HENDERSON SCHOOL, FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.
BY MRS. H. D. FOSTER.
The Henderson School closed its first year of nine months with examinations Thursday, May 24th. A large number of interested parents and friends came in to inquire and see for themselves what their children had been doing for the year. After listening to various recitations and exercises, they expressed themselves highly pleased.
Thursday evening the annual exhibition came off, and about 400 were present. At half past eight o’clock, the pupils marched into the primary room. They made a grand appearance, being neatly and some of them very prettily dressed. The programme consisted of nineteen parts, interspersed with good music. Some of the pieces given were very pleasing. The calisthenic exercises and the selections were all well rendered and won many complimentary remarks, not only from colored people, but also from prominent white families of the city. It is something unusual to see the ladies of the latter class out.
Those who had seen the scholars at the beginning and at the end of the session noticed a striking improvement in their personal appearance. The intellectual, moral and spiritual culture had left its stamp upon their countenances, and it was exhibited in their deportment.
Throughout the year special attention has been given to our Mission Sunday school, out of which has grown a little church. During the precious revival of January, some of our pupils gave their hearts to Christ. In all our successes and discouragements the Heavenly Father has been very near us. Hon. J. H. Van Hoose, a correspondent of the Arkansas Democrat, the leading journal of the State, which is published at the Capital, a citizen of high standing in the State for forty years, and thirty years in this place, asked to give an impromptu speech, in which he expressed his surprise at the progress made. The following, clipped from the above-named journal, written by this gentleman, will explain the sentiments of the citizens here toward our work:
A COTTON PLANTATION.
“Prof. Foster (colored) and his wife, formerly of Little Rock, have just closed a nine months’ school at the brick school-house in the northeast part of Fayetteville. They were at first employed by our school directors to teach a three months’ school for the colored portion of our district, but they continued to teach six months longer for a very small consideration paid them by the patrons of the school and the American Missionary Association. The examination exercises closed Thursday night with a public exhibition. The school room was neat and clean and gorgeously decorated with festoons and wreaths of evergreens and flowers, and the house filled with an appreciative audience, the best of order prevailed, and your correspondent was delighted with the evidences of improvement in the manner and conduct of all who had been so fortunate as to be under the influence and training of Prof. Foster and his accomplished assistant, Mrs. Foster.”