The beautiful mountains and the same broad fields, made more beautiful by Freedom's touch, still stretch far, far away; the race-course is gone, but a little higher up the hillside is a road along which thousands of slaves have passed from the Carolinas and Virginia to the bottoms of the Mississippi, and the road now is a main street of Normal; four of the old slave cabins remain, one of which for three years served as the president's office and three repaired and occupied by teachers and their families; the great old gin-house, built of logs, where so many slaves trembled at the reckoning evening hour, now used as Normal's blacksmith shop, wheelwright shop, broom factory, mattress factory; the old log barn, repaired, and with additions, serving as Normal's laundry; the little saddle house whose framework is put together entirely with pegs instead of nails, now serves as barber shop; the carriage house, which has served as sewing room and printing office; and last the grand old residence of the "lord of the manor," partly of stone (walls three feet thick) and partly of wood covered with cedar shingles, under a heavy coating of moss, containing in all eight rooms. In this typical, hospitable Southern home, the great Andrew Jackson, once President of the United States, was entertained when he attended the races and bet his eagles on the trotters. This home is now the residence of the President of Normal who was himself a slave. The mutations of time!
ANTE-BELLUM HOME, NOW PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE.
The income is derived from the State of Alabama, U. S. Government (Morrill Fund), and charitable sources. This is steadily increasing every year.
Since the organization, the institution has sent forth 218 graduates from its various departments. Besides these graduates, there are hundreds of undergraduates doing great work among thousands of the Negro population of the country.
In the Literary Department of Normal there are six well organized schools or courses of study, to wit:
1. Normal or Professional School, with a course of three years.
2. Normal Preparatory School, two years.
3. Model School, four years.
4. Bible Training School, two years.