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54
Office Gen'l Sup't Fr. Sch's
Little Rock Ark. July 20, 1866

Rev. J.R. Shipherd
Sec'y Am. Miss. Assn
Chicago, Ill.

Dear Sir:
I take pleasure in transmitting the Subjoined Statement Showing our wants &c. in reply to your letter of inquiry of July 7", which with the notes appended contains, I trust, the desired information. 

I design attending the Superintendents Convention at Indianapolis, and Soon thereafter hope to have the pleasure of a personal interview.

I will add that it is to me a very gratifying fact and one which speaks well for the State as a promising field for missionary labor that no School has been disturbed - no force used - no guards called for nor needed for the protection of a Single School in the State during the year.  Should teachers be as prudent in their movements and Bureau and military matters be as judiciously managed as heretofore I apprehend no trouble in the future.  Can one other Southern State Show as fair a record?

There if some difficulty in securing suitable homes (on plantations) for lady teachers. Many planters from the 'much importunity' of the freedmen will Establish Schools who can not or will not make pleasant homes for the teachers. 

Gen'l Sprague Asst. Com., desires me to Say that he has recently instructed his agents in Eastern Arkansas to make the Establishment of a School one of the conditions in all future contracts where there is a Sufficient number of children to make a School, - the necessary Expenses for the Same to be borne by the freedmen.  I shall expect this action of the Asst. Com. to result in the Establishment of very many paying Schools - Especially after the first of January next.

With much respect.
I Am dear Sir,
Yours very truly,
Wm. M. Colby
Supt Fr. Sch's Ark.