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34 Office Asst Commissioner B.R.F. and A.L. Montgomery Ala May 16th 1866 [[left margin]]Smith[[/left margin]] J.Q. Esq Montgomery Ala Sir Your communication of this inst is received. In reply I have the honor to state as yet no application has been recd at this office from the City, authorities of Selma asking for the possession of the Masonic Institute in that city. An officer of the Bureau left last night however for Selma and anticipating this necessity instructions were sent to cooperate with the city authorities of Selma in having the sick removed from the building to any other suitable place that can be obtained Very Respectfully Your Obdt Servant (Signed) O.D. Kinsman A A General Office Asst Commissioner B.R.F. and A.L. Montgomery Ala May 15th /66 [[left margin]]Howard[[/left margin]] O.O. Maj Genl Commissioner B.R.F. and A.L. Washington D.C. General I transmitting for your approval the estimate of expenditures for this month I have caused to be inserted quite a large item as the aggregate of Expenditures for schools, the particulars of which I thought fit matter for a separate communication. You will perhaps recall a conversation I had with you in Washington, in which I expressed with your approval my desire to give to school matters during the continuance of the Bureau, now that we had some funds, such an inauguration as that, when we were removed over being well planted should still grow. 35 Accordingly, on my return, availing myself of the efforts of Mr Buckley we went immediately to work availing ourselves of cooperation whenever we could find it. Montgomery seemed to be the most backward point of importance in the State- Determined to have a School here the Colored Methodist Church has been by the joint efforts of the congregation and the Bureau [[?]] one story and room made for three hundred Scholars. We then employed Prof Siloby formerly of the Chicago Aid Society at $125.00 per month to act as principle and found two colored assistants who could be paid from the tuition fees of such as were able to pay. At this juncture Mr Mellen came forward and offered to bring three more teachers here who should be wholly supported by the Cleveland Aid Society, if we would find them a place to live. These Teachers having arrived, we have rented a comfortable house until the first of October next, at seventy five dollars per month, and are now rewarded with a promise from the same association that they will support no less than fifteen teachers in the part of the state on the same terms. Eight at Montgomery, four at Selma, and three at Talladega, the simple condition being that we relieve them of the single expense of rent, this will not involve any further expenditure at Montgomery beyond the rent of an additional school building this fall. We want however to put about four hundred dollars worth of benches and desks in the school already established and have included this item in the estimate for May. The Rev. Mr Brewer who lives about 12 Miles from here and who has for a long time taken a warm interest in the education of freedmen, expressed his willingness to donate a suitable lot for a School house and act as trustee of a school if one could be started in his neighborhood. He also found an experienced teacher who lived nearby. We felt so much encouraged by this that I authorized a plain house built by contract to cost $600.00 which is also included in the estimate. It will be done by the close of the month Fee simple in the United States. At Demopolis the citizens helped the freedmen rise money enough to by a lot for school purposes
