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Vienna Md. June 28 /69

John Kimball Esqr
Superintendent of Education, Washington D C

Sir
   Your kind letter of the 17th Inst. came to hand yesterday.  I have carefully examined its contents and in reply thereto do with much regret state that at this season of the year it will be almost impossible for us to get up a good school.  Our farmers are now busy in their Crops and the major part of the children have to remain home during the busy season.  Our scholastic term ends with the 30th of this month and does not enter again until the 1st of October making the three months vacation during which time as before stated it would be almost impossible to keep up a good school.
  I think we can get up a school to commence in October or November next at which time it will afford us great pleasure (if agreeable with your views) to receive a teacher from your Bureau.  We are not able to pay a teacher's salary but perfectly willing to board one, under these considerations we would respectfully ask aid from the Bureau.  At the time I requested Mr. Butler to obtain a teacher for us I was living in town and I could then have gotten up a good school, I now live in the country some five miles from town, yet not too far off to render assistance in this good cause. We deem it proper to state that as we cannot at this time get up a school worthy of a good teacher, that it is best to defer the matter until the fall when our friends generally will aid in getting up a school.  We hope to hear from you again and sincerely trust that you will send us a teacher sometime during the fall or early part of the winter.  Please excuse this hastily written letter & with high esteem I remain
    Yours    Thomas Pinkett