One of the best private High Schools in the South for Negroes. Founded
in 1886, by Miss Lucy Laney, a young colored woman of marked
ability. It has 25 teachers, about 900 pupils, an income of $9,000,
and property valued at $75,000.
]
The total value of property of the 31 schools directly under the board
was $1,109,909, of which $1,038,729 was in the property of the larger
schools and $71,180 in the property of the smaller schools. The
inclusion of Lincoln University, would bring the property of the larger
Presbyterian schools up to $2,151,321. On the basis of property
valuation 14 schools were below $2,500; 5 between $10,000 and $25,000; 3
between $25,000 and $50,000; 8 between $50,000 and $100,000 and one over
$30,000.
The attendance of all the schools under this board, including Lincoln
University, was 8,915, of whom 7,833 were elementary pupils, 930
secondary, and 152 in college studies. Lincoln University had 130
students reported as of collegiate grade and Biddle University 22 in
college subjects. The teachers and workers in these institutions are 423
in number of whom 84 are white and 339, or 80 per cent. are colored; 115
are men and 308, or 70 per cent., are women; and 373, or 88 per cent.,
are academic.
These percentages indicate that the schools under the Freedmen’s board
have an usual proportion of colored teachers. As the secretary recently
reported, “an overwhelming number of their workers belong to the colored
race. There are only six white men in our employ.” White workers are now
limited to the five girls’ seminaries and one other school. These
comments do not refer to Lincoln University, whose teachers are with two
exceptions white men.
The Presbyterian Church began work among Negroes as early as 1864. Two
committees, with headquarters at Indianapolis and Philadelphia, were
combined by the general assembly at Pittsburgh in 1865. In 1870 a
committee doing similar work in New York was consolidated with the
Pittsburgh committee. In 1882 this committee was incorporated under the
present name of the board. The woman’s department of the board was
organized in 1884. Through this department the women of the church
rendered valuable aid to the schools.
The name and locations of the larger Presbyterian schools are given
below:
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