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for the rest to commence by setting the plow so deep would I think produce bad results, and be called by hard names. During mid winter one third of the colored population (nearly) had their food of the Gov't; business was dead and employment very scarce. Under these should be good crops and a revival of business I feel certain that [[strikethrough]] people [[/strikethrough]] the pupils could not pay the 50 cts. per month each which would be necessary to meet your views. It is very difficult to do any thing successfully in this direction without concert and uniformity of action with the other societies. The societies should either agree upon the details of a plan, or leave them to me or some other individual on the ground, and the teachers all be instructed to execute orders instead of following their sympathies at discretion. If they have any latitude in the latter direction they will soon make a hole in your plans large enough for 2000 children to go through. I should be glad to come into conference with you, and the other associations on this and several other important subjects.

-disposed to think that in case the condition of the people should be no worse or a little better than last winter, and the associations establish a uniform system, ten cents per week from all scholars from


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Second Reader upward, and 25 cts per month from all below that grade might be collected. But in order to do that there must be some preliminary work done. Meetings must be held and the people fully understand the matter before it should be enforced. 

I like your proposition to pay the teachers $25, but in that case I would have them furnish their own fuel and lights (a point where human nature is not to overreach at other peoples expense). I would not have them run their own boarding machine. They need guidance system and a steady hand. The increase of pay would seem to the teachers to compensate them for the labor of making the collections. I have had to insist continually that they should not yield to their sympathies, and excuse payment. This has been, often, a hard thing for them to do. Payment has been a condition of attendance at school. A rule [[strikethrough]] shall [[/strikethrough]] less stringent would be good for nothing. The smallest exception is striking that link "tenth or ten thousandths" which severs the chain.

In haste I submit the above imperfect answer to your queries--

Very Respy
R.M. Manly
Sup Education

Transcription Notes:
reviewed approx first para