A brief sketch of his personal history may encourage some of the readers of the Missionary who are yet hesitating to give a favorable answer to our appeal. Mr. Richard J. Holloway was born in Abbeville, South Carolina, in 1857, and was a slave up to the close of the war. He brought to the University the following testimonial from his former master, dated Abbeville, S. C., Sept. 8, 1879;
“The bearer of this, Richard J. Holloway, is a young man who was born in my family. I have known him from his birth to the present time. He early exhibited a desire for knowledge, which he has pursued under great difficulties. Notwithstanding he has made considerable advance, his laudable desire seems to be unsatisfied, and he leaves this section of the country to avail himself of advantages offered elsewhere. So far as I know, his moral character is good. He is commended to the favorable regard of all to whom this may come.” The first year after the war, being a lad of nine years, Richard had the opportunity of attending a school in Abbeville for five or six months. After this he was under the necessity of working with his parents, but contrived to study by himself so that he made considerable progress. During the fall of 1875 he happened to see, upon the table of his minister, a circular which had been sent out from the school established by the Am. Miss. Assoc. at Greenwood, S. C., which was then, and is still, taught by that most faithful and zealous missionary laborer, Mr. Backenstose, of Geneva, N. Y. Noticing that the tuition was only fifty cents a month, there dawned upon him the possibility of realizing his long-cherished desire of securing a good education. Inspired by this thought he left home and hired out on a plantation to earn some money with which to go to Greenwood.
By working three months he earned money enough, so that by buying his food and doing his own cooking he was able to attend school about the same length of time. He then went to one of the upper counties of South Carolina and taught a private school for two months, after which he worked for two months in a cotton-gin near by, while remaining to collect the money for his teaching. Being compelled to use considerable of the money he had earned to help his parents, he again secured a public school for two months, at fifteen dollars a month, and boarded himself. He then went over into Georgia and taught a public school, for which he was fortunate enough to receive twenty-five dollars a month. He was then able to return to Greenwood, where he was again under the instruction of Mr. Backenstose for nearly three months. Under the advice of his teacher, he determined to get to Fisk University if possible and take a thorough course of study, but not succeeding in earning much money by his teaching during the spring and summer, he stopped for five months of last year at Biddle University at Charlotte, N. C. He then undertook teaching again, determined to earn what money he could during the spring and summer, and to get to Fisk University if possible at the opening of the next school year. He only succeeded, however, in getting a three months’ school in Georgia, for which he has only received payment in part. As soon as his school closed he started for Nashville and reached here on the 7th of October, just as the answer came from our friend in Illinois which told us what to do. Mr. Holloway is a member of the African Methodist church, and his desire evidently is to secure an education that he may use it in Christian work among his people.
We are confidently hoping that we shall receive similar answers enough to enable us to provide for at least a hundred such young men as this.
Health—Business—School—Church.
PROF. A. J. STEELE, MEMPHIS.
November 1st found Memphis dull, spiritless, and wearing a half deserted appearance, its streets strewn with autumn foliage and dry grass, so that the rustling of leaves beneath the feet was a more familiar sound than the rumbling of wagons or drays on most of the streets. Business men who had returned, in most cases without their families, wore a troubled and doubtful look. Many were discouraged and without hope for the future of the city, either as a business point or a place of residence. A few, like the boy in the dark, made a pretence of courage by “whistling.”
Although the Board of Health had declared the fever ended, there were still a few cases, with constant rumors of many more. After the cold spell of October 30, the weather became and continued unusually warm. Little or no cotton was being received, and orders for goods came not to waiting merchants. Laboring people returning to the city found no employment, and many suffered for the necessaries of life.
This state of things continued till the middle of November, when, after a few frosty nights, and with bright clear weather, the entire aspect of affairs changed, and rapidly took on a most hopeful and promising appearance. Cotton, the staple and life of business, began to come in rapidly, until before the end of November the daily receipts became the largest ever known at this point, placing Memphis as a primary cotton market scarcely second to New Orleans. With this revival of activity the empty talk of a hundred or so self-constituted newspaper correspondents and pretended scientists ceased to be heard on the corners and to be seen in the papers. The city authorities and a committee of citizens began a careful and thorough canvass of the city to ascertain its condition and needs. Under the advice of a committee of experts from the meeting of the American Sanitary Association held at Nashville, a system of sewerage and general sanitary reform was promptly adopted, and it is now expected that the Governor will convene the legislature to empower the city to make the needed changes. There is little doubt but that the hard and painful lessons of the past two seasons have finally been learned, and that at least another epidemic will not be invited next year by the criminal negligence of the authorities.