of freehand drawing, that would compare well with exhibits which
I have seen in rooms of the same grades in the best schools in
the North. In the First Primary Room were two things of especial
interest: a table covered with needle-work made by the smallest
girls of the school, and two sets of papers placed side by side,
showing the penmanship, spelling, figures, etc., of the same pupil
in October, 1882, and in May, 1883. The work of the pupils of that
room at the number-table, and their writing and reading, encourage
us that there is reason for hope in the coming generation of
colored people.
The closing exercises of the school were held Tuesday evening,
May 29th. The hall, the aisles, entries, doors and windows were
crowded. The men even climbed the verandas to reach us. The pupils
had flooded us with the choicest flowers, grasses and foliage,
and the hall was beautifully decorated. The part the pupils had
in adorning it spoke well for their taste. At the appointed time
the audience of between four and five hundred was called to order,
and the programme commenced. For two hours and a half the throng
sat or stood, listening to recitations, declamations, dialogues,
essays, one oration, songs, etc. I wish the people of the North
who question the promise of this race could have been present.
There was hardly one hesitation in the recitations; the essays and
oration showed thought and good English; and little boys and girls
gave concert recitations in perfect unison.
Important features of the programme were, a tableau called “The
tempted boy and the guardian angel,” designed to give an object
lesson on temperance, and an illustrated poem by pupils of the
Grammar and Normal Room. Both of these exercises proved the pupils’
readiness to understand and their quickness to execute. The teacher
in charge had but little time to teach them, yet everything was
done with ease and rapidity.
The evening’s entertainment was a fresh exhibit to us all of the
talent and the tact that lie dormant in this race, which is to
be the ruling race in twelve States at no distant day; and we
bade “good-bye” to our pupils with new courage to go on with a
work which must be slow, but is essential to the very life of our
country.
EMERSON INSTITUTE, MOBILE, ALA.
BY MISS HELEN D. BARTON.
Anniversary exercises at Emerson Institute, May 25th. The
much-talked-of and long-looked-for last day of school had come.
Though it was the last day many of the last things had already
been done. The last hour of hard study was over, the last
recitation heard, the last examination paper marked. The two days
preceding had been devoted to what were, by courtesy, called oral
examinations. In reality, however, much of the time, in the lower
rooms at least, was devoted to the entertainment of the visitors.
The favorite songs were sung and the best recitations made. If
George Washington’s mother or sister came in, George’s classes
were called, his slate work was examined and compared with others,
and he was invited to recite his “speech.” A variation from the
programme was made again and again that as far as possible the
visitors might judge of the work of the children in whom they are
more especially interested. This could be done as the certificates
for promotion were given on the standing of the pupils in the
written examinations held the second week in May.
Friday morning the children came together as a school for the last
time. After devotional exercises the departments were dismissed
to their own rooms, where the teacher read the per cents. of the
examinations and presented each pupil with a certificate grading
him for the coming year. Many faces brightened with pleasure.
Some few showed dissatisfaction; having fallen slightly below the
desired average they find the obnoxious word conditionally written
on the card. Others still feel bitter disappointment; having
failed, they must remain in the same grade. Some of these deserve
our sympathy, the failure being caused by poverty or sickness;
others are only reaping the reward of carelessness and indolence.
When the distribution of certificates was completed, Miss Caughey,
the principal, went in turn to each department, and after adding
her word of encouragement to the disappointed ones and approbation
to the successful ones, invited the promoted class to seats in the
room the next grade above. This ceremony was impressive, and many
showed the conflicting emotions of joy and sadness, joy at the
honor conferred and a sadness at the thought of separation from
teacher and schoolmates which caused them to go reluctantly to the
places assigned.
At the appointed hour in the evening the assembly room was filled
to overflowing with the eager happy children and their friends.
After prayer by Rev. O. D. Crawford the exercises given by the
pupils were called in, according to the programme. Mr. Crawford and
General Slaughter, Post-Master of the city, made brief remarks.
Where each one endeavored to do his best, it is difficult to
mention those who excelled. “Mother Goose and her Friends” chiefly
served the spice for the entertainment. One of our white friends
found it difficult to believe that this ancient singer of nursery
rhymes was not a middle aged woman instead of the young girl she
really is. The “Friends” were received with enthusiasm also, even
down to the “brave boy” Johnnie Horner, the baby of our school. The
tableau of “Hiawatha” was thoroughly enjoyed. In “Songs of Seven,”
the recitations “Seven Times One,” by little Odelia Chavanah and
“Seven Times Seven” by Miss Sallie Washington, were received
with gratifying applause. The valedictory by Miss Belle Daniels
deserved and received high praise. To critical eyes, no doubt, many
defects were evident; but our audience seemed well pleased and
congratulations were freely given. I think most of those present
would agree with old Aunt Gracie in her remark, summing it all up:
“It was delightful to be looked at.”
LE MOYNE INSTITUTE, MEMPHIS.
[A large amount of space is given in the _Memphis Daily Appeal_,
the _Daily Memphis Avalanche_ and the _Public Ledger_ to reports
of the anniversary exercises of the Le Moyne Institute. These,
with accompanying editorial paragraphs, indicate the high esteem
in which Prof. Steele and his corps of workers are held and the
appreciation of his school. The anniversary was attended by two
thousand people. The enthusiasm is represented to have been
continuous from the beginning to the end of the exercises, and the
effort of Prof. Steele to raise money for the Institute from the
citizens of Memphis was endorsed by many present. We give below an
extract from the _Appeal_ which represents how our work is regarded
by the better class of Southern people.—ED.]
The feeling in this city in favor of universal education was never
stronger than it is now. This is plainly shown by the interest
everywhere manifested in the Le Moyne Institute or school for
negroes, which gave so enjoyable an entertainment at the Greenlaw
Opera-house Monday night. A number of prominent citizens who were
present expressed the greatest surprise and astonishment, and the
opinion was general that the inculcation of ideas such as those of
which the graduates seemed possessed was bound to do good to them,
and by reflection upon the balance of the community.
“Was the entertainment at the Opera-house just as you reported it?”
asked a gentleman of an _Appeal_ reporter yesterday.
“Justice was not fully done,” was the reply.
“And the Le Moyne is a colored institution?”
“Yes.”
“You surprise me,” the gentlemen replied. “I have heard the Le
Moyne frequently spoken of, but had no idea it was accomplishing
all it is said to have done. Why, the subjects chosen by the
essayists could be handled only by those possessed of considerable
knowledge.”
“Yes, it is a new idea in the South,” remarked a listener, who had
been present at the entertainment, “and I find it difficult to say
whether I was most surprised or delighted. I heard every essay and
recitation from beginning to end, and there was not a break or
stumble, no stopping to recover breath, no tedious repetitions. The
absence of the parrot was noticeable. The novelty of the affair
held my attention at first, but I soon forgot this, and found
myself drifting along with the essayists as they waded into their
subjects. Another thing that struck me forcibly was the absence of
rant in the young men and the failure to giggle on the part of the
young women. They seemed to take it as a matter of course that they
were there, and that their audience would be interested in what
they might have to say. I, for one am heartily in favor of keeping
up the good work. No man who thinks can say that every negro in the
land would not be better off and better fitted to cope with the age
in which lives, if he had enough education to enable him to throw
off the dense cloud of superstition—a mixture of ignorance and
faith—in which he is now enveloped. The country would be better,
its tone purer and healthier, if every man in it were educated.”
“The music furnished by the graduates particularly attracted me,”
said a lady teacher who heard it. “I have always contended that
the negro had a passion for music of a certain rich and melodious
kind, but could not appreciate its delicate shading, and could
have no conception of it as a science. I am ready now to say
I was mistaken. Though the music the other night was nothing
extraordinary, I heard enough to convince me that its interpreters
had a good idea of symphony, and could with proper training, rise
to a high degree of excellence. The solo ‘I’ll Follow Thee’, was
one of the sweetest things I ever heard in public or private. The
voice of the young woman who sang it was pure and clear, every
cadence soft and melodious, every note in perfect tune. It was a
genuine revelation.”
“The whole entertainment was a revelation to me,” remarked an old
planter. “I attended the exhibition out of pure curiosity, never
dreaming that it would impress me as it has done. I have always
scouted the idea of negro education, and I may say I have been
its enemy. I am perfectly willing to give way now, however. But I
have one lingering fear—that it will take a wrong direction and
have a tendency to create an idle class and deplete the ranks of
labor, farm labor especially. If those who have the training of
the negro will keep this danger before them and guard against it,
then the result of their labor will be good; but if they fail and
allow their pupils to think labor is degrading; to think that man’s
only province is to cultivate his mind, then the result will be
deplorable. This I notice, however, has already been seen, and
I cannot say I have any fears on that score from the Le Moyne
Institute.”
Perhaps no subject has been more discussed than this since the
exhibition last Monday night.
* * * * *
THE INDIANS.
* * * * *
CATHOLIC MISSIONS.—RECENT CHANGES.
REV. MYRON EELLS, S’KOKOMISH, W.T.
About 30 years ago a Catholic priest came here, taught the people,
baptized some of them, made a few Indian priests, and left, so that
for many years previous to the assignment of the Agency to the
American Missionary Association they had received little religious
instruction. Intermarriage with some of the tribes where the
Catholics have had teachers has kept up remembrance of those early
times. One Indian especially, who has been among the very worst,
belongs to this class. Having failed to conquer the agent, he gave
up, but when he returned seemed determined if he failed in one way
to try another, and so began to revive the old Catholic religion,
and he has held such services frequently for a number of years.
About two years ago an Indian before his death saw several strange
visions, which combined some truth with much of the old Indian
superstition. This man leaned toward the Catholics, partly because
I did not believe these revelations to be of as much value as
the Bible, and partly because his relations favored the Catholic
religion. A few of them set up regular services, partly Catholic
and partly after their own revelations. At funerals they sometimes
wished me to officiate in company with them, but in most cases they
have given up and let me have the whole service.
Last fall another Indian who had moved away and taken a homestead
about 20 miles from here apparently died, but after six and a half
hours revived and told of wonderful things which he had seen. He
has since been baptized by the Catholics, built a church and become
a priest.
Last summer I spoke of two promising young men whom I hoped would
be of great Christian service here. The most promising after doing
very well for a time, brought great disgrace upon himself and was
suspended from the church. I have tried to show him his error, but
thus far it has not produced the result desired.
These Indians have almost entirely lost faith in their old religion
as such, but naturally want one of some kind. They are, however,
unwilling to give up their horse-racing and some of them their
gambling. I have been asked by several to baptize them, but refused
because of these things. The Catholic religion allows all this, and
so they have turned to it. The consolidation of the three Puget
Sound agencies into one last fall has given us thus far less moral
force here.
There have been occasional light spots. A letter came from Pearl
Street Church, in Hartford, where I taught a Sabbath-school
class fourteen years ago, offering us a barrel. It seemed very
providential, as if God were saying: “You work on, and I will take
care of the support.” The barrel came and everything appeared to
be so good that the children squealed, as they do not often, while
each article was taken out, and their mother often said: “How very
thoughtful the people were,” and we all had to thank God for it.
I have just returned from a visit to the Clallam Indians. I found
some of them doing well and some very badly, the agent having
during the past seven months had six times as many Indians to look
after as formerly, and the best subordinates which he has been able
to obtain have disappointed him. On the other hand, some have done
quite well, especially those who have procured land for homes. The
Christian Indians thus far stand well. They are not perfect, but
progressing. Two were received into the church during my visit,
and three others joined last November. The school-teacher, who
had resigned, left while I was there, and it is thought best to
give them a long vacation before sending them another. He had
charge of the Sabbath-school. The church expects to keep up its
regular services, including that of the Sabbath-school and a weekly
prayer-meeting. I have been fortunate in procuring some large,
cheap Bible pictures, which have taken the fancy of the Indians
very much. They have been in demand by all classes. I have already
obtained or ordered about 185 of them. I can impart religious truth
by them better than in any other way.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
* * * * *
ANNIVERSARIES—THE WORK DURING APRIL AND MAY.
REV. W. C. POND.
My report of progress in our Mission covers two months and even
more. It will be difficult to compress within my space all that I
would like to say.
Our mission at Santa Cruz celebrated its second anniversary
on Sunday evening, April 8. It was an occasion of great and
encouraging interest. Instead of the fifteen or twenty Chinese
present at the previous anniversary, we had at least fifty with
us. Instead of an assembly of Americans occupying in respectable
numbers the pews of the church, we had every inch of available
standing-room occupied, and I am told, at least two hundred went
away from the church door, unable to enter.
The fact that Chinese once settled in Santa Cruz, seem inclined to
stay there, and that consequently the membership of the school has
been less changeable than in some other places, gave us a better
opportunity than is sometimes afforded to measure the progress
during a year. The showing gave me great encouragement. There had
been marked progress in the use of the English language and in the
knowledge of the truth. Best of all, several who a year ago were
heathen, now seem to be true followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The contribution was the largest I ever received on any such
occasion, except in our own Bethany Church. It amounted in cash and
in pledges to over $100.
Our schools in San Francisco celebrated their eighth public
anniversary on April 29. This, too, was an exceedingly interesting
service, and our Bethany Church was filled. The point of special
interest and encouragement about it was this: That while the
exercises were in all respects equal to those of any previous
year, we were not obliged to call in the aid of any of our
helpers, except as they assisted in the service of song. The
original address in English by Lung Chung was a frank, manly and
effective statement of his own Christian life, with its faults and
shortcomings, as well as its new, strange light and peace.
I lay before the readers of the MISSIONARY the following paragraph,
which I placed in the _Pacific_ of May 9. I trust they will be
interested in the statement of facts, and am not without hope that
they will listen kindly to the appeal:
“The monthly reports for April show seventeen schools in active
operation and thirty-nine teachers and helpers employed. The total
number of pupils enrolled was 991; the average attendance, 415. The
attendance in this city is temporarily diminished on account of
the darkness of the streets; otherwise the enrollment would have
exceeded 1,000, and the average attendance would have approached
500. Of those now in attendance on the schools 172 profess to have
ceased from idolatry, and 116 are believed to be true Christians.
Two hundred and thirty-one new names were enrolled, and the
total number who have been connected with our schools during the
last eight months is no less than 2,356. With the beginning of
this month of May, another school is added to our list—the one
in Alameda. It has been sustained for several years with a most
Christ-like devotion by Mrs. E. L. Wilson. Unable to carry it on
any longer alone, she appeals to our mission for aid, and though
the operations already in hand task our resources to their utmost,
we could not let so good a work as Mrs. Wilson had been doing die
for the lack of a helping hand. It will be necessary to raise in
addition to the appropriation made by the American Missionary
Association, $5,500 to carry this work through to August 31, the
close of the present fiscal year. The utmost care is taken to make
each dollar do its best, but it is impossible to sustain so large
a work on less than $1,000 per month. A careful review of the
statistics given above will lead, I am sure, not to criticism of
the amount, but rather to surprise that at so little cost so much
has been accomplished. Of the $5,500 needed, I have on hand, or in
sight, $3,000, and for the balance I make an earnest appeal to our
churches, and to all friends of Christ and of humanity.”
* * * * *
BUREAU OF WOMAN’S WORK.
* * * * *
TO THE LADIES OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
DEAR FRIENDS: Permit me to call your attention to the urgent needs
of the American Missionary Association in its department of Woman’s
Work.
Many earnest Christian women are personally engaged as missionaries
at the South, and among the Chinese and the Indians. They give
instruction in home duties, improved housekeeping, family
government, the best use of money; they gather children into
Sunday-schools, teach in day and boarding-schools—bearing with them
always the blessed Gospel truth, the foundation on which we build.
We need your aid in the support of these missionaries and
missionary teachers, who will thus become your representatives in
the field. Laboring with a lowly and despised people, they are cut
off in many instances from social privileges, and your Christian
love and remembrance will give strength and good cheer.
We need scholarships to aid worthy and needy students. Our
boarding-schools are doing a great work for _girls_, and often a
young girl is saved to a useful life by supplementing her meagre
funds and retaining her in school. We need supplies of clothing for
distribution by missionaries in getting the young into school and
Sabbath-school; also furnishing of bed and table linen for mission
homes and boarding halls. Already our matrons are asking supplies
of this kind.
We are indebted to the ladies of many of the Congregational
churches for valuable aid rendered, and now that the way is opened
for more direct communication with you, may we not hope that all
will become co-workers with our noble band of missionaries in
seeking to instruct and benefit the women of races so ignorant and
degraded as those with whom we labor?
We invite special correspondence in regard to the various fields
and the aid that can be given. Surely so important a work, not
limited to schools, but extending to the family and the church
relations, cannot be accomplished until _woman_ reaches forth her
hand to sister woman in uplifting helpfulness.
Yours truly,
D. E. EMERSON, Secretary.
* * * * *
MISSION HOMES.
MISS D. E. EMERSON.
“What is the Mission Home?” The question has often been asked by
friends contributing to our work, as well as by those about to
engage in it, and from the latter we have had some rather striking
descriptions of what they supposed the home to be, and of their
pleasant surprise upon reaching it. It is not a boarding hall for
students, as many have thought. Such halls are in connection with
boarding schools and accommodate both teachers and students.
The Mission Home, of which we give a specimen in the accompanying
cut, is at stations where we have churches and day schools, and is
the home of the pastor and teachers. In some of the larger cities,
as Wilmington, N.C., Savannah, Ga., Mobile, Ala., we have graded
schools requiring a teaching force of from six to ten persons. Then
there are the pastor and family and the lady missionary, and the
home accommodates all. As each has a special line of duty occupying
the full time, a matron is appointed to take charge of household
affairs and secure by her good management a pleasant and happy
home for the family. Sometimes the wife of the pastor or principal
acts as matron, sometimes the duties of matron and missionary are
combined. It is no insignificant position to have charge of such
a home, and our matrons are as truly missionaries as any in our
field; besides the direct opportunities of usefulness among the
people, they may add to the efficiency of every member of the
family by the cheerful, genial, restful spirit of the home, which
it is largely in their power to maintain.
This plan of Mission Homes has its advantages to the work. It gives
opportunity to teach by example varied lessons in home life, of
neatness, economy and thrift. The family altar is set up, and often
some members of school or church join in the morning or evening
song of praise. Social parlor-gatherings are had, when the people
are cordially invited and are engaged in pleasant conversation and
games, which, while interesting them, tend to their improvement.
Here are often held the mothers meetings and the sewing class, and
daily the people come singly or by twos or threes for special help
and advice, knowing that they are welcome, and that they will find
in some members of the family the wise counsellor and friend.
We can scarcely overestimate the educative influence of these
Mission Homes upon the people. Even where there are but few workers
employed, we cannot wisely dispense with them. Within a year we
have built a small house in a country district where two ladies are
employed as missionary teachers. It is plain, two stories, contains
five rooms, is simply furnished, and cost about $900. There the
ladies keep house, and they testify, as also do other missionaries
from the city station near, that this little “Home” has already
done more for the people as an “object lesson” in home life than
all previous effort in that direction.
In other articles in this department, our friends will learn how
they may share with us in this method of usefulness.
* * * * *
LETTER FROM MRS. CHASE, ATLANTA.