Mary Watson to Rev. S. Hunt, Apr. 17, 1866
- Title
- Mary Watson to Rev. S. Hunt, Apr. 17, 1866
- Date
- 04-17-1866
- Creator
-
Mary Watson
- Recipient
- Rev. S. Hunt
- Description
- (Only partially legible) Mary Watson writes at length to Rev. S. Hunt of the American Missionary Association. She describes the economic situation of the local black population, speaks of the difficulties of winter weather restricting attendance, and of forming and Educational Society to raise money to build a schoolhouse.
- Related Financial Supporters
- American Missionary Association
- Transcript
-
Darlington Md. Sept. [?] 1866
Rev. S. Hunt
Dear Friend
[First 12 lines illegible]
…the oft repeated assertion of the incapacity of the Negro to take care of themselves. The older ones have paid large sums of money for themselves in their youth. The younger portion have been free from whips and […] but suffered much from cruel laws, consequently they were not as degraded as in other parts of the state.
[Next 13 lines illegible]
One of the […] labored under in these [farming?] districts is the irregularity of attendance. […] sending their children to school during the winter months and withdrawing them at the commencement of Spring[.] Those who are too small to attend in winter are unable to come in the change of weather of March so: it has made our school quite small the past month[.] The Sabbath-school is in a prosperous condition[.] The Night-school continued about one month, they preferred having two sessions during the day, as the travelling is very difficult in winter[.] A number of the scholars arrive […] day and I have remained in the school-room from nine until four o’clock.
[Next 11 lines illegible]
President Johnson […] but I urge them to […], that the loyal hearted North is on the side of justice and liberty. If the most oppressive laws rob us of our rights, if the colored people strive to have more […], more education, mere wealth, more […], and useful industry. It will be impossible to keep them [...]ation and egality in this land and,
“Every […] that […] so slowly,
Has its task to do […].”
I have formed an Educational Society for the moral, and intellectual promotion of the members, and as an auxiliary in supporting the school[.] At […] meeting a subject is selected a certain member appointed at each meeting to make remarks, until every member has participated, then another is selected &c. Each member pays an admission fee, and a monthly contribution. Excuse me for writing so […], but […] though simple improves and instructs many indifferent ones; and has proved a stimulus toward raising funds for building the school-house:
Respectfully Mary E. Watson
