On my arrival at Pikeville I was conducted to a little house on the main street, where I remained one week. I was examined three days after my arrival. My examination seemed very simple, and I received first grade certificate. During that time it was noised abroad that school would open Monday, June 10th. Bright and early Monday morning I commenced my summer’s work; but as I met only twelve bright faces I felt somewhat discouraged, and was beginning to think that I would go elsewhere if I did not have more next week. To my surprise, by that time I found nineteen, and felt more reconciled. After I had taught a while I visited some of the children’s parents, and found that every body wanted to go to school, both young and old. Every one began to show an interest, and the number of scholars grew to fifty-seven, a few of whom had been to school before, while the others were only making a beginning. My most advanced pupil studied only the Third Reader and the Elementary Speller, which was considered by him quite an education. The most of them said that they did not want to go any higher than the Speller. Others only wanted to get as far as “publication.” In one case a lady came and brought a little girl to me who did not know the alphabet, and asked me to get her to “baker” as soon as possible, for she wanted her, as they say, to “help to lay by crop.” She said that if she got as far as “baker” she would be half through the Speller, which she considered half of an education; but I told her that that was only laying the foundation for the great work intended for them to do. They had often heard of schools, and half realized that they had minds to be cultivated, but not until last summer had they become interested in the real work of learning. They had a very good school-house for dry weather, but when it rained we had to shelter ourselves the best we knew how. The house would seat about sixty scholars comfortably, and was beautifully situated on a small hill called “Cedar Bluff,” which was surrounded by large oaks. The people do not have very much preaching, but when they do have it it must be by daylight, on account of the white people stoning them at night. The colored people are still living as slaves, and are afraid to live otherwise. The laborers do not work by the day, as they do here, but as they are told. They get up about three or four o’clock in the morning and work until about midnight, and sometimes later if their employers desire to have the work finished. This is what they consider a day’s work. They have the same idea about teaching. They wanted that I should teach from sunrise to sundown. They know nothing of the eight or ten hour system of labor.