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Office Supt. Education
Little Rock Ark.
Nov. 15 1867.

Smith Brevet Brig. Gen. C.H.
Asst. Com. etc.
General:
I have the honor to request an order directing Rev. EDC.[[?]] Miller Asst Supt. of Education to visit Jefferson county in the interest of Freedmen's schools.

I am very respectfully,
Your obedient Servant 
Wm M Colby,
Supt. Education.

Office Supt. Education
Little Rock, Nov 21st 1867

Thibaut, Bvt. Maj. F.W.
Agent Washington, Ark.
For Board of Education
Lincoln Academy.

Gentlemen: 
Allow one to congratulate you upon the completion of your School building and the establishment therein of one of the very best schools in the State of Arkansas. I am gratified at this result, and do not care the conceal from you my satisfaction. It not only proves the capacity of the colored people for mental improvement, but is likewise evidence of the fidelity of yourselves, the Agent and the teacher. The most important and perhaps the most difficult part of your work however is still to come. I trust you will plan wisely and labor assiduously not only to bring your school up to the highest degree of excellence but to keep it there. To this end it will be necessary many times that individual members of the Board make personal sacrifices for the general good. As school officers your example will be imitated by your people; hence you should endeavor to be wisely liberal of time and money to further the best interests of the School.
To aid you in the management of your School affairs I forward a set of rules that have been framed with some care and trouble, which I believe cover the necessary ground. I recommend they be adopted by your Board with very slight changes, if any, and that the principal of the school be ex officio member of the school Board, and clerk.
For regard to the subject matter of the 5th rule I would say that Gen. Smith contemplates issuing a Circular prohibiting the use of School houses except for day schools only. Until he does so however the rule should stand with the three words "board of the" erased.
I am Gentlemen
Very truly Yours
Wm. M. Colby
Supt. Education.