The general voice of the people was: “Examinations grow better all the time;” “This is the best we have ever had;” “I will send _all_ my children the _first day_ next year, and not keep them out for _anything_;” “Bless the Lord for this school;” “It makes me cry for joy when I see what it has done for our people;” “We are _all_ going to help build a new house;” “Will start a brick-yard next week, if you say so, right in these grounds;” “_All_ will help;” “Even the idle boys on the street will gladly lend a hand;” etc., etc. On the whole, our examinations and closing exercises were more satisfactory _to us_ this year than ever before. There has been a deeper earnestness in study, and a higher grade of scholarship has been reached. On the day following, Miss Underwood wrote: It is pitiful to witness the grief of the people. In the faces of young and old one seems to read, “A calamity has fallen upon us.” Some of them go silently about with bowed heads and spirits, “clothed in sackcloth and ashes.” Others say, “We will arise and build; surely the Lord will help those who help themselves.” The universal feeling is that the school _must_ not close and _Miss Wells must not go_. Without consulting her, they have called a mass meeting for to-morrow night, to see what can be done towards the erection of a new building. You will be promptly notified of results. On the 4th of July, Mr. Taylor, pastor of the church, wrote as follows: That night, at a lecture at the Court House, I read a note from Miss Wells announcing your decision. The people were much pained. The open rejoicing of many of the white people hurt the colored people more than anything else. They asked me, “Can nothing be done to prevent this?” I told them I thought not, for the orders were positive. “If we build the school-house, can Miss Wells stay and the school go on?” I said I didn’t know about that, and asked them if they knew what they were talking about; that a school-house such as ought to be put up there would cost $5,000? They said, “We can do it, and we will do it.” So I telegraphed you, “If people put up school building, will school be maintained?” That night, Wednesday, was our preparatory lecture. The people decided to hold a meeting Thursday night, and notice was given at preparatory lecture; so last night the church was filled by an earnest, quiet audience. Colored men were elected chairman and secretary. A committee of five colored men was appointed to draft resolutions, of which the following is a copy as nearly as I can remember: “Whereas the maintenance of Trinity School is necessary for the education of the colored people of North Alabama, therefore be it