long standing at
tending our school in the lowest inter-
mediate grades But our older pupils are
a studious class and appear to try to make
the most Of their opportunities.
The State appropriates a considerable
sum for the education Of the colorcd peo-
pie, the common schools averaging from
four to six months. Now this doubtless
sounds like good deal, and il would mean
a good deal If it secured competent teach
er- or decent school-hou-es, neither Of
which it does to any great extent. The
average cClored public school-house of
this region is the mcrest hoyel, which a
stranger might mistake for sty or cattle
shed, If it did not sometimes have stick
and-clay chimney outside; with only a
shutter tor a window and frequently not
even that; TOO open TO keep out the wind
and too leaky overhead to prevent drip
ping of the rain on those inside. The
teachers in many cases are only too nearly
on par with their scnooI-rooms. Ii is
to improve these conditions that our
school and Others Of the same nature all
over the South are at work and the value
of their work can be appreciated by only
those who can know personally something
OF the social condition and home life Of
the people for whose benefit they are sus-
tlined.
Perhaps, in closing, a word concerning
the conditions or terms under which the
Georgia teacher labors may have some in
terest for his fellow la0orer in old Han
cock. First, the compensation Of the
teacher is proportional to the average at
tendance: this iu 4 country where many
parents are indifferent in matters Of edu-
cation and the children are considered
necessary faction in the work of the farm.
Then the supervisor has power to scale
down the average reported By the teach
err according as he may think or claim to
think that average too large. As he IS u
white man the chances are that he will not
place the estimate any too high. one
teacher whom know, worthy man with
large family depending on him, received
less than forty dolla.s for iye months
term, he boarding himself And last,
though the schools usually close about the
first of November, no money can be drawn
till the first of January. As school teach
ers are always poor, and colored teachers
by far the poorest Of the guild they are
in serious need of their pay long before
it is legally due. Hence grasping and
consclenceless brokers, who by no possl-
blity will ever get to heaven, discount
their bills at from thirty to forty per cent
off for the ready money, these people in
their ignorance not comprehending the ex-
tent to which they are swindled. Think
of it, We teachers of Maine! Is there not
still need of missionary work in the South ?
FRED w. FOSTER