Evidences of Progress Among Colored People

by G. F. Richings

Franklinton Christian College is situated in Franklinton, Franklin County, North Carolina, on the Seaboard Air-Line Railroad, twenty-seven miles northeast from the city of Raleigh. The college buildings are on high ground, which is well drained; and there is a grove of beautiful oak trees on the campus, which, with other immediate surroundings, makes the location one of special attraction.

The college entered on its mission of education in 1878 as a common school. Professor Henry E. Long was placed in charge, and the interest taken in the new movement by the colored people was so general that an assistant teacher was employed to aid Professor Long in his work. In 1880 Rev. George Young, of Carlisle, New York, was appointed principal of the school, under the direction of Rev. J. P. Watson, D. D., who was at that time Secretary of the Children's Mission. It was during the first year of Professor Young's administration of the school that the college building was erected and the school formally opened under the name, "The Franklinton Theological and Literary Institute." The institute remained under the supervision of the Secretary of Missions until the meeting of the American Christian Convention in 1886. The convention at that meeting received the institute to its care, and appointed a board of control to take direct supervision of its work and interests. The Board of Control obtained a charter for the institute in 1890, and its name was changed to Franklinton Christian College. In this, its corporate name, the college has authority to give diplomas and confer degrees. It may be said of the college that its work has from the first been progressive in character. Its constant aim has been to assist the student to high moral and intellectual attainments.

In addition to the regular course of studies taught they have some industrial work in the way of sewing and fancy work for the girls, and it is hoped that this department will soon be extended to include all that is essential to good housekeeping and home decoration. Rev. Zenas A. Poste is president, and is assisted by five other teachers.

THE LOUISVILLE CHRISTIAN BIBLE SCHOOL

Is a missionary school, inaugurated by the General Christian Missionary Convention, now the American Christian Missionary Society: Headquarters, Cincinnati, Ohio, and under the immediate supervision of the Board of Negro Education and Evangelization: Headquarters, Louisville, Kentucky.

While it is not the present purpose of the school to maintain classes in those branches of study which do not properly constitute part of a theological course in English; yet, to meet the needs of such students as have not had the advantage of proper instruction in the subjects of Course I, classes will be maintained, continuously in a number of them, and in others will be formed from time to time as the necessity may arise.

The purpose of the school is to do what it can in supplying one of the greatest needs of the colored people of this county, namely, preachers and other religious workers of their own race, who shall be deeply imbued with the knowledge and spirit of the Word of God. In doing this work it is not the aim of the school to give extended courses of instruction in anything save in the English Scriptures. These it proposes to teach as thoroughly as possible to colored candidates for the ministry, whether, in the common use of the terms, such candidates be educated or uneducated.

Adoniram Judson Thomson, A. M., is principal. He impressed me as a very fine man, who is much interested in the elevation of the colored people. Prof. Thomson is assisted by Prof. Octavius Singleton, B. L., who is a very able young man and a credit to the race.

THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE.

The plantation upon which the Southern Christian Institute is located contains eight hundred acres of land, being a mile and a quarter long by a mile wide. It is located on the Big Black River, on the direct road between Jackson and Vicksburg, being twenty-five miles from the former and eighteen miles from the latter. It is two miles from Edwards, which is its postoffice. The name of the plantation is Mount Beulah. The Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad passes directly through the plantation, in which there is a flag station. It is only six miles from the famous battlefield of Champion Hill, and Pemberton's soldiers retreated directly across it; and the battle of the "Big Black" was fought partly upon it. The east end of the plantation is rolling, containing most of the timber and all the buildings connected with the institution: the old plantation building, to which has been added the dining-room, kitchen and office, and a girls' dormitory; a separate building for schoolhouse and boys' dormitory; a barn and eight cabins, six of which are located at this end of the plantation. The timber is nearly all of the hard-wood variety, such as oak, hickory, sweet gum, beech, etc. All rough-bark trees are covered with long festoons of Spanish moss. This part of the plantation has a beautiful situation on a bluff, which rises about fifty feet from the river. The western part of the plantation, containing about five hundred acres, is level, but is located in what is called the second river bottom, and hence is never overflowed.