A Colored Girl’s Experience as a Teacher.
REBECCA A. MICHEL, MARION, ALA.
This little town contains about five hundred inhabitants. There are few colored people in Pikeville, but many live about it from one to three miles away. My school was not right in Pikeville, but just on the edge. The school-house was about eighteen by thirty. It is a frame house and has fourteen seats in it, all without backs except four of them.
My work for the year 1878 began the second week of June, the school being crowded from day to day. During the months of June, July, August, September and October, the number enrolled ran up to seventy-five. I heard from some of the citizens of that little town that the pupils attended the school more regularly than they were known to do before. I am glad to say that the greater portion of my school seemed to have a thirst for knowledge. Even the little ones worked earnestly in trying to prepare their lessons for the time when they should recite. My school opened each morning with singing, Scripture reading and prayer. At the close of the term every one could read, print, write and spell. Those who have been out in the dark regions to teach the people can sympathize with those of us who go into such places. They know something of the troubles that meet us. On the whole, the outlook is very hopeful.
The work of last summer was arduous, yet I went through it with the help of the Lord, seeing promises of most excellent results for the future. When I first went to Pikeville I found the people of both classes in a degraded and superstitious condition, and ignorance seemed to be the leading principle of the place. The Sabbath was regarded but by a very few of either class. Yet they were very anxious for an education, and tried in every way they could to make our schools comfortable and interesting. Their whole cry was, “Do all you can for us poor people who are in the dark, and are in so much need of an education.” I organized a Sunday-school, which I think was one of the most important parts of my work, to teach the people the word of God. I taught day and Sunday-school for five months, and had great success with both white and colored people. The white people were very kind to me. I had a long talk with some of them about the education of the colored people. They said if the colored man was educated they thought he would make a better citizen, and they were ready to do all they could in trying to help him toward an education.
My short but busy term closed with an examination and a good exhibition, well attended by white as well as colored people. All seemed perfectly satisfied with the work that I had done for them during the term. The white people gave me permission to have my exhibition in their academy, which held over two hundred persons.
I have come back to this lonely Sequatchie valley to stay with these people four or five months longer, in which time I hope to do much good for them. All welcome me back to my old home. They say: “The white people seem just as glad to have me back as the colored do.” Some of them stopped me on the street to shake hands with me, and to talk with me about coming to teach the young people manners and behavior.
One said: “I tell you, our young people do need education so much, and I am so glad you have come back to teach them.” Another said: “I knew you could not stay away from here.” I could speak of a good many more interesting facts, but time will not permit me to speak of them. I hope you will find this story interesting.