Viewing page 160 of 262

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[stamp]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamp]]
Office Supt. [[strikethrough]] Asst. Quartermaster [[/strikethrough]] Bureau Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, DISTRICT OF MOBILE,
Mobile, Ala. January 21st 186[[strikethrough]] 6 [[/strikethrough]] 7.

Mr. C.W. Buckley
Supt. Education
Montgomery Ala
Dear Sir:

I have not previously answered your letter of the 11th inst in regard to the colored schools, because I wished to look into all the facts in the matter and give no hasty or will-considered opinion.

I have now to say that in my judgement the very best thing that can be done to promote the efficiency and usefulness of these schools is to build a sufficient number of school houses. Three or four such school houses in the proper portions of the city would be exactly what are required for the proper teaching of colored children. I would strongly recommend, also, that in order to secure the permanency of these schools, the ground on which these schools houses are to be erected if at is concluded to build there should be purchased by the Bureau and thus secured to the colored people.

As to the safety of building these school-houses, I fully believe they will not be interfered with. The feeling of vindictiveness which the first establishment of schools aroused has, in a great measure passed away, and the schools now in operation are not molested in any way (over)