Various

“ A pastor has been settled over the church at Williamsburg and has taken up the work with great efficiency. The General Missionary has been relieved from the pastoral duties which he has borne before, and has larger opportunity for outside work which is pressing upon him. “Can we not have at least one pastor for each county?” is the painfully urgent plea of one of the faithful workers in this field.
The other field of mountain work lies along the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee. Its base is the Cincinnati Southern Railroad, and the work extends far back into the mountains. ”

“ It can be stated as a general proposition that the Southern-born men in the prime of life in the South to-day—that is from 30 to 35 or 38—are uneducated. A man with gentle blood in his veins and a patch of weeds in his head, so to speak, is no ornament to any community, and the chances are that he will be a danger to it. ”

“ These mountain boys who become skillful in the use of carpenter’s tools in this school will scarcely be satisfied to occupy the poor log cabins in which their fathers and grandfathers have lived for generations. Missionary influences radiate from a carpenter’s shop now as in our Lord’s day. At Grand View, Tenn., the people themselves have rented an additional building for school purposes. The enrollment had already outgrown the accommodations of the old quarters. At Straight University, New Orleans, a neat Industrial building has been erected. ”

“ This is not the case with Tennessee, which is twenty-five years ahead of Kentucky in civilization. Tennessee seems destined to become one of the most important educational centers of the South, and it is in a fair way of holding its young men. Texas is another State which is holding its young men. This is a matter that the law-makers of the South will do well to consider. A commonwealth that cannot hold its young men cannot hold its own in the race for supremacy.—Springfield (Mass.) ”

“ In a school-room fitted to accommodate fifty-two pupils if every desk were full, I counted ninety-six, and the teacher reported shortly afterwards that one hundred and eight were present. It goes without saying that it is impossible to do the best sort of school work under such circumstances as these, and the A. M. A. seeks to do only the best work.
One of three things is evidently true in reference to the educational work of the Association: We must either sacrifice the character of the work, or reduce the amount of work done, or have more money. ”

“ I expect that during this new fiscal year, upon which we have entered, the providence of God will open the way, and the Spirit of God will beckon us on to a system of evangelization which will reach to all our missions and will pass beyond them, making the wilderness to blossom as the rose. ”

“ Of late there has been an effort made to revive the spirit of patriotism among us by organizations and by recalling war incidents. But we need a re-laying or re-enforcing of first principles. American patriotism must be a Christian patriotism. ”

“ Industrial classes have been organized as a part of the regular school work. In the Law Department at Straight we have the remarkable phenomenon of white and colored students sitting down side by side in the same classes. The whites come from the best Southern families, and are there because the instruction in the Straight Law Department is so excellent. A diploma from this department admits a student to the practice of law in the State, without examination.
Tougaloo, Miss., is situated only eight miles from the capital of the State. ”

“ The Santee Normal School celebrated its seventeenth birthday during the past year. It was the first school of its kind established among this nation and its fruitful history abundantly proves the wisdom of its planting. Superior normal training is given the students in this school. The enrollment this year was 195. Twenty-six students were gathered in the theological department, many of whom will doubtless become missionaries to their own people. Pilgrim Church at Santee has enjoyed a year of prosperity. ”

“ Large additions have been made to the accommodations of our schools during this year. Three school buildings, and two buildings used for industrial training, have been erected. Tougaloo rejoices in the completion of the two Ballard buildings, one used for class rooms and the other for industrial training. These two buildings were erected by the students, under the direction of the Superintendent of Mechanical Training, who was also the architect. The saving in expense of building was not less than $3,000, and the Industrial classes were thus given the best instruction in this department. ”

“ Among the “new departures” of the year is the beginning of work among the Japanese. The first attempt to Christianize the Japanese in California was made in connection with the First Cong. Church in this city. The first Japanese baptized were received to that church; but the work was suffered to lapse, and other denominations have supplied our mortifying lack of service. A beginning has again been made, this time in Oakland. Mr. N. Kusaki, a young Japanese who was graduated last summer from the Pacific Theological Seminary, led off in the undertaking. ”

“ It failed to pass; but the bitter agitation, the obtrusive visits of politicians and the excited state of public feeling, have been a terrible tax upon the strength of those who were already burdened with the regular work of the University. Notwithstanding these discouragements, Atlanta University has increased the enrollment of pupils from 291 of last year to 413. “The wrath of men shall praise Him,” is a truth that is always true. ”

“ We trust that during the coming year, while continuing to be no less careful than we have been, we may be able to do some of the things that during the past year we were obliged to leave undone. But we must beg our friends to remember that this can be only as our receipts are increased. The small balance with which we set out is not much to build upon. It will be quickly swallowed up in meeting claims that have been postponed. The outcome calls upon the friends of the Association to prepare for a year of more extended work and more liberal benefactions than ever before. ”

“ EDUCATIONAL WORK
in the South. The total number of schools planted in the Southern [314] States is fifty-four. Six of these are chartered institutions, fairly entitled to the rank of Colleges. Sixteen are Normal and Training Schools. Thirty-two are common schools, scattered throughout nine different States. In these schools are 246 instructors and 8,616 pupils.
In analyzing these figures, we find not a few encouraging facts. One school has been added to the total number under the care of the Association during the last year. Two new schools stand in the list of Normal Institutes. ”

“ Among the truest patriots to-day in our land are those teachers and preachers who have gone among this race to help elevate them, but they are still, as for these two decades past, ostracised by the whites, some of whom are altogether their inferiors, and who, if they themselves are to be elevated, it must, it would seem, be accomplished largely through the elevation of these colored citizens, by these same despised Northern teachers! ”

“ THE NEW AMERICAN ROLLER ORGAN is operated upon a somewhat similar plan as the FINEST FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR FRENCH MUSIC BOXES, from a roller with metal pins; the pins operate upon valved keys, made of finely tempered steel, the roller being connected with the gearing which also works the bellows. The working parts of this magnificent instrument are made of solid metal, are easily taken apart or examined. No better workmanship is found in the most expensive musical machinery. ”

“ Industrial training holds a still more important place than ever in the course of instruction in our schools. The new Industrial buildings at Williamsburg, Tougaloo and Straight are already occupied with interested classes. ”

“ Talladega College lays great emphasis upon thorough scholarship. The course of study includes Normal Training, College Preparatory, College and Theological Departments. The Intermediate and Primary grades of the Normal department have outgrown their accommodations, and the building has been enlarged to accommodate them. The industrial departments are an important feature of the school work at Talladega. The Winsted farm offers fine advantages for agricultural training, and the large Slater shop furnishes the students with opportunity [317] for thorough knowledge of mechanical industries. ”

“ First, in assisting the women who are engaged as teachers to understand and grasp their work; again, in reaching the mothers and sisters of the pupils with purifying Christian influences, as they could not be reached in any other way; and also, in bringing information to the benevolent women of the North in regard to the special needs of their degraded and helpless sisters in the South. The shocking story of their degradation can be told only by women to women. ”

“ Santa Fe, New Mexico, still receives a fixed appropriation from the Association for the Indian department of its University, the Principal and teachers being appointed by the Association. Fourteen Apache girls have been among the pupils during the year—the first Apaches that have ever been gathered in our schools. They prove to be bright and docile pupils.
CHINESE WORK.
The report of the Superintendent is both joyful and sad. The numbers of those who have given up idol worship and those hopefully converted are the largest it has ever been our privilege to report ”

“ There has been during the year a quiet Christian work throughout the South, which has borne gratifying fruits, over 1,000 having confessed Christ for the first time. The Sunday-school enrollment has increased by nearly 2,000. The contributions of these churches also show a healthful increase. They contributed this year for benevolence, outside of their own work, $2,322.51, and for their own church purposes, $16,014.50, making a grand total of $18,337.01. ”

“ There are now taught at Tougaloo, in industrial branches: Farming, Tinning, Blacksmithing, Wagon-making, Carpentering, Painting, the use of Steam Power in Sawing and otherwise. The boy who completes a course of instruction in the wagon-making department can build, iron, paint and prepare for market, wagons or carriages, beginning with iron in the bar and timber in the rough.
The Industrial training for girls shows similar advancement. ”

“ The genuine affection with which many of the Southern white people speak of the old colored uncle and aunty is often very touching. They belong, however, to the “Old South.” The “New South” is speaking another kind of language. When Mr. Grady in his speech at the New England Society’s dinner in New York informed his auditors that the New South recognized fully the Negro’s rights, it must have been in grim sarcasm. Did he mean by the New South the white people of [310] Georgia? ”

“ This is the youngest child among the chartered institutions of the Association, but even this child is crying out for enlarged accommodations. The enrollment of the school [318] shows a considerable increase over that of last year, and the promise for the year now opening is still larger. One building only answers all the purposes of this institution. Here are the school rooms, the teachers rooms, the President’s residence and office, dormitories, rooms for industrial training of girls, library, chapel, dining room, kitchen and laundry, and it is not a large building either. ”

“ Again, the migration of young men is a cause of disquietude. Through the low country from the Carolinas to Louisiana, where agriculture is at a low ebb in consequence mainly of the credit system, the young men are continually becoming dissatisfied and leaving. Our Northwest is full of these ambitious Southern men. Certain Southern States are for various reasons putting premiums unwittingly upon emigration. Kentucky has been almost swept as with a broom, the better class of young men having been carried across the Ohio River. ”

“ It is no surprise to those who know the kind of men who are ministering to the colored people. There is no greater need among the colored people than that of a morally and intellectually competent ministry ”

“ The rollers are made of light wood and the bearings and pins which are made of metal, WILL NEVER WEAR OUT. This instrument is the Perfection of Musical ingenuity and PLAYS MARCHES, WALTZES, POLKAS, JIGS, Reels, Sacred music, selections from Operas, Popular Songs, etc., and is peculiarly arranged for playing DANCE MUSIC in perfect time. If you have purchased any other style of an Automatic Musical Instrument and have found it a disappointment and a nuisance YOU SHOULD SEND FOR ONE of the above described instruments. ”

“ Oahe.—This mission includes a training school and eleven out-stations on the Cheyenne and Grand rivers. Nineteen have been added to the Oahe church, on confession of their faith, during the year. A young man has been ordained as missionary to the Indians, and enters this field on Grand river for his life work. ”

“ And while on this theme, we can hardly help referring to the false patriotism prevailing in a portion of our country where the colored people are still so generally proscribed. Were they not the loyal ones in the [313] civil war? And yet they have few rights. This is their native land, yet they are denied suffrage. They are manfully trying for an education, but little encouragement do they get from those around them. ”