BUREAU OF WOMAN'S WORK.
MISS D.E. EMERSON, SECRETARY.
WOMAN'S STATE ORGANIZATIONS.
CO-OPERATING WITH THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
ME.—-Woman's Aid to A.M.A., Chairman of Committee, Mrs. C.A. Woodbury, Woodfords, Me.
VT.—Woman's Aid to A.M.A., Chairman of Committee, Mrs. Henry Fairbanks, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
CONN.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. S.M. Hotchkiss, 171 Capitol Ave., Hartford, Conn.
MICH.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. Mary B. Warren, Lansing, Mich.
WIS.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. C. Matter, Brodhead, Wis.
MINN.—Woman's Home Miss. Society, Secretary, Mrs. H.L. Chase, 2,760 Second Ave., South, Minneapolis, Minn.
N.Y.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. C.C. Creegan, Syracuse, N. Y.
OHIO.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. Flora K. Regal, Oberlin, Ohio.
ILL.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. C.H. Taintor, 151 Washington St., Chicago, Ill.
IOWA.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Miss Ella B. Marsa, Grinnell, Iowa.
KANSAS.—Woman's Home Miss. Society, Secretary, Mrs. Addison Blanchard, Topeka, Kan.
SOUTH DAKOTA.—Woman's Home Miss. Union, Secretary, Mrs. W.E. Thrall, Amour, Dak.
FOUNDATION LAYING AND HOME BUILDING IN THE SOUTH.
BY MISS JOSEPHINE KELLOGG.
The estimation in which "woman's work for woman" is held by our more thoughtful colored students, will be shown by some extracts from an address by a graduate of Tougaloo University in Mississippi.
The effect of very unhappy experiences in early youth upon an exceedingly sensitive temperament, was to make this son of a white father and black mother cherish a feeling of intense hatred toward all white people as he was growing up; but being led, in the good providence of God, to a Christian training-school where he heard of One who suffered every indignity, and when dying in torture and ignominy prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do," new thoughts and feelings came to him.
He thought there might be cruel men in the world now who know not what they do. He was led to bow in penitence and submission at the feet of Jesus. It is now his chief joy that since he entered upon the path of learning, he has, as a teacher, given several thousand children a start in the same path.
The little old chapel at Tougaloo having burned down in January, 1882, he graduated in the spring of that year, from our elementary normal course, in the new barn, Ayrshire Hall. He has since passed through our higher normal and college preparatory course, and is pursuing further studies in another institution, in the intervals teaching, and going from place to place with the great desire in his heart of bringing about a better condition of feeling and living, among the people of the State.
I quote from his printed speech: "We read of a time when 'a nation shall be born in a day.' We have seen it come to pass, and this people is a babe yet. 'Is not the babe a blessing in the house? Its very helplessness is a blessing, in that it educates the finest sensibilities of humanity.' The problem to be solved now is how to nurse this babe aright. The thoughtful observer will be easily convinced that the careful and proper education of girls is the first step in the solution of this problem.
"The education of girls is of the most vital importance for the uplifting of the colored people of the South. Yes, I venture to say that the whole South will depend upon their condition for its prosperity. True progress depends upon the sacredness and sanctity of the home. That a people or a nation may be happy or prosperous it must have enlightened and intelligent homes, and for this purpose the girls must be educated in virtue, industry and self-reliance.
"The colored woman in all conditions and under almost all circumstances is abused by all races and classes. There are individuals who love and respect her, but no one fears to insult her as they fear to insult other women. Let her turn wheresoever she may, she is met by all sorts of evil influences of a character too indecorous to think about, and I fear that I should never be forgiven if I should name them, yet we are compelled to look upon them everywhere we go. Now a reform must begin in the treatment of women, and it must be commenced by paying more attention to the education of girls. Only wise mothers can train champions for great causes like this. Therefore let our voices and our influence be given to the work of elevating the women who have the care of making and preserving society."
Thus it has come about that a larger and larger proportion of girls come to our schools, and it has seemed much better that they should be educated with their brothers than apart from them, for a great and grievous lack among the colored people, is a pure, safe and wholesome social life for the young people, and with all the other labors laid upon these "universe—ities" is that of fostering such a social life and, as far as may be, setting forth the pattern for it. Permit me to introduce you to one of these schools which is in many of its features doubtless like all the rest.
Tougaloo University is one of the six chartered institutions maintained by the American Missionary Association with some aid from the State in which it is located. It is but a few miles from the capital of the great but undeveloped agricultural State of Mississippi, a State in which the largest town had, at the last census, less than twelve thousand inhabitants. This is very far south, in "the great black belt," where the plantations are large, and upon the country roads you will constantly see ten or more colored faces to one white one. It contained at the last census, above two hundred thousand more colored people than at Emancipation, and above one hundred and seventy thousand more colored than white. Do you not see how rapidly Christian education and training must go forward to keep pace with such facts as these?
Stepping off the afternoon train down the Chicago and New Orleans railway at the little station of Tougaloo, we look up through a pleasant vista about three-quarters of a mile and see the Mansion, Ballard Hall, Ladies' Hall, and Strieby Hall, the latter a brick house three stories high above the basement, dedicated Thanksgiving Day of 1881 in the presence of the venerable secretary for whom it was named. The work on this building was done by colored mechanics, students of the school making the brick and the stone, a sort of concrete for the trimmings.
Strieby Hall has accommodations for nearly a hundred young men, besides a teacher's family or two. It is kept in scrupulous neatness by the young men under their matron's eye. She teaches them to nurse one another in sickness; she also instructs them in the care of their clothing and requires them to mend when the weekly wash comes in. One young man became so proud of his skill in this line that he wanted to put his darned old socks—old darned socks would sound better, perhaps—into our industrial exhibit for the New Orleans Exposition, among the chains and wheels from the blacksmith and wagon shops, the brackets, step-ladders, etc., from the carpenter shop, the cups and coffee-pots from the tinshop, and the girls' plain sewing and fancy-work.
There are regular apprentices to all the trades named, and all the boys of certain grades have lessons, one hour daily, in the several shops, to get the use of tools and simple work; there is also a course of industrial drawing running through the school grades for boys and girls alike.
The school is upon a plantation of five hundred acres, worked by the young men under the direction of the farm superintendent, a graduate of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, who gives them "talks," as he terms his lectures, upon practical themes pertaining to general farming, fruit-growing, and the care of stock.
As we walk up from the station through, first a wood of water-oak, sweet-gum and hickory, then an open glade with scattering persimmon trees upon it, and lastly, a fine park of postoaks draped with Spanish moss, we approach the old southern "Mansion," which was the only building of any account upon the ground when the Association purchased it in 1869, and which is still the handsomest one. It has a little romance of its own, having been made spacious and beautiful for a bride who never came into it; but, notwithstanding this disappointment of its builder, it has in God's providence been greatly connected with home-building.
Here live the President's family and some of the other teachers. Here are business offices, a pleasant reading-room with an open fire upon its hearth, and a small library adjoining. In this house is a guest-chamber where all friends of the school are made welcome, and here are the music-rooms, one containing a piano and one a cabinet organ.
More and more highly is the department of musical training esteemed by those who understand the work. All receive training in vocal music as a part of their daily school work, and would there were more with means to take instrumental lessons!
The best of music is taught, from the primary grades upward; and it is an inspiring thing to hear almost everybody who is at work or play, not at books, singing and chanting the most beautiful compositions; the girls from attic chamber to basement laundry, may be chanting, "Thou who leddest Joseph like a flock," while the carpenter's apprentices—perchance upon a barn-roof—may be rolling forth the temperance Marseillaise, and our ears may distinguish from the neighboring "quarters" the little children of the day and Sabbath-school singing cheerily,
"Angry words, O let them never
From the tongue unbridled slip;
May the heart's best impulse ever
Check them ere they pass the lip."
Nothing, perhaps, more commends the school to the notice of our white neighbors than its music, and greater numbers of them will come to a concert than to any other exercise.
In the Mansion are our rooms for the Normal Department, a study room and a laboratory. The primary, intermediate and grammar grades are taught in the new school-house, between the Mansion and Strieby Hall, the upper part of which is a neat and commodious chapel. The primary school is free of tuition as a practice-school for the Normal students, and brings in many little ones from the region round about.
We send forth many teachers for the public schools, and despite the shortness of the terms and the want of appliances, we see encouraging evidences of better work done there from year to year. Besides test-book teaching, these young home-missionaries labor in many lines for the moral, social and material improvement of their people, and deserve much help and cheer.
A Biblical department is preparing young men to preach the gospel, and as they have the industrial training too, they will be fitted for a very practical sort of evangelism.
A night-school supplies instruction for farm-laborers, laundry girls, etc.
All school-room work, except that of the Biblical class and a part of the Normal work, is women's work.
Let us step into the Ladies' Hall on the other side of the Mansion from Ballard Hall. This is a very hive of female industry. Here is the girls' dormitory, with a capacity of about seventy-five, and the boarding department. All the work of the household, with trifling exceptions, is done by the young women and girls of the school. Each one does an hour's work a day, having it changed every month, and many do more to help themselves along. The girls have the care of their rooms and generally take great pride in having perfect "reports" for tidiness. Everything is simple and cheap and common, but that does not prevent its being homelike.
Personal cleanliness is required of course. Some few have been accustomed to it at home. One large girl said, when told that she must bathe, that she had not washed all over since she could remember, and she still refrained until put "under discipline." Finally she yielded, but in the evening was heard crying aloud from a seat on the top stair. The matron asked, "What is the matter?" and she replied, "Oh! oh! I've wet my skin and it's made me sick." This is a very extreme case of attachment to dirt, but it is interesting and marvellous to witness the changes in appearance, expression and manners, during a prolonged stay in school.
Besides general housework, the girls are given special instruction in cooking, nursing and care of health, under their experienced matron. They sew for an hour a day in classes, under the supervision of another lady who also instructs a class in cutting by model and dress-making, and sees that all the girls attend properly to their mending.
A Girls' Industrial Cottage has been started on a small scale, in which the girls will have the entire charge of household expenses and management. The little girls from round about are formed into sewing-bands and make commendable progress. Their mothers meet with one of the teachers on Saturday afternoons.
Underneath all these departments of training, it is sought to lay the great foundation principles of character. The Bible is a constantly used text-book in literally every department. We seek to give a "Thus saith the Lord," for everything that we inculcate, from order, punctuality and cleanliness, up to honesty, personal and social virtue, temperance, industry and benevolence.
There was a time when some distrust was manifest among the colored people for what they called "book religion." They wished to hold fast to "ole time 'ligion," and that sentiment is not entirely gone. We had a very zealous little neighbor, more aged than she looked, so bright and spry was she, whose husband was said to be over a hundred. She was a seer of visions and dreamer of dreams. What we thought a bad feature of her trances was, that she would sometimes speak in meeting of having seen Tougaloo University marching in a procession down to torment with our devoted matron and president at the head, their open Bibles in their hands. That was years ago. Now, when she sees our matron in her visions, it is up among the angels; and I believe the conviction is spreading that book religion, taken into the head, sinking down into the heart, and working out through the hands in deeds of active piety, is an excellent thing.
Besides our regular religious services, including our large and delightful Sabbath-school, we have various reformative and benevolent societies. Our temperance society carries the triple pledge at the front and saves many from the debasement of profanity, tobacco and ardent spirits in all their forms.
Our societies for social purity are designed to help in the cure of a terrible and terribly prevalent vice. The young men are taught, that while it would often be simply throwing life, with all its opportunities, away, for them to interpose by word or weapon in defense of weak and tempted womanhood, after all, man best defends woman by himself wearing the "White Cross" of manly virtue.
The girls are taught that woman's best defense is the "White Shield" of her own determined virtue and genuine modesty. The Y.M.C.A. and the Y.W.C.A. have interesting meetings conducted by themselves, with many committees for Christian work. A committee of girls goes out on Saturday to visit sick and aged ones, both giving and receiving good. Another looks after new scholars who are often confused by their strange surroundings, and homesick for a time.
Our Missionary Society studies both home and foreign fields, and gives freely of its little fund. Recently a flame of missionary zeal was kindled by letters from missionaries in Africa with whom a number of our students were personally somewhat acquainted, and a large portion of our Sunday-school collections was voted directly to them.
All our students sympathize with the Indians, and there are two societies of the younger scholars who help them. The outside sewing-bands too, devoted their very first quilt to the Rosebud Indian Mission. "The field is the world" and "the work is one, one!"
Now, I ask you, friends, should not such work as this be amply sustained? So much more could be accomplished if the funds and sympathy were not so stinted! "The destruction of the poor is their poverty." We do not believe in giving money outright to pauperize these young people, but the money must be there or they can not be taken into the household, and trained and fitted to do valiant service for Christ, and the nation and the world. There are manifold ways of helping, but I shall not mention one, for if any are moved to help—as many are and have been—it will be so easy to find out a way.
Mrs. Dinah Mulock Craik was prompted to write her last book—in behalf of North of Ireland sufferers—by hearing a rough carter in a London street, who had got down from his cart to help a timid child over a crowded crossing, and had been rallied upon his soft-heartedness, say, "O, aye! but a 'andful o' 'elp is wuth a cartload o' pity."
As I have visited institutions rich in buildings, books, scholarships, professorships and every appliance, I have been very far from wishing their abundance less, but I have said in my heart, ought not this and similar missionary schools to be endowed also for their work of broad beneficence, reaching not only the far South of our own land, but to the heart of the great dark continent with its two hundred millions of perishing souls?
THE SANTEE NORMAL TRAINING SCHOOL AND INDIAN MISSIONS.
BY MRS. CHAS. W. SHELTON.
Running Antelope, an Indian chief, describing the condition of the Indians, said: "There was once a beautiful, clear lake of water, full of fish. The fish were happy and content, had plenty to eat, and nothing to trouble them. One day a man came and threw in a lump of mud, which frightened the fishes much and disturbed the water. Another day a man came again, and threw in some more mud, and even again and again, until the water became so thick that the fish could not see at all; they were so blinded and so frightened that they ran against one another, and they ran their noses out of the water into the mud, where many of them died. In fact, they are in a bad condition, indeed. Now, the pond is the Indian country, the fishes are the Indians, the false treaties and promises of the white men are the lumps of mud," and, turning to the missionaries, he said: "I hope you have come to clear up the water." A glance at the work of the A.M.A. among the Indians will show that the missionaries are clearing up the water.
We all have heard of the Santee Normal Training School for Indians, in Nebraska. There is much in the name itself, and yet it is impossible to have a clear idea of the work done there unless one has seen for himself.
The Santee School is the largest of all the Indian mission schools under the A.M.A., and faithfully has she performed the part of a leader. The number of Indians gathered and instructed each year is in the neighborhood of 175. Many tribes are represented, and the students come from all directions. They are thoroughly trained from the very foundation, not only in the ordinary branches of school work, but also in housekeeping—sewing, cooking, washing, etc.,—on the part of the girls (in which, too, the boys join largely), and in farming, carpentry, blacksmithing and shoemaking, on the part of the boys.
Not only is this solid practical knowledge given them, but care and time is devoted toward grace and politeness, and all the foundation rules of etiquette. And this is not a thankless work. Anyone forming an idea of Indians from those at Santee would tell you they are naturally a most polite people—a people upon whom grace sits easily. There is many a little story of Santee I would like to tell, that would show the spirit which pervades the school. Something you may have read of their impromptu prayer-meetings, and the desire of many to work and study, not merely for themselves, but for their people.
But great as is the credit due the Indians for their advancement here, little could be seen of gain were it not that the corps of teachers sent out by the A.M.A. have been chosen, not from the lame, the halt and the blind of this country, not from those who for support must resort to something, but from those young women who are willing to leave homes of comfort and refinement, in order that their lives may be worth something in the world—young women who are consecrated beyond what we can even imagine until we have seen the difficulties and annoyances which form so large a part of their lives. Not for support would these women have gone into A.M.A. work, but cheerfully and gladly do they live on the very smallest possible salaries, that more may be done for the Indian.
In describing Santee I have described all the schools, for the same plan is carried out everywhere—the plan of Christianization; for that must needs come before civilization can be hoped for.
The Indian is not civilized who, forsaking his heathen gods, has learned the ways of the white man without knowing his God; for invariably he learns the vices and the crimes; and is in reality more of a heathen than before.
Many are the villages of Indians in which the white man's dance has been introduced and is enjoyed much more than the native dance; it is working much evil which is hard to uproot, for they say, "Is it not the white man's way?—it must needs be all right."
The work among the older people is of course more limited than that done in the schools. The age of study is with them past. The most intellectual work of which they are capable is learning to read the Bible; even this they cannot do in any other than the Dakota language. It is impossible to teach an old man English that will ever mean much to him. Our word "holy" could never mean what his own word "wakan" means; our word "God" could never take the place of his "Wakantanka." His brain would be so disturbed in his effort to learn and to comprehend our difficult language, that when he had mastered the words, were it possible, the sweet truth and the comfort would be all gone from him. Any but a scholar must read the Bible in his own language.
Thousands of Indians are learning Bible truths and are getting a little light in the few years left them. They are learning a little of the way of life, and receive the message with gladness. Spotted Bear, a Christian Indian, said at the recent convention at Santee: "All we know we have learned out of the Dakota Bible. Teach our children English, but don't take from them and us the means of reading our own Bible."
James Garvey, another Indian, said: "Many can soon learn to read the Dakota Bible; then they have a standard of morals and of interpretation; for to get the real meaning of the English Bible, we go to the Dakota. To make the best citizens you must Christianize the people, and to make them Christians you must give them the Bible in their own tongue. All of us have become white people through the gospel."
The little native churches of Dakota are most interesting illustrations of the work going on among the Indians. It would be impossible to find more attentive audiences. There is always an air of devotion, or of serious attention to all that pertains to the service, which we are not apt to find in our own churches. Men, women and children go; even the babies are always taken. There is a quiet freedom there which allows the Indian mothers to take the babies out and in again at any time, and the preacher is never disturbed. They sing as if they enjoyed singing—men and women together; and in fact the services are usually such as to give one a new zeal in holy things, even though we can understand few words.
Each Indian church has its missionary society, and its woman's society, which is also missionary. These have been working and giving for mission work further out among the Indians, and this year have pledged themselves to give to foreign missions. During the last year they have raised $1,084, of which the women raised $500. The prayer-meeting is as much an institution with them as with us—in fact, they live as we live and work as we work.
Ehnamani, pastor of the Santee church—a fine old man, whose history in connection with the Minnesota massacre of '62, and whose conversion and present work are well known—was once asked, "Do you ever have the least regret that the old life is gone—do you ever have any longing for the war and for the dance?" His face grew stern and hard as he answered, "Regret it! No, indeed! I cannot think of one good thing that I ever did in that life, and I cannot bear to remember it." Few are there yet like Ehnamani, though many are fast overtaking him, and a grand number of Christian workers would you see could they be gathered before you!
Many are the Indian hearts given back to God their Creator. Many are the Indian homes consecrated to the Wakantanka. Many are the Indian lives devoted to His service. And yet there are facts—there are overwhelming facts, sad enough to break the great, throbbing Christian heart of this country—facts that should make us cover our heads with shame.
Out of 40,000 Sioux Indians, there are 35,000 still in heathenism. There are sixty-six tribes on the Western prairies for whom nothing is yet done. There are 40,000 Indians of school age; but when every school is packed to its utmost only 12,000 can be accommodated. This includes Government schools, Roman Catholic schools, and all; so that those under mission teachers would be far less a number than 12,000.
And this is where the Indian work stands to-day. How can the A.M.A. do its share in this great work, or how can the work already begun be carried on, unless money is turned liberally into its treasury?
Shall the cry for help, coming 1,500 miles across the country, strike against a hard wall of indifference and be thrown back to mock the red man and to bid him wait yet longer?
THE DAKOTA MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
Its annual meeting was held in connection with the Dakota Conference, at the Santee Agency and in the dining-room of the Normal and Training School. There were two hundred Indian sisters present, besides the white lady teachers. They represented six mission stations and twice as many churches, each church having a wide awake woman's missionary society. After a hymn, the President, Mrs. Tasinasawin, led in prayer and read the first three verses of the 21st chapter of Luke, following it with a few words about that widow's mite, saying that it was not the amount given, but the spirit in which it was given. That was the important thing. The Indian women are able to give but little, but if they give willingly, as to the Lord, He will bless it. The minutes were then read, and a new president and secretary elected. Two candidates were put in nomination for each office. As the roll was called each woman arose and voted viva voce. Mrs. Brascaw was elected president, and Miss Mary C. Collins, secretary. I was delighted to see the cheery way in which these sisters-in-red did their voting. There were several sallies of laughter.
Then the delegates made each a report of the work done in their societies and how much money had been raised. One woman from the Brown Earth Colony said: "We are poor, but we are interested in the work and have done what we could. Mr. Williamson taught me to read, and when I was young he taught many others to read. Now I am nearly blind but still I have done what I could."
Another said: When the pastor's wife was well she had helped them very much and had taught them many things, but now she was sick and could not attend many of their meetings, but they worked on and did the best they could.
Another said: "The gospel was sent to us when we were in darkness, and now though we are few and scattered far apart, yet we are anxious to send the same gospel to those who have not yet heard of it, and to help those around us to love our Saviour and to love each other, and we give gladly of the little that we have. It is not in our own strength that we do this, but it is in God who helps us."
It was found that the women had raised this year over five hundred dollars. This goes into the treasury of the Dakota Society to help to sustain four native preachers, who are also teachers, out among the wild Indians. One of the services of the Sabbath, the great day of the feast, was to hear from those their own missionaries to the heathen. At that meeting I counted five hundred and thirty Christian Indians, who also partook of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. To help their treasury the women had a Fair for the sale of articles of handiwork. The most noted one was a quilt which had been made and sent in by Caroline To-tee-doo-ta-win (Scarlet House), of Brown Earth, now in her 97th year. She was one of the first three converts who were organized into a church in 1834, at Lac-qui-parle, Minn. Her husband had two wives, and she was the second. Finding upon conversion that polygamy was contrary to the ordinance of God she at once proposed to be put away. She had been a member of the Order of the Sacred Dance, but this she renounced, throwing away her "medicine sack," which by the medicine men was regarded as a high crime. This subjected her to divers persecutions, which she bore patiently. There were times when all were forbidden to attend worship at the mission. Then she took joyfully to the spoiling of her goods, the cutting up of her blanket, she received the Sabbath as God's day, and more than once remained behind her company when they travelled on that day, making it up on Monday. She learned from missionaries to spin and knit, and weave garments for herself and husband. At forty-five years of age she learned to read her Dakota Bible, and of her children she sent one to Ohio to learn the ways of Christian white people. She has adhered to the faith for these fifty-four years. With her quilt she sent the message that it was the last one she could make. It was bought by Miss N. Hunter, a teacher at the Yankton Agency, for four dollars, to be presented to Rev. Dr. Arthur Mitchell of the Presbyterian Board. It was this Miss Hunter who interpreted for me the addresses of the woman's meeting. Surely the Apostle Paul would say of these, "Help those women who labored with me in the Gospel." He who was so fond of naming the Christians who were "the first fruits of Achaia," would be very loving to this aged disciple, the first fruits of Dakota.
JOSEPH E. ROY.
A missionary from the South writes: "In speaking on prohibition I call attention to the fact that wherever there is a missionary school a majority of the colored people are Prohibitionists, and in alluding to places where local option has failed to banish the saloons because, as is alleged, 'the negroes voted the wet ticket,' I add, 'To the white citizens who make this complaint I would say, Oh, that ye had been wise! Oh, that during all the years that have elapsed since the war, instead of keeping out you had provided Christian teachers for these armed but untrained citizens, these dwellers within the gates, with whose fate your own is bound! Now would you have had able allies in this conflict with the powers of darkness, this struggle between the home and the saloon.'"