| Roll Number | 9 |
|---|---|
| Date | Feb 19 1870 |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Queen Anne |
| City/Town/Neighborhood | Centreville |
| Other Locations Mentioned | – |
| Authors | JOHN T. HAND |
| Position | – |
| Recipient | – |
| Other Names Mentioned | – |
| Message Abstract | – |
| Message Body | Education of Colored Children. We have observed a statement, in several of our exchanges, to the effect that a certain Mr. Hamilton, who was employed to teach a colored school at Pond Town, near Crumpton, had been forced to leave the county, under threat of violence and lynching, upon his refusal to close his school. The only information we had upon this subject, previous to seeing the statement we refer to, was contained in the following item, taken from the columns of our neighbor, of the [[italicized]] Observer [[/italicized]]: Tramp! Tramp!! Tramp!!!A correspondent writing from Crumpton, informs us that a disciple of old John Brown has been in the neighborhood of Pond Town for some time teaching negro children through the day and lecturing to the adult negroes at night, inciting them to riot and insurrection. In one of his lectures he advised the negro men to be in no hurry about marriage, as in a few months they would be able to take white women to wife. The boys in the neighborhood, tired of it, repaired to the lecture room one night last week and gave the lecturer his choice between an exit and a rope. He chose the former, and has not been heard from since. Naughty boys. This statement, of our neighbor, had to be received with due allowance for the prejudice of the writer, as also that of his correspondent, and we doubted at the time, the correctness of the information. The other statement is of quite a different nature, and is to the effect that Mr. Hamilton opened his school, after the people of the neighborhood had been consulted in the matter, and no opposition, whatever, offered in the premises. Instead of lecturing to the adult negroes about marriage and other matters that did not concern him, it appears he only proposed to open a night school for the benefit of these who could not attend in the day time; and this is what so excited the ire of the "naughty boys" whose action met the commendation of our neighbor, and who, perhaps, are the same "naughty boys" that called forth his severe condemnation on a previous and far different occasion. But we are charitable enough to believe that our neighbor has been misinformed on this subject. Our object in referring to this matter is principally to defend the well-thinking and responsible portion of the community, where the affair happened, from censure and condemnation in the proceedings. When the education of colored children was first attempted in this county, it was met with great opposition, and a number of school-houses were burned and the teachers forced to abandon their undertaking; but for the past two or three years we have noticed a very faverable change in the views of our people, and nearly every one, who reflects for a moment upon the benefits which must inevitable inure to the colored population from educational advantages, have given their encouragement to efforts made to enlighten them, and even at this time the colored people of Centreville are endeavoring to raise money for the erection of a school-house, by subscriptions among the white citizens, which is meeting with a liberal response from persons of every political sentiment, and we have [[/preprinted]] instead of lecturing to the adult negroes about marriage and other matters that did not concern him, it appears he only proposed to open a night school for the benefit of these who could not attend in the day time; and this is what so excited the ire of the "naughty boys" whose action met the commendation of our neighbor, and who, perhaps, are the same "naughty boys" that called forth his severe condemnation on a previous and far different occasion. But we are charitable enough to believe that our neighbor has been misinformed on this subject. Our object in referring to this matter is principally to defend the well-thinking and responsible portion of the community where the affair happened, from censure and condemnation in the proceedings. When the education of colored children was first attempted in this county, it met with great opposition, and a number of school-houses were burned and the teachers forced to abandon their undertaking; but for the past two or three years we have noticed a very favorable change in the views of our people, and nearly every one, who reflects for a moment upon the benefits which must inevitable inure to the colored population from educational advantages, have given their encouragement to efforts made to enlighten them, and even at this time the colored people of Centreville are endeavoring to raise money for the erection of a school-house, by subscriptions among the white citizens, which is meeting with a liberal response from persons of every political sentiment, and we have not heard a single word in opposition to the movement. We think the outrage at Crumpton must have been perpetrated by thoughtless and irresponsible youths, and if Mr. Hamilton has not already done so, we hope he will immediately return and open his school. In this connection we will mention the fact that A. R. Weedon, Esq., Attorney for a number of colored persons, has filed a petition with our Board of County Commissioners, praying the appropriation of such sums of money as have been paid by the colored people as school taxes since the year of 1865, for the benefit of colored schools in the county. The law of 1865, (which was re-enacted in 1868) requires this money to be so applied; but the fact having escaped the notice of the Commissioners at the time, the appropriations previously to last year were not made; but we understand now that the attention of the Commissioners has been called to the matter, that a ready compliance with the request of the petitioners will be granted. The sum due them, we learn, is about $700. The law requiring the money paid by colored taxpayers for school purposes, to be applied to the education of colored children, is a just and equitable one, and we opine there is not a reflecting man in our county who is opposed to its full enforcement. We repeat that the opposition to the education of the colored people is a thing of the past. [[preprinted]] {$2.00 PER ANNUM if Paid in Advance NO.8. The Poet's Corner NOTE THE BRIGHT HOURS ONLY. A lesson in itself sublime, A lesson worth enshrining, Is this: "I take no heed of time Save when the sun is shining!" These motto-words a dial bore, And wisdom never preaches To human hearts a better lore Than this short sentence teaches. For life is sometimes bright and fair, And sometimes dark and lonely; Then let's forget the toil and care, And note the bright hours only. There is no grove on earth's broad chart But has some bird to cheer it; So hope sings on in every heart, Although we may not hear it. And if to-day the heavy wing Of sorrow is oppressing, Perchance to-morrow's sun will bring The weary heart a blessing. We bid the joyous moments haste, And then forget their glitter; We take the cup of life, and taste No portion but the bitter; But we should teach our hearts to deem Its sweetest drops the strongest, And pleasant hours should ever seem To linger round us longest. The darkest shadows of the night Are just before the morning; Then let us wait the coming light, All boding phantoms scorning, And while we're passing on the tide Of Time's fast ebbing river, Let's pluck the blossoms by its side, And bless the gracious Giver. Wit and Humor. Not for Joe. "O, no, no! we won't blow Not as we knows of, Not on Joseph." - Eccentric. A young man living down town, without the fear of his sweetheart's parents before his eyes, undertook to "hook" the object of his adoration from a second story window in her father's house, on Friday night last. The old man, hearing the "fuss," went out in his night clothes, looking like the ghost of Hamlet, and espied Joe going up the ladder. The old man caught hold the foot of the ladder and let something drop. It was Joe. Grabbing him by the collar, he lifted him to his feet and nearly shook him out of his clothes, after which he led him into the house and lectured him as follows: "Look'e here, you d-d sneak, whenever you go and larn a decent trade, and kin make enough money to pay house rent, an' raise a family, you kin come here without a ladder, walk in the front door an' marry my darter, an' not ontil then. D'ye hear?" And the ferocious old man led Joe out of the house, and told him to "git." The young lady has signified her willingness to wait for Joe. If any of the proprietors of our manufactories are called upon to-day or to-morrow by a young man who wants to learn a trade-take him in-that's Joe. Joe's willing and the girl's waiting.-Louisville Sun. VERY CLEVER. - The pastor of one of the churches in the city of Syracuse was catechizing the pupils of the Sabbath School, and asked, among other questions, "Where is God?" Various answers were returned by the children, after which the minister proceeded to speak of the omnipresence of [/preprinted]] [[preprinted]] VERY CLEVER.-The pastor of one of the churches in the city of Syracuse was catechizing the pupils of the Sabbath School, and asked, among other questions, "Where is God?" Various answers were returned by the children, after which the minister proceeded to speak of the omnipresence of the Deity, concluding his remarks with the admonition-. "Remember, dear children, that God is everywhere." The words had hardly escaped his lips when roguish little fellow rose up and said: "Please sir, did you say that God was everywhere?" "Yes, my son, everywhere." "Is he in my pocket." "Well, I guess I've got you there," was the triumphant retort; "cause I ain't got any pocket." ____________________________________________ An Irishman had been sick a long time, and while in that state would occasionally stop breathing, and life be apparently extinct for some time, when he would come to again. On one of these occasions, when he had just awakened from his sleep, his friend asked him: "And how'll ye know, Jimmy, when yer dead? yer after wakin' up every time?" "Bring me a glass of whisky, and say here's to ye, Jimmy, and if I don't rise up and drink, then bury me." ____________________________________________ "Woman is a delusion!" exclaimed a crusty old bachelor to a witty young lady. "And man is always hugging some delusion or other." was the quick reply. ___________ "George, do you know Mr. Jones has found a beautiful baby on his door step and is going to adopt him?" "Yes, papa; he will be Mr. Jones' step-son. won't he?" _________________________________ "You ought not to come to our dance in boots with nails in 'em." "I haven't." Then you've had your toes cut off." ______________________________________ A fashionable party is now called a daughtercultural show. [/preprinted]] |
| Pages | 1487 |
| Transcribers Notes | Preprinted in The Maryland Citizen |
If you are citing this record, please use the following format:
[Author (if known)], Freedmen's Bureau Correspondence on Schools, 1869-1870, 1870, Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.
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