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Madison Court House Va
May 3rd 1869

R. M. Manly Esqr.
Supt. Education
Richmond Va

Dear Sir

Enclosed please find monthly School report for the month of April.  Accept my thanks for your kind favour of the 27th ult.  I called on Catherine Gordon for rent vouchers, but with no success.  She is so much chagrined at the transfer of rent, that she is going to report me for paying rent to a rebel.  I have been labouring here for the past seven months, and in that time have had but as little intercourse as I possibly could, with the white people of this town, consequently, I am held in the greatest contempt, meeting with insults almost on every side and all because I am teaching a colored school, and it gives me pleasure to say that my school now, can compare favorably with theirs.  I rent from a rebel (as Bureau officers before me have done), because it suits my convenience.
There has been a colored School in operation about ten miles from here since the first January, and houses for two others are in an advanced way towards completion, all done by the colored people, as they begin to feel the great necessity of having an education.
Should you desire to forward any instructions to the teacher of the school above mentioned, I would gladly forward them as this is the nearest post office.  There will be two teachers needed for the Schools in course of erection.  Please send me rent vouchers and write me if it is necessary for me to make explanation to