Viewing page 123 of 334

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Office of SAC B R F &c
Bastrop, August 19. 1867

Lieut J T Kirkman
A.A.A.G

Among the great mass of the whites there is very little or no disposition to assist the freedpeople in the matter of education.  There are some exceptions however, Mr. H Baese living seven miles from here has given the freedmen in his vicinity a lot of 6 1/3 acres on which to build a schoolhouse Church &c.  On the 14 July I addressed about 300 freedpeople at the house of Mr. Baese & succeeded in getting 130 dollars subscribed in money and work to build a schoolhouse Mr. Baese also gives all the timber for it.  Mr. J.G. McGinnis on the line between Bastrop & Travis has also donated a lot to the freedmen for the erection of a school house, and there is about 150 Dollars subscribed by the freedmen, Mr. Mc.G. furnishing the timber.  But little was accomplished towards the erection of the schoolhouse in Bastrop owing to the backward state of the crops caused by the wet weather, which prevented the freedmen from hauling the timber on to the ground as soon as expected.  However some of the timber has been hauled in and I expect the carpenter to commence on the building about the last of august.  I think that with the assistance of some white friends the freedpeople will be able to get the building (its size is 30 x 50 feet) up and covered. But they will
(over)