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something toward providing school accommodations at Arkadelphia provided there is energy enough among the freedmen to remunerate a teacher. Hot Springs was the best paying point in the state last Summer while we had a teacher there. He was an educated colored man from Washington D. G. - he will not return. Should you leave Arkadelphia I know of no better point for you than Hot Springs, but I trust Mr. Miller's visit will arouse the freedmen to the importance of doing something more for themselves in this all important matter of education and that your pay will be augmented by tuition-fees. I hear nothing but the most favorable accounts of your work and hope you will not become entirely discouraged. The leaven of truth is gradually working a change throughout the state. At the dedication of our school house in this city the 10th inst. the State, Military, and City authorities were all present, and I believed gratified.
Hoping you will be able to remain at Arkadelphia and that you will report often by letter to this office.
I remain,
Yours very truly,
Wm. M. Colby,
Supt. Education.
File 227 1867
File 234 1867


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Office Supt. Education
Little Rock, Ark.
Oct 19th 1867

Jenks, F. C.
Eddington Pa.
Dear Sir:
In reply to your favor of the 19th inst. enquiring upon what terms teachers in our colored schools are employed, I would say that the American Missionary Association, the Indiana Yearly Meeting of Friends and the Freedmen are the parties employing teachers, and that the terms vary according to circumstances – being in all cases quite low. All of our Northern teachers have to rely upon the Aid Societies for a large per cent of their pay. The freedmen employ a few of their own color who have barely mastered the first reader, and pay them accordingly.
Our school year commences the first of October and closes the first of July, but schools are being opened in different parts of the state at all times.
The freedmen are very eager to learn but at the same time very poor and dependent upon the government and the Aid Societies of the North mainly for their educational advantages.
Could you make satisfactory arrangement with the Rev. J.R. Shipherd, Sec'y. Am. Miss. Association, 29 Lombard Block Chicago Ill. I shall be glad to welcome you to this state.
I should add that the Bureau at Washington furnished transportation to