| 1866. | |
|---|---|
| Number of Schools | 975 |
| Number of Teachers | 1,405 |
| Number of Pupils | 90,778 |
| Disbursements for School Purposes. | |
| By the Bureau | $ 123,659 39 |
| By the Benevolent Associations | 82,200 00 |
| By the Freedmen | 18,500 00 |
| Total | $224,359 39 |
| 1867. | |
| Number of Schools | 1,839 |
| Number of Teachers | 2,087 |
| Number of Pupils | 111,442 |
| Disbursements for School Purposes. | |
| By the Bureau | $ 531,345 48 |
| By the Benevolent Associations | 65,087 01 |
| By the Freedmen | 17,200 00 |
| Total | $613,632 49 |
| 1868. | |
| Number of Schools | 1,831 |
| Number of Teachers | 2,295 |
| Number of Pupils | 104,327 |
| Disbursements for School Purposes. | |
| By the Bureau | $ 965,896 67 |
| By Benevolent Associations | 700,000 00 |
| By the Freedmen [est’d] | 360,000 00 |
| Total | $2,025,896 67 |
| 1869. | |
| Number of Schools | 2,118 |
| Number of Teachers | 2,455 |
| Number of Pupils | 114,522 |
| Disbursements for School Purposes. | |
| By the Bureau | $ 924,182 16 |
| By Benevolent Associations | 365,000 00 |
| By the Freedmen [est’d] | 190,000 00 |
| Total | $1,479,182 16 |
| 1870. | |
| Number of Schools | 2,677 |
| Number of Teachers | 3,300 |
| Number of Pupils | 149,581 |
| Disbursements for School Purposes. | |
| By the Bureau | $ 976,853 29 |
| By Benevolent Associations | 360,000 00 |
| By the Freedmen [est’d] | 200,000 00 |
| Total | $1,536,853 29 |
“It has been found impracticable to ascertain the amounts expended by the Freedmen’s Bureau for Howard and Fisk Universities and the schools at Hampton, Atlanta, and New Orleans, the items of expenditure for these schools not being separated in the reports from the gross expenditures for school purposes.”
A committee of investigation upon General Howard’s use of the Bureau for his pecuniary aggrandizement were divided in opinion, but a large majority exonerated him from censure and commended him for the excellent performance of difficult duties. An equally strong and unanimous verdict of approval was rendered by a Court of Inquiry, General Sherman presiding, which was convened under an Act of Congress, February 13, 1874.
V. It has been stated that the Bureau was authorized to act in coöperation with benevolent or religious societies in the education of the negroes. A number of these organizations had done good service before the establishment of the Bureau and continued their work afterwards. The teachers earliest in the field were from the American Missionary Association, Western Freedmen’s Aid Commission, American Baptist Home Mission Society, and the Society of Friends. After the surrender of Vicksburg and the occupation of Natchez, others were sent by the United Presbyterians, Reformed Presbyterians, United Brethren in Christ, Northwestern Freedmen’s Aid Commission, and the National Freedmen’s Aid Association. The first colored school in Vicksburg was started in 1863 by the United Brethren in the basement of a Methodist church.
The American Missionary Association was the chief body, apart from the Government, in the great enterprise of meeting the needs of the negroes. It did not relinquish its philanthropic work because army officers and the Federal Government were working along the same line. Up to 1866 its receipts were swollen by “the aid of the Free Will Baptists, the Wesleyans, the Congregationalists, and friends in Great Britain.” From Great Britain it is estimated that “a million of dollars in money and clothing were contributed through various channels for the freedmen.” The third decade of the Association, 1867–1876, was a marked era in its financial history. The Freedmen’s Bureau turned over a large sum, which could be expended only in buildings. A congressional report says that between December, 1866, and May, 1870, the Association received $243,753.22. Since the Association took on a more distinctive and separate denominational character, because of the withdrawal of other denominations into organizations of their own, it, along with its church work, has prosecuted, with unabated energy and marked success, its educational work among the negroes. It has now under its control or support—
| Chartered Institutions | 6 |
| Normal Schools | 29 |
| Common Schools | 43 |
| Totals. | |
|---|---|
| Schools | 78 |
| Instructors | 389 |
| Pupils | 12,609 |
| Pupils Classified. | |
| Theological | 47 |
| Collegiate | 57 |
| College Preparatory | 192 |
| Normal | 1,091 |
| Grammar | 2,378 |
| Intermediate | 3,692 |
| Primary | 5,152 |
Some of these schools are not specially for negroes. It would be unjust not to give the Association much credit for Atlanta University and for Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute, which are not included in the above recapitulation, as the latter stands easily first among all the institutions designed for negro development, both for influence and usefulness. During the war and for a time afterwards, the school work of the Association was necessarily primary and transitional, but it grew into larger proportions, with higher standards, and its normal and industrial work deserves special mention and commendation. From 1860 to October 1, 1893, its expenditures in the South for freedmen, directly and indirectly, including church extension as well as education, have been $11,610,000.
VI. In 1866 was organized “The Freedmen’s Aid and Southern Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.” Under that compact, powerful, well-disciplined, enthusiastic organization, more than $6,000,000 have been expended in the work of education of negroes. Dr. Hartzell said, before the World’s Congress in Chicago, that Wilberforce University, at Xenia, Ohio, was established in 1857 as a college for colored people, and “continues to be the chief educational centre of African Methodism in the United States.” He reports, as under various branches of Methodism, 65 institutions of learning for colored people, 388 teachers, 10,100 students, $1,905,150 of property, and $652,500 of endowment. Among these is Meharry Medical College of high standard and excellent discipline, with dental and pharmaceutical departments as well as medical. Near 200 students have been graduated. The School of Mechanic Arts in Central Tennessee College, under the management of Professor Sedgwick, has a fine outfit, and has turned out telescopes and other instruments, which command a ready and remunerative market in this and other countries.
VII. On April 16, 1862, slavery was abolished in the District of Columbia. By November, 13,000 refugees had collected at Washington, Alexandria, Hampton, and Norfolk. Under an unparalleled exigency, instant action was necessary. The lack of educational privileges led Christian societies to engage in educational work, at least in the rudiments of learning, for the benefit of these people, who were eager to be instructed. Even where education had not previously been a part of the functions of certain organizations, the imperative need of the liberated left no option as to duty. With the assistance of the Baptist Free Mission Society and of the Baptist Home Mission Society, schools were established in Alexandria as early as January 1, 1862, and were multiplied through succeeding years. After Appomattox, the Baptist Home Mission Society was formally and deliberately committed to the education of the blacks, giving itself largely to the training of teachers and preachers. In May, 1892, the Society had, under its management, 24 schools with 216 instructors, 4,861 pupils, of whom 1,756 were preparing to teach, school property worth $750,000 and endowment funds of $156,000. Probably, not less than 50,000 have attended the various schools. Since 1860, $2,451,859.65 have been expended for the benefit of the negroes. The Superintendent of Education says: “The aggregate amount appropriated for the salaries of teachers from the time the Society commenced its work until January, 1883, was:—District of Columbia, $59,243.57; Virginia, $65,254.44; North Carolina, $41,788.90; South Carolina, $29,683.71; Florida, $3,164.16; Georgia, $26,963.21; Alabama, $4,960.37; Mississippi, $6,611.05; Louisiana, $39,168.25; Texas, $2,272.18; Arkansas, $150; Tennessee, $57,898.86; Kentucky, $1,092.54; Missouri, $300. The following gives the aggregate amount appropriated for teachers and for all other purposes such as land, buildings, etc., from January, 1883, to January, 1893:—District of Columbia, $103,110.01; Virginia, $193,974.08; North Carolina, $142,861.95; South Carolina, $137,157.79; Florida, $55,923.96; Georgia, $314,061.48; Alabama, $35,405.86; Mississippi, $86,019.70; Louisiana, $33,720.93; Texas, $131,225.27; Arkansas, $13,206.20; Tennessee, $164,514.05; Kentucky, $49,798.56; Missouri, $6,543.13. Until January, 1883, the appropriations for teachers and for lands, buildings, etc., were kept as separate items. I have already given the appropriations for the teachers up to that date. For grounds and buildings, $421,119.50 were appropriated.” In connection with the Spelman Seminary and the Male School in Atlanta, there has been established, under intelligent and discriminating rules, a first class training department for teachers. A new commodious structure well adapted to the purpose, costing $55,000, was opened in December. At Spelman there is an admirable training school for nurses, where the pupils have hospital practice. Shaw University at Raleigh has the flourishing Leonard Medical School and a well equipped pharmacy.