History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2: Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers, and as CitizensWilliams, George Washington
History
History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2: Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers, and as Citizens
Williams, George Washington
African Americans -- History; Liberia; Sierra Leone
In 1820, an effort was made to have the authorities of the white
schools provide for the education of the Colored children as well as
the whites, because the laws of the State required the education of
all the youth. The comptrollers of the public schools confessed that
the law provided for the education of "poor and indigent children,"
and that it extended to those of persons of color. Accordingly, in
1822, a school for the education of indigent persons of color of both
sexes, was opened in Lombard Street, Philadelphia. In 1841, a primary
school was opened in the same building. In 1833, the "Unclassified
School" in Coates Street, and at frequent intervals after this several
schools of the same grade, were started in West Philadelphia.
In 1837, by the will of Richard Humphreys, who died in 1832, an
"Institute for Colored Youth" was started. The sum of ten thousand
dollars was devised to certain trustees who were to pay it over to
some society that might be disposed to establish a school for the
education of the "descendants of the African race in school learning
in the various branches of the mechanic arts and trade, and in
agriculture." Thirty members of the society of Friends formed
themselves into an association for the purpose of carrying out the
wishes and plans of Mr. Humphreys. In the preamble of the constitution
they adopted, their ideas and plans were thus set forth:
"We believe that the most successful method of elevating the
moral and intellectual character of the descendants of Africa, as
well as of improving their social condition, is to extend to them
the benefits of a good education, and to instruct them in the
knowledge of some useful trade or business, whereby they may be
enabled to obtain a comfortable livelihood by their own industry;
and through these means to prepare them for fulfilling the
various duties of domestic and social life with reputation and
fidelity, as good citizens and pious men."
In order to carry out the feature of agricultural and mechanic arts,
the association purchased a farm in Bristol township, Philadelphia
County, in 1839, where boys of the Colored race were taught farming,
shoemaking, and other useful trades. The incorporation of the
institution was secured in 1842, and in 1844 another friend
dying--Jonathan Zane--added a handsome sum to the treasury, which,
with several small legacies, made $18,000 for this enterprise. But in
1846 the work came to a standstill; the farm with its equipments was
sold, and for six years very little was done, except through a night
school.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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