Rev. John Kimball to Maj. D. G. Swaim, Oct. [undated], 1868
- Title
- Rev. John Kimball to Maj. D. G. Swaim, Oct. [undated], 1868
- Date
- 10-00-1868
- Creator
- Rev. John Kimball
- Recipient
-
Bvt. Maj. D. G. Swaim
- Description
- Rev. John Kimball reports to Assistant Adjutant General D. G. Swaim his activities as Supt. of Education for the month of September, 1868. Kimball reports a tour around the state of Maryland during which he visited Churchville. He remarks that "many of the colored people about that place [have] always been free, and several own farms." They built their schoolhouse with little assistance and have formed temperance societies.
- School
- Churchville aka Asbury
- Related Financial Supporters
- Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of the Colored People
- Source
- Smithsonian, National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Courtesy of the U. S. National Archives and Records Administration, FamilySearch International, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
- Transcript
-
591b
Bureau R.F. and A.L.
Headquarters Asst. Com'r D.C.
Washington, October 1868
Swain Bt. Major D.G.
A.A.A. General,
Major: I have the honor to present the following report of the work of Education in this Department for the month of September 1868:
This Bureau has paid
| -----| ----- |
|Salaries of Superintendent and laborers (educational) | $303.00. |
| For school house at Mr. Pleasant, Montgomery Co., Md., | 73.10. |
| " " " " [[dittos for For school house at]] Rockville " " " [[dittos for Montgomery Co., Md.,]] | 344.07. |
| " [[ditto for For]] repair of barracks Cor. 12/and I sts. Washington D.C., | 328.83. |
| " " " [[dittos for For repair of]] Soldiers Free Library Building " " [[dittos for Washington D.C., | 39.75. |
| " [[ditto for For]] School house at Wardsville, W.Va | 156.45 |
|Total | $1245.22 |
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
Educational Schools.
During the month five large meetings have been held, viz., at Frederick City, Frederick Co., Churchville, Harford Co., Prince Frederick, Calvert Co., and Upper Marlboro' Prince George Co. Maryland. Addresses at these meetings were made by Genl. C.H. Howard, Judge Bond, J.M. Langston, Esq., and myself. At Frederick City last year, Major Gen. Gregory was requested to leave his hotel; and he found lodgings with a Union man after great difficulty. This year we stopped at the same hotel which fortunately had changed hands, and with Mr. Langston, our colored friend, received every attention. Public sentiment is changing in that place.
At Churchville we had a very quiet and attentive audience. Many of the colored people about that place always been free, and several own farms. They have built a school house with little assistance and organized temperance societies. Last year an ox team took us to our place of meeting from the landing in Calvert County. This year we were provided with fast saddle horses and accompanied by a gay cavalcade of colored people. The meeting was one of the most interesting and satisfactory of the season. Calvert County has made rapid progress in the work of education during the year; there are now seven well built school-houses soon to be crowded with children eager to learn. The meeting at Rockville was held in the open air on ground given by a colored woman for the school, about one and a half miles from town, a poor place on a by path back in the woods; but the best that could be obtained after waiting more than three years. No white man would sell land near Rockville for such a school. A heavy rain interrupted the meeting and completely drenched the people, young and old. Their school-house was not up and the miserable prejudice of the whites had driven us far from town shelter; and these poor people had therefore no covering for themselves, or their well filled tables, out of which they expected to make a large sum of money. A basket collection of over $25.00 was taken during the meeting.
At Upper Marlboro' we held our first meeting. It was also the first meeting of the kind ever gathered in that place. A few white people were present and seemed pleased with the remarks made. They certainly, in larger numbers, needed to hear what was said, for they have been very little disposed to aid the colored people in their efforts to educate themselves. But in spite of them, the colored people of Upper Marlboro', with the assistance of the Bureau, have erected one of the best school houses in this part of Maryland; and during the Summer they aided in sustaining a school of nearly one hundred scholars, and, judging from the earnest spirit manifested at the meeting, they will not cease their efforts to educate their children.
Several schools in the District of Columbia have commenced during the month, and some schools have been opened in Baltimore and elsewhere, but I found it impossible to obtain a full report of them. I shall be able to report a large number of schools in the month of October. Mr. George F.F. Cook is the Supt. of Colored Schools under the Trustees and Washington and Georgetown. He, with the Trustees, seems to be managing with energy, and generally their action is wise. They have, however, misapplied a large sum of money in building a new school house in the 1st Ward. The house would do but the location is one of the worst that could be found. Their action was more inexcusable as an excellent lot of land was offered to them at a much lower rate. The Trustees wisely, and contrary to my expectation, have retained many of the best teachers of last year.
I have had an interview with Mr. Wm. R. Creery, City Supt. of Schools in Baltimore, and he has promised to report each month the public colored schools under his charge.
I have written one hundred and twenty one official letters during the month and have received one hundred and twenty-three.
Very respectfully
Your obt servant,
[[signature]] John Kimball [[/signature]]
Supt. of Education.
Part of Rev. John Kimball to Maj. D. G. Swaim, Oct. [undated], 1868