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#78 / Little Rock, Ark. June 13, 1869 Stuart Mrs Mary B Washington, Ark.- I wish to enquire if you have contracted with the "trustees" of the Washington district, so as to make your school a public school and receive at least three months pay from the school district. If not, please make every effort to do so, and insist upon at least $60.00 a month for three months - April, May & June - dating back the contract to April 1st. If you can not do this write me at once & I will see what can be done. Report for May received in time - thanks. Resp'y & truly, Mr. M. Colby, Supt. Ed. #79 / Little Rock, Ark. June 14, 1869. Buchanan Rev. W. H. Supt. H. P. F. [[?]] Vicksburg, [[?]] Sir: __ Your communication of June 7th is received. I doubt if there is any place in the south - certainly not in the south-west - more desirable for the location of a normal school than Little Rock. It is proverbially healthy, is the commercial metropolis and geographical center of the State, 57 and is the focus of a system of projected railroads, one of which it is expected will be open to Memphis by January next. The present population of the town is estimated at 10000 and is about equally divided between colored and white. I regret that the Bureau does not command any buildings or other property here at this time except one school house, with a capacity for 250 pupils occupied by the Friends and of which they own the site. There is no normal school of any kind in the State, although the Friends have a school near Helena, with some 100 acres of land attached, which they hope to develop into an institution of a normal character. They already have a class of pupils in training. Our State constitution provides for a normal school under the patronage of the State, but the legislature has adjourned (for 18 months) without taking even the incipient steps toward the establishment of such a school. My opinion is that if an enterprise of this nature were started here under favorable auspices the next legislature would extend all needful assistance; and as we have never received anything from the Bureau for normal school purposes in Arkansas it is safe to presume that the Commissioner would grant any reasonable assistance, if the funds are at his command. I trust your society will land an agent here without delay to work up the matter thoroughly, as every month lost is a loss to humanity.