"New Orleans Correspondence," The Christian Recorder, July 7, 1866, p. 1

Title
"New Orleans Correspondence," The Christian Recorder, July 7, 1866, p. 1
Date
07-07-1866
Creator
Edmonia Highgate
Description
In this article in The Christian Recorder (the newspaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church), teacher Edmonia Highgate reports that an educational association has been started in New Orleans, to work in cooperation with the Freedmen's Bureau. She describes the hardships borne by the determined teachers and students of the area, and encourages northern readers to contribute funds.
Source
Center for Research Libraries
Transcript
NEW ORLEANS CORRESPONDENCE .



MR. EDITOR: - Few cities furnish more news items for a regular correspondent than the crescent city. Yet if I mistake not you either have none here, of, if you have, he is recreant to his trust. Permit me a small space.
Quite recently, by dint of no little perseverance, "An [ ] Rebel Association" has been called into existence in New Orleans .

This organization cooperates with the Freedmen's Bureau. Its aim is to bring into our schools the children of indigent people and orphans, by supporting a fund upon which drafts may be made to meet the necessary expense of educating them. Already auxiliary associations are being formed in the county parishes, and we have a reason to believe, that this society will be a state affair of true magnitude. Its officers are Rev. John Turner, President; Mr. Moses, Vice President; Geo. T. Ruby, Secretary; Capt. James Lewis, Assistant Secretary; Edw. Highgate, Corresponding Secretary.
We have also a treasurer and a trustee board, of five members. We have already held several meeting in St. James Chapel, which have been addressed by the truly eloquent and indefatigable pastor, Rev. Turner, Capt. A.G. Studer, General Superintendent of Education, State of Louisiana, Madame De Mortie, G.T. Ruby and other earnest speakers.
We need help to carry on this admirable school system inaugurated by Gen. Banks. Not one Northern or Western association has bestowed any of its beneficence in this city. True there have been governmental schools, but not since January has the Government or Freedmen's Societies, paid one cent for teachers' salaries. Not that we could find any fault, for we are convinced that there is no money for that purpose.
The large sum of $10,000 has already been expended from the quartermaster's department for Educational purposes up to January. Yet, we have the Bureau's supervision, without which nothing could be done for these refugees from southern organizations. The superintendent of education for this state, Capt. A.G. Studer, a liberty-loving native of Switzerland, is, in every way qualified for the work. He is earnestly and honestly determined to resuscitate this educational system. He will succeed. We are hoping for the success of the appropriation measure; yet we have the veto, phantom-like, always before us. Capt. Studer has a most able cooperator in elder turner, and we hope that his example will be followed by more of the ministers of New Orleans . If any person who may see this letter and feels the necessity of hastening the equalization of political and social recognition of manhood irrespective of color, send his draft to Capt. Studer for any sum of money he may donate, and it will be placed in deposit, a receipt given, and a printed account of how it was expended given to the public. Rev. John Turner will also receive donations.
I only wish that our northern radical spoken friends, who are now at their fashionable summer resorts, while we teachers are laboring on a salary, only what our certificate calls for and less by a third what our expenses are, would feel in their duty to enclose some substantial evidence of their interest in this work, in a cheerful letter to us. We dare not send away twenty or thirty children from our schools, because they cannot pay their tuition fee. Their fathers may have been of the Port Hudson heroes. Yet we expend our strength teaching them, and have not wherewith to supply ourselves with more than one meal a day, or money for a car ride, but must foot two or three miles of weary distance beneath a tropical sun. Think of these things, theorists, and withhold your aid if you can. One thing, while ever these resident white catholic teachers continue in these schools, your northern colored teachers will stay, even if they have to fight the wolf. I meant to have spoken of that excellent organization, known as "The Baker Association," but my time is up. I have scarce opportunity to mention honorably, Supt. J.J. Clinton's visit to this city, and his address in several schools. I tell you that when representative men are thus brought before our pupils they get from them such objective presentations, what our words can never give, of what the world expects them to be.
E. GOODELE HIGHGATE.
New Orleans , June 21st.

Part of "New Orleans Correspondence," The Christian Recorder, July 7, 1866, p. 1