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[Top left Margin] 4 [Top Right Margin}Flakes

Flake's DAILY BULLETIN.
F. Flake.  S. Rinker
PUBLISHED BY F. FLAKE & CO.

FLAKE'S BULLETIN OFFICE
Galveston, June 1866.
Persons having accounts at this office will please settle.  NOTICE--that all receipts for money are signed by one of the firm, no other signatures will recognized by us.  F. FLAKE & CO.

AGENTS OF THE BULLETIN
San Antonio.  Messrs. Hertzbert & Simon
St. Felipe, Austin County,  L.H. DAVIS.
Fayetteville, Fayette County, R.J. ZIMMERMAN.
Roundtop P.O., Fayette County, L. SEYBERLICH.
New Orleans, THOMAS MCINTYRE
Clarksville, Red River County JOHN A. BAGBY
Seguin.  Guadalupe county, H.A. HEYER
Indianola, H.IKEN & CO.
Crocket, WM. JOHNSON
MARK MILLER

All Postmasters in the State of Texas are authorized to act as Agents of this paper; they will be allowed the usual commission.

New Advertisements on 2d and 4th page.

Editorials on 2d and 4th page.

GALVESTON:
Tuesday Morning, May 21

THE COLORED SCHOOLS OF TEXAS.

Among the almost unnoted, yet significant products of the war, are the schools for freedmen now being in this State.  In humanity, as in Nature, it often happens that to the silent and noiseless agencies must be credited the most stable and beneficial results.
Amid the din of political reconstruction, it may be well not to overlook whatever well-meant efforts are being made to fit our laboring class for the intelligent discharge of the common duties of life.
[[left margin 1]]The colored schools date from the arrival of General Gregory, in September, 1865.  Under his administration, in eight months, without the aid of Northern charity, without cost to the Government, a hundred schools for freedmen were organized and sustained, with an enrolled attendance of over forty-five hundred pupils.
[[left margin 2]]The instructors were obtained from Louisiana, and were regularly acclimated persons; over eighty-five percent, being either natives of that State, or of long Southern residence.  In this way it was sought to disarm the prejudice existing against "Yankee School marms," and to smooth the way for the transfer of these schools to civil rule, whenever our State should decide to inaugurate a system of public instruction for all.
[[left margin 3]]Under the successor of General Gregory the schools decreased.  This was owing to a variety of causes.  Some of the teachers sickened with climatic or malarial fever; others grew weary of the work.  The high price paid for all kinds of skilled labor, drew off such of the male teachers as were at all practiced in mechanics.  [[left margin 4]]The disabled bodily condition of the State Commissioner, (honorably crippled by wounds received in battle) prevented that animating, electrifying presence, speech, and contact, the lack of which nothing can supply when self-sacrificing effort is needed.  Upon the poorer class of the freedmen, and those with large families, the tuition fee was felt as onerous, and many saw themselves excluded from instruction.
[[left margin 5]]A school system entirely free to the negro, with the expense devolving on the central government, and the teachers drawn from Northern religious societies, was devised by Gen. Kiddoo and partially placed in operation in the month of January last.  But the prompt and almost summary removal of that officer, arrested the movement before the cost to the Bureau treasury had become insupportable.
Under the present administration the Free Schools were abolished, while the rates of tuition were reduced, and the teachers aided by a salary ranging from ten to forty dollars a month.  An appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars for rental and repairs of school buildings was a most timely aid from Washington, and emphatic school circulars issued by Lieut. Kirkman, the A. A. G. and State Superintendent of Education, brought home to each Bureau Agent his duties in connection with the organization and maintenance of the schools.  
The school system as now constituted, reaches all classes of the freedmen; none are too poor to pay the stipulated fee, and the income thus added to the public help is adequate to the maintenance of the teacher and makes the support of the schools rest lightly and equally upon both the government and the benefitted class.
[[left margin: 6]]A large and increasing number of the primary teachers are drawn from the freedmen themselves, having been fitted as instructors in these schools during the past year.
[[left margin: 7]]Every encouragement is being given to the young men and women of our beautiful State to engage in the educational work, it being found to be both good economy and good policy, to give the preference to home teachers, whenever such, properly qualified, can be obtained. 
In these schools the capacity of the negro to receive the rudiments of civilization, and his desire to improve, have been established; while so great has been the change of public sentiment that in my localities remarkable, two years ago, for the opposition shown towards colored schools, it is questionable whether now a half dozen men of intelligence can be found who would not deem it a public calamity to have these schools discontinued.
The school management, foreseeing the day when their pioneer labors would be absorbed by State action, have purposely discarded sectarian tests in the selection of teachers, though appointing none who appear to be incapable of applying christianity to moral conduct.
The schools are consequently ready at any moment to be turned over to the State authorities, with a corps of well trained colored teachers, whenever a common school system shall be adopted.
[[left margin 8]]The enrolled attendance of pupils for April is over 5,000, with one hundred and twelve teachers, abouteighty percent of whom are of Southern origin and acclimation.