Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-04
THE MANASSAS INDUSTRIAL
Efforts Made to Get Money to Rebuild
Rowland Hall.
Work OF Frederick Douglass in It's
Behalf and the Proposal to Make
1t q Memorial to Him.

Work in aid Of the Manassas Industrial
School for Colored Youth has been under
taken with renewed zeal since the burning
of its only building, Rowland Hall, during
the recent blizzard. The interest taken in
this institution by the late Frederick
Douglass has also brought it forward to
the attention of those who might be dis
posed to assist in the education of the col
ored people.
The school started auspiciously in Oc-
tober with sixty pupils. and is still con-
Quoted in a hall temporarily provided by
a kind friend. Jennie Dean. the philan-
thropic colored woman who proposed the
school three years ago, and solicited the
funds which gave 1t start Is now In
New York seeking means to rebuild How
land Hall. She has been assisted by Mrs.
Burton Harrison. Rev. Robert Collyer, the
rectors of st. Bartholomew's and Grace
Church and by the bishop OF New York.
1t was through Jennie Dean that Phillips
Brooks and Edward Everett Hale became
interested and helped to raise the money
to buy 100 acres of the Bull Hun pattie,
field as q site for the school. The scnoot
house was built on this farm, mainly with
money given by Miss Emily Rowland OF
New York, and was furnished by contrtbu-
lions by colored people In the vicinity,
who gave beds and bedding, chairs, tables
and supplies Of all sorts to start the scnooi
last October.
Number of Pupils Increasing.
The Industrial school was really the out
growth of Miss Deans missionary work IN
establishing Sunday schools In virginia
She had started four Sunday schools IN
the vicinity of Manassas when the idea
came to her that the $1,000 colored people
in that immediate region ought to have an
institution which should give them the
opportunity for development in the practi-
cal knowledge Of mechanical handfcrafts.
In spite of the loss Of the main building
the school is going on in an unnnlshed
church near by, and the number OF pupils
has increased since the fire. The trustees
have voted to rebuild ut once. Money Is
coming in for the new building. and last
week considerable sum was raised In
Harrison. Some of the best people of Vir-
ginia are assisting and considerable aid has
been given in Washington.
The fire was due to q crack in an over
heated chimney, and at its first discovery,
about 6 o'clock at night on the windward
side Of the house, 1t had eaten through the
sheathing, and 1t was only the work of q
few moments to wrap the whole side Of the
building in flames. Very little that was in
it could be saved. The building was In
sured. but the furniture and tools were
tota! loss. 1t was only by heroic effort
on the part Of DR.. Clemens and the schol-
ars that the farm house was saved. Sew
eral of the students lost all their clothing
and bedding, but not one Of them desires
to leave the school
A Memorial to Douglass.
1t has been proposed since Mr.. Douglass
death that the Manassas school be named
after him and be made a memorial to him.
He took a most earnest interest in 1t, and
one Of the last things he did was to give
money to the Institution and to write to
many old friends to enlist their sympathy
and assistance after the burning of How
land Hall. Since the suggestion was made
in The Star that the school be made a me-
mortal to Douglass. the matter has been
discussed and approved in many quarters.
Edward Everett Hale, in a note to the Bos-
ton Transcript, calls attention to the needs
of the school and to the fact that the last
words which Frederick Douglass wrote for
publication were a plea for a generous SUBJ
scription to this school. Mr.. Hale warmly
indorses the idea of making the school
q memorial to Douglass