, 1892-08-20

In the fulhlment or my promise
in giving Won an account Of me Burgher School
in its earlier days, l will try to do it as we'll
as | can. as | an suffering from failure of sight
and may not write very leglbly.
The house was at first the Danish Parsonage,
and many Lutheran Ministers lived in it, as
well as those of the Reformed Dutch Church,
when there was q vacancy. had thus told
me bv an old woman when 7 was a child, anil
also often heard others speak the same. ] viii
now describe tie building. The FIRST story or
cellar was of brick. the second ana third were
of frame work a wide platform aud long
flight of steps IN the front Of the building,
took one into the second story, which was the
school room, divided by a partition the whole
length Of the building, with door in the CEN
tire. The girls had the front, the boys were
shut off in the inner side. The upper story
was the home of the Danish Tutor after it be-
came o schoolhouse. lido not know in what
year the school was opened; but my old friend
told me that the name of the first teacher was
Broker; he came direct from Copenhagen tor
the purpose. He died here, and long after his
death. the school and hill were called Brokers.
This school was originally Intended torthe sons
and daughters of the Danish residents, TO in
struct them before going to Copenhagen, and
such as could not send theirs would sl | have
them instructed il the mother-tongue. An Eng
lish teacher, and a governess We're also employ
ed. Examination days were brilliant days. The
Governor and all the Officials in full costume
and q number ofgentlemen and ladies attended,
and the red coats and cooked hats hlled the
people with admiration, so that the streets and
corners used to be filled With spectators. My
Aunt told me that on such days Wonlo often
be looking at the red coats and cooked hats.
-I.l T -aaAl .I-:-Al 4.Eo M n hnAI- mad
say / am going to Mr.. Brokers' school whom
grow q big child. So it turned out, for N
1910 my sister and self we're ADMITTED, The first
black children that entered the BurgherSchool.
Children in Those days were admitted alter
this manner: Parents or guardians had to
send in a petition TO the School Commission /;
if it was accepted then the child's certificates
of baptism and vaccination were required, and
ii the children could read and spell Eng
lish well they we're admitted if they could
not, they were told to go, and come back AFTER
a certain time, to find out if they had male
Improvement; aud when the time of
removal came another petition had to be sent
to notice the intended removal and to express
their thanks.
Now for the removal Of the School.
The Lancaste rian School was opened in
1926 or '25. The heart of an English Clergy
man by the name of Adams was touched by the
want Of education in the children of colour,
be pleaded with Government, and 50 a school
was opened to them. Afterwards it was found
necessary to unite the schools IN one building;
the Lancas terrain School was repaired and en-
larged, and on the 18th September 1842 the
Burgher School was re-opened both Schools
in the same building. The children were all
requested to attend service in the Lutheran
Church, where the Revt. J. K. Dagger, who
was then Minister, preached to a large assem-
bly,. Afterwards the scholars walked IN pro-
cession over to the school house. which was
decorated with flags and flowers. Hymns on