Viewing page 64 of 69
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
120 Montgomery Ala. Aug 26th 67. Crevath Rev. E. M. Secty. A.M.A, Cincinnati Ohio My Dear Sir In planning our work for the coming year, I would like to know an early day the number of teachers your Association will be likely be to send to Alabama, and the places you wish to occupy. From a previous letter of yours I am led to suppose that your association will supply Montgomery, Talladega & Greenville, the same being the grounds occupied by the Cleveland Commission, now turned over to you. I take it for granted that you will supply Selma with as many good teachers as the place demands. Am I right in this? Then there are remaining a number of places to which teachers of your choosing have been sent but their salaries have been paid and the schools have been supported thus far by the Bureau, expecting, that with the opening of the coming school year your association would be able to give Alabama more assistance than heretofore, and would assume the entire support of these schools. I trust I shall not be disappointed in this expectation. In fact I believe an understanding was had between us to this effect when the Bureau assumed the support of these teachers last Spring. They have been laboring at the following places; Evergreen, Union Springs (two Girard (two) La Fayette, Gadsden, Marion (four) Tuscaloosa (two) Cahaba (two & Gainesville (two) and a few in Montgomery & Selma. at all of 121 these points much has been done towards making the schools self supporting. Buildings have been provided, school furniture supplied. and a deep interest awakened in the work of education. Will not your Association accept of what has been accomplished in these places, and relieve the Bureau from any further expense in support of these schools. Such a course will leave the State Superintendent at liberty to carry on his work in new fields, for which owing to his relations to government it is thought he has some advantages over your Agents. In making this request care has been exercised to have it not exceed that proportion of your annual expenditure for the education of the freedmen to which Alabama is justly entitled. Should this suggestion seem gratuitous you will pardon it when you remember that we have been battling here two turbulent years for equal rights with a fair prospect now of reconstruction on that just and enduring basis- I am Very Respectfully Your Obdt Ser'vt Supt of Education Montgomery Ala. Aug 30th 67 Crevath Rev. E.M. Secty A.M.A. Assn Cincinnati ohio My Dear Sir A Short time since I sent you a programme of the Exhibition of the colored school of Selma taught by Mr Sears, and a copy of the Selma Time containing comments of a very flattering character on the Excellence of the performance. My object was to prepare the way for this letter in
