New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-11
EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS.
Efforts to .SolUe Them IN the South
Proceeding Briskly.


foresaw the early end of the terrible struggle
in which we had been engaged and his keen mind
was already wrestling with The problems that
would surely follow the final surrender.
I was about to leave Washington with my
command for Chattanooga when he sent for me
He said to Mr.. Stanton later that as soon as
could be spared from the field he wished TO
take up a great and important work among the
freedmen refugees and Inc roor whites of the
South His feeling at my interview was most
kind and his great heart took in everybody.
With the people Of the mountain regions of Ten
nessee. Kentucky and Virginia he was person.
ally familiar and toward them he manifested
particular tenderness
II only few months later after our ,ic-
tory at Chattanooga, that General Sherman, with
the Fifteenth Corps and I. with the Eleventh,
marched a few miles apart into East Tennessee
TO save Burnside. then threatened by Longstreet
at Knoxville My corps was poorly equipped.
many of the men being without blankets some
without coats and others lacking shoes. The
kindness of the people exceeded that which We
had experienced in Ohio and Indiana. They sup
piled Us TO the limit Of their ability. women and
children bringing water and food and the men
in many instances giving no their shoes to SCI
diers who had none.
The first school which ] helped to establish
in the hard winter which we spent il, camp
of my division commanders rebuilt the log
church. which had been ruthlessIy reduced
firewood the eve of arrival Soon we
had schools established and the chilireu and
young people Of the mountains came eagerly to
grasp q privilege Of which they had previously
been destitute.
It was April 1864, before I was able to leave
the field and on May I reported to Secretary
Stanton at Washington He told that it had
been President Lincoln's desire that I direct the
work among the freedmen, the refugees and
others who needed assistance. He agreed
with my earnest plea that the true relief lay in
schools for their practical education
In the months of hard work which followed
bent every energy to increasing the educational
facilities of the South and more than seventy
schools We're established of which have
grown into grand institutions. I told the benev-
client givers that l would add 81 of government
money TO every 81 they would put into those
schools. and everywhere the offer was eagerly
accepted.
The centre and sample of this chain of insti-
tutions Of learning was Howard University, at
Washington. They called it after me against
my wishes. and we modelled it after the Uni
versity of Michigan in many lines At first it
was merely sort Of religious school for refu-
gees and freedmen who fiocked to Washington
in great numbers at the close Of the war 1t
had and has some peculiar features, which may
be Of interest.
The nearness of the big Freedman's Hospital
brought about the establishment Of the medical
DEPARTMENT. Two-tflirds of the medical students
were negroes, and many of them studied prac-
teal pharmacy along with their regular lectures.
The physician pharmacists were able to go
among their people and establish drugstores as
well as practise medicine.
The theological department was also developed
or, pec,Iliar lines. All denominations were asked
TO participate to send lecturers and to establish
urofessorships At first they held back, fearing
sT7npose an ENHANCEMENT of creeds. told
them to teach and preach freely as they be
neved but we permitted no effort at changing
tha denomination of the students. If coIored
minister came TO us a Methodist. he went away
a Methodist The result has been that the
co1ore5 ministers of the South have gone back
70 their work with a better knowledge OF the
T2itle and Biblical times and far better equipped
70 teacr the essential truths Of Christianity.
If needs only a trip through the outlying dis
4ricte o4 the South to see what the schools are
doing for the people A typical instance among
tho mountain whites of far reaching work Is
that of the Rev. DR.. E. O. Guerrant Who mas
formed the Inland Mission Society for WORK
ar,org the rnountaineers of Kentucky. he was
an adiutant of a Confederate brigade ana aitef
rractisine medicine for time went into the