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[Ed. Form, No. 4.]

[[stamp]] The National Archives of the United States [[/stamp]]

Sub-Assistant Commissioner's (or Agent's) Monthly Report on Education of Freedmen, and Refugees in Sub-District of Mobile, State of Alabama in charge of Bvt. Major James Gillette, for the Month of March, 1868, [in accordance with order contained in Circular No. 5, Bureau R.,F., & A.L.]

1.  Name of your Sub-District?  Sub - District of Mobile
2.  Whole number of Refugee or Freedmen's Schools in the District?  6
Day?  4
Night?  3
Sabbath?  4
3.  Location of Schools?
Emerson Collige [[College]] on Government St. Mobile Ala. Controlled by the Am. Miss. Association.
"Stone Street, Freedmens School, Controlled by the Bureau.
Freedmen's School, Starke's Landing Mobile Bay, Baldwin Co. Controlled by Bureau.
Freedmen's School, Whistler, Ala. Mobile County Controlled by Bureau.
4.  Whole number of Teachers?  11
White?  9
Colored?  2.
5.  Names and post-office address of Day=School Teachers?
Miss Mary Stanley, Sarah G. Stanley, Eliza Ethridge, R. H. Allen, Susie Cooley, Amelia Rockafeller, Sarah Mahony, Mary Cooley, Mr. J. Squire and Mr H. Hall, all addressed at Mobile Ala. Lock Box 1190. American Missionary Superintendent, Mr. G. L. Putnam - Mobile, Ala. Mr Geo. Smith (Teacher of school in Baldwin by) Mobile, Ala. - Mr Solomin Oswald Whistler, Mobile Co. Ala.
6.  Whole number of School-houses for Freedmen in your District?   4
Their condition, capacity, value, and by whom owned?  Emerson College, owned by Am. Miss. Association, value $50,000. Capacity 800 pupils, requires $5000 repairs. Stone St. School owned by Benj H. Jones value $1000, Capacity 100 pupils. Rented by Bureau. Whistler School owned by Wm. Lewis. value unknown, Capacity 76 pupils. Baldwin Co. School building, owned by Geo. Smith, value unknown - Capacity 76, pupils Rented by Bureau.
7.  Number of your visits to Schools?
Day?   Daily
Night?  Weekly
Sabbath?
8.  Number of educational meetings held by you during the month?
Where?
9.  Number and names of places, now destitute, in which Day-Schools might be organized?  There are no schools for freed people that are known to this office outside of Mobile & Baldwin Counties I think there might be schools organized in Washington, Clarke and Monroe Counties, but unless they were taught by Southern or native teachers, such organizations would be difficult and unpleasant to those concerned. There is much bitterness and predjudice [[prejudice]] towards strangers in those Counties. The freedmen would attend the schools in great numbers if started, but Northern Teachers would have to encounter the greatest opposition 
10.  Number of pupils (estimated) who would attend such Schools?
11.  Amount which would probably be raised by the Freedmen, for school purposes, in each destitute neighborhood?  The colored people are poor and can contribute nothing outside of the Cities where about thirty per. cent are found able to pay One (1) dollar per month.
12.  What efforts are you making to secure the support of schools by pupils, parents, boards of education, or the State government?  The greatest effort made, has been the purchase of Mobile College and its dedication to the cause of educating the masses without distinction of Color. This has made the colored school enterprise in this community command its respect. (Owing to the impoverished condition of finances of School Board nothing can at present be done by Municipal Authority
13.  Whole number of additional School-houses, for Freedmen, now wanted in your Sub-District?  It has quadrupled the number of scholars. I propose now to induce the School Board to establish primary schools in wards containing colored residents and to pay teachers, rents &c. This will enable the College in time to drift into a high school.
14.  Could you organize your Sub-District into School Districts, each with a School Committee pledged to carry on schools therein?  This can be done successfully in Mobile and Baldwin, but cannot yet accomplished in the interior Counties.  
15.  To what extent would help from without be needed in such cases?  There is no outside help required in Mobile and Baldwin Counties other than at present allowed in the way of rent. 
16.  What is the public sentiment as to the education of the Freedmen and Poor Whites?   The public sentiment in Mobile has lately given expressions to approval of efforts towards educating the poor ignorant classes. I find few who are opposed to educating the negro now, although I am satisfied that a year ago much opposition was manifested. The approval is a passive one. It is not one that interests itself in the cause by any activity. But public sentiment no longer opposes except in the interior Counties  
17.  Are Night-Schools for Adults needed in your District? Yes.
In what way could they be carried on?  At least two more night schools are required. They can be established by any teachers. There are too few teachers here for the work on hand.
18.  What more can this Bureau do for educating the children of Refugees (or Poor Whites)?  This class are admitted to all schools in this City. There are no complaints from them. I think in due time all schools should be transferred to County or State Authorities.
19.  How long will Northern charitable aid be needed for Freedmen and Refugee Schools of your District?  Until the State Government assumes the expense and control of these matters and after that time unless the Country, prospers financially..

I hereby certify, on honor, that I have given personal attention to the matters herein named, and that the answers given are, according to my best knowledge and belief, correct.

James Gillette
Supt 15" Inf'ty. Bvt. Maj. U.S.A. and Sub-Asst. Com., Bureau R., F., & A.L.

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