Page 212 |
Previous | 212 of 444 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
Subset |
Dr. ]. W. WithPrspoon
The Christian Education of the Negro
By the Board of Freedmen'. Hission. of the United Presbyterian Church
Headquarters: 1703 Buena Vista Street, Allegheny, Penn.
Rev. J. W. WITHERSPOON. D.O.. Correspondina Secretary and Trea.urer
THE United Pre byterian Church was one of the earlie t
champions of the cause of freedom for the Negro. It
was the pioneer among the churches in taking up thi
cause - the uplift of a race.
Before the smoke of battle cleared away, it put forth one of the
first efforts to give the Negro a suitable education.
In the autumn of 1862 two bands
of consecrated workers, one from Iowa
and the other from Ohio, pres ed to
the front and, under cover of the nion
army, began work among the contrabands,
moving when the army moved
and working when the army camped.
The General Assembly in 1863
established a Board of Freedmen's
Missions, and directed them to organize
on the fourth day of July, 1863, in
Allegheny, Penn. The organization
was effected and the legislature of
the state of Pennsylvania is ued a
charter of incorporation in 1865.
The First School Organized
The first school was organized in Nashville, Tenn., in the
autumn of 1863, by a young minister, Rev. Jos. G. McKee,
who with a band of missionaries had been appointed to the work
in the Southland. The mission thus organized continued in
succes ful operation till 1875.
In the first decade of the work for the Freedmen, 1863 - 1873
schools were opened in _ a hville, Knoxville, Greenville and
Memphis, Tenn.; Goodrich's Landing, La.' Natchez, Davis
Bend and Vicksburg, Mi .
In the tining time of the first year of the reconstruc~ion
period, it was found neces ary to make frequent changes. Pomt
occupied which at first gave good promi e of becoming established
often proved to be the most di appointing.
215
For various re ons, one after another th ml slOn were
closed and the teachers withdrawn, until the end of th fir t
de ade, 1873, when only two remained in 01 eration, Nashville,
Tenn., and Vicksburg, Mi . The General A embly in 1 73
planned for a reorr1anization of the work of the Board, the
leader in the work being fully convinc d of the nece ity of
tarting anew on Ul olid foundation of uniting very clo Iy the
educational and church work, maintaining the chool and
churcll together.
The General A embly in tructed the Bard to ecure a
location for the tabli hment of a normal school and made
an aplropriation of money for the project. Knoxville, Tenn.,
wa selected as the location, a plot of ground was ecured, and
in the autumn of 1875 the foundation of a permanent brick
building wa laid. The building was dedicated ill September,
1876, and the chool was opened with 4 teacher and an enrollment
the first veal' of 140. •
The Growth and Influence of Knoxville College
From this small beginning this in titution has developed into
Knoxville Collegc, then one building, now 20; then 5 acres,
now 75; then 4 teacher, now 31 including matrons and foremen;
then the common chool course of tudy only, now classical,
cientific, literary, theolor1ical, normal, mu ical, mechanical,
agricultural, domestic science. nurse training, etc.; then 140
pupil all re ident. of Knoxville, now almo t 500 coming from
22 tates and ome from beyond the tatc. Eleven other mi sion •
stations have sprung up in Tennes ee and Alabama, which
are the direct outgrowth of Knoxville 011 gc.
Th e 11 tation all have valuable property intere t . employ
67 tca 'her including 6 minister of the go. pel. The e
have all come from th rna scs through the. chool under the
care of the Board, and have become mi sionaries to their own
people. They have under their tuition an a\'crar1e of about
2,000 every year.
In 1876, a mi ion wa organized in Chao e City, l\lccklcnburg
ounty, Va., which has been fruitful of good re ults.
As a direct outgrowth of the Chase City mis ion, another was
organized at Blu tone, Va.
In 1883 a school was organized in Norfolk, Ya. An eligible
site wa purcha. ed and sub tantial brick buildings were erected.
The school i known a,s the Norfolk Ii'sion College. From
the beginning it ha' b en largely patronized b.v the peopl/'
