The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-08-28
WORK AMONG THE NEGROES.


In comparison with some of the other
sea islands Of this coast that were
abandoned by their white Inhabitants
during the war and given over to the
possession of their former slaves, the
island of st. Helena of the group now
almost entirely occupied by negroes is
in better condition, SO far as Its cultiva-
ton by them Of crops Of cotton and
provisions and all that contributes to
its advancement in the scale Of pro-
gress, than any of it's adjacent Islands.
1t was in the nature of an experiment
suddenly to convert thousands of hith-
erto dependent and untutored slaves
into owners of real estate by deeds OF
gift of the lands of their former own
ers, and to turn them loose upon their
own resources. 1t was confidently pre-
dicted that they would drift into con-
dition Of thriftlessness and would be
proof against educational improvement.
So far as the Island of St. Helena Is
concerned where there Is the largest
number of negroes living, and owning
their own lots of ten, twenty and thir-
ty-acre farms. and where there are the
fewest number of white residents in
proportion, the experiment was best
tested when the island was diverted al
most exclusively to negro colonization
and comparative separation from con-
tact with the whiteman.
To great extent the comparative
good condition of this large body of me-
groes thus left almost to themselves
upon the withdrawal Of their white
masters in 1861 Is due to the excellent
influences eXerted over them by Miss
Laura Towne, a truly philanthropic and
intelligent northern lady, who came
down, not as. one of that class invidi-
ously re ferred to as "schoolmarms"
who followed in the wake of the invad-
ing army. Mise Towne, with ample
means of her own. and of family and
influential connections in Pennsylvania.
actuated by generous missionary and
evangelictic motives. purchased home
and settled upon ST Helena Island and
established what she chose to call the
Penn School for the Training and Edu-
cation of the Negroes upon the Island
she called to her assistance some of
the most advanced educators among
her well-bred associates, among them
Miss Ellen Murray, also from Philadel-
phia. These ladies have exercised
most wholesome and beneficial inf1u-
ence upon the young as we'll as the old
former slaves in moral, religious and
educational spheres.
These ladies have not confined them
eelves to teaching mere reading, writ
ing and arithmetic, but have stimula-
ted industrial occupations among
grown as well as the young pupils, and
have fitted many of them for services
for higher schools of learning which
they have been aided to enter, and 9TH
ers to fill positions of confidence and
trust as servants and as helpers.
There is another wholesome influence
that has been at work on this island.
and it is in accord with the expressed
influence Of these good ladies, who have
the respect of the white people who live
upon the island. The firm which did
almost the entire business Of handling
the crops of the negroes, advancing for
them and acting as their agents and
shippers, never allowed liquor to be
handled or sold at any of their stores or
branches. The consequence Is no riots,
or egregious transgressions of
the law are ever heard Of In this almost
model community of several thousand
negroes and a mere handful of whites.
Charleston News and Courier.