INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS.

By independent schools is meant such as are not connected with any

public or denominational agency; but are under the direction and control

of a general board of trustees. These trustee boards are usually

composed of colored men, northern men and southern men. As a rule they

are self-perpetuating—that is—the trustees themselves elect new members

of the board to fill vacancies such as may occur through death or

resignation.

In number and income the independent schools form the most important

group of schools. They are non-sectarian in character, and draw support

and pupils from all sources and classes of the people. The leading facts

concerning this group of schools, according to the recent report of the

Bureau of Education are as follows: