May 31st was a proud day for Gloucester County, Va., for not only was Hon. Frederick Douglass to give the annual address, but the new dormitory called "Douglass Hall" was to be used for the first time. With only the roof on and but partially covered, still the lower story had been temporarily floored and seated so that a thousand persons could be accommodated. Although the previous twenty-four hours had been dark and rainy the crowd had been gathering all the time—many of whom accompanied the Holly Grove Brass Band in early morning to escort Mr. Douglass and other visitors from the river to the school building.
After breakfast the school went on with its regular forenoon work, interesting the visitors, who also inspected the barn, the workshops and farm. By noon the campus and vicinity was a wonderful sight, while the outskirts reminded one of an old-fashioned general training in Connecticut, with its booths and tables. An official count of teams on the campus as reported to me was, 357 horse, 7 mule teams, and 1 ox team. Many of these had driven fifty or sixty miles, and generally carrying the fodder behind or tied under the wagons. There were from 1,500 to 2,000 people on the grounds and vicinity.
At 1:30 p.m., after a well prepared lunch for the trustees and invited guests, they were escorted by the school, headed by the band, to the new hall, which was soon filled to its utmost capacity. With excellent music by the school and band, followed by prayer, came not the least important part of the programme, the collection and pledges towards completing the building. Including the admission fee of twenty-five cents from outsiders, the money raised was over three hundred dollars, besides over eight hundred dollars in good pledges, of which two hundred and fifty dollars were
from Mr. Douglass and his relatives present. Then followed an address on "Self Help," by a young man graduate, and another by a young woman on "A New Picture," contrasting the present surroundings with the time when she first entered the school in its beginnings under Mr. Weaver, in a small log-house with one door and two windows. These addresses would have done credit to many older institutions.
Mr. Douglass then followed with his incomparable lecture on "Self-Made Men." One could but feel in seeing his magnificent physique and his manly bearing as he proceeded, that he was a most notable example of his subject, while to report his lecture, with its impromptu sallies of wit and wisdom, would be almost impossible. He instanced many men as illustrations and especially interested his audience with stories of personal interviews with Lincoln, Seward, Greeley, Stanton, Grant and others during and after the war.
But most thrilling was the story of a slave boy and his following him from his early years, his learning to read and write, his conversion and desire to become a preacher, praying for three or four years, every morning, noon and night, that God would set him free, and how that his prayers were not answered till he prayed with his heels. At about seventeen years he ran away, reaching Massachusetts, where he publicly told his story, till, hearing that the slave catchers were after him, he fled to England, where he lectured till his English friends purchased him from his late master for $750, when he returned to his native land and worked in the anti-slavery cause till by the war every bondman was free. He has since served his country as U.S. Minister to Hayti, U.S. Marshal at Washington, and in other positions of trust, and also tried to serve his race to the best of his ability. It needed not that he should further identify himself, but if so he could do it by the scars on his back and the "bill of sale" of himself in his pocket.
Mr. Douglass believed most heartily in Cappahosic, and has two very efficient granddaughters there, one at the head of the culinary department, and the other as teacher.
Short addresses followed by Rev, Mr. Spiller, of Hampton, Va., Mr. Lewis Douglass, and the editor of the Afro-American, Rev. M. Alexander, of Baltimore, Md. The writer told of, and is glad here to bear witness to, the noble, self-denying labors of Mr. and Mrs. Weaver and their corps of teachers and scholars during these struggling years, as also to the growing and earnest help of the people around them in sustaining the school to so large a degree. They appreciate most highly the fostering care and help of this Association, and hope that within a few years they may be able to take the entire pecuniary burdens upon themselves.
Mr. Holmes told of the breaking of the ground for the new building last winter, under very trying difficulties, with little to draw upon but their oft-proved Bank of Faith and Prayer, and of Mr. Weaver's coming
North for help, and his return, telling his wife he hardly ever felt so discouraged. She handed him a letter which came in his absence. On opening it, he exclaimed, "Bless the Lord! here is a check for $250." Reading the letter, he shouted, "Praise the Lord! it is $2,500," and he has been praising Him ever since and praying for more, for he needs about twice as much to complete and furnish the building, which is 70x46 feet, and three stories high.