Part 20
The extent and character of the educational work done by the white churches are emphatic evidence that these churches have recognized the great opportunity for service in behalf of a struggling people. They have given their money to build and maintain the schools, they have sent their sons and daughters to teach in them, and they have rendered a service to humanity that is destined to receive recognition.
The following table presents the more important facts concerning the schools under white denominational boards:
WHITE CHURCH BOARDS MAINTAINING SCHOOLS FOR COLORED PEOPLE.
────────────────┬───────┬──────────┬─────────────────┬──────────┬─────────── │Number │ │ │Income for│ Denominational │ of │ Counted │ │ Current │ Value of Boards │Schools│Attendance│ Teachers │ Expenses │ Property ────────────────┼───────┼──────────┼─────┬─────┬─────┼──────────┼─────────── │ │ │Total│White│Negr.│ │ ────────────────┼───────┼──────────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼──────────┼─────────── Total │ 354│ 51,529│2,562│1,069│1,493│$1,546,303│$13,822,451 ════════════════╪═══════╪══════════╪═════╪═════╪═════╪══════════╪═══════════ Baptist: │ │ │ │ │ │ │ American │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Home │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Missions │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Society │ 24│ 5,536│ 419│ 139│ 280│ 304,861│ 3,870,744 Women’s │ │ │ │ │ │ │ American │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Baptist │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Home │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Mission │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Society │ 1│ 125│ 14│ 11│ 3│ 7,746│ 16,500 Catholic Board │ │ │ │ │ │ │ of Missions │ 112│ 13,507│ 404│ 384│ 20│ 146,821│ 491,000 Christian │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Woman’s Board │ │ │ │ │ │ │ of Missions │ 5│ 440│ 37│ 15│ 22│ 29,910│ 184,602 Congregational │ │ │ │ │ │ │ American │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Missionary │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Association │ 29│ 6,922│ 383│ 212│ 171│ 235,764│ 1,733,589 Friends Society │ │ │ │ │ │ │ and other │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Friends │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Agencies │ 8│ 1,642│ 96│ 12│ 84│ 63,868│ 915,900 Lutheran Board │ │ │ │ │ │ │ for Colored │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Missions │ 9│ 1,147│ 26│ 13│ 13│ 18,319│ 72,000 Methodist: │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Freedman’s │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Aid │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Society │ 18│ 5,059│ 266│ 65│ 201│ 230,160│ 2,605,687 Women’s Home│ │ │ │ │ │ │ Missionary│ │ │ │ │ │ │ Society │ 12│ 808│ 71│ 41│ 30│ 42,975│ 309,500 Presbyterian │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Board of │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Missions for │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Freedmen │ 85│ 8,915│ 423│ 84│ 339│ 200,124│ 628,743 Protestant │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Episcopal │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Boards, │ │ │ │ │ │ │ American │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Church │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Institute, and│ │ │ │ │ │ │ the Domestic │ │ │ │ │ │ │ and Foreign │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Missionary │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Society │ 24│ 2,988│ 176│ 12│ 164│ 118,526│ 2,151,321 United │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Presbyterian │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Church Boards │ │ │ │ │ │ │ of Freedman’s │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Missions │ 15│ 2,870│ 166│ 44│ 122│ 88,512│ 455,600 Nine small │ │ │ │ │ │ │ church boards │ 12│ 1,570│ 81│ 37│ 44│ 58,717│ 387,265 ────────────────┴───────┴──────────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴──────────┴───────────
The total number of schools under the direction of white church boards is 354. The annual income for current expenses of these schools is one and a half million ($1,546,303). The value of property is almost fourteen millions ($13,822,421.)
The attendance on these institutions was 51,529, of whom 43,605 were elementary, 7,188 were secondary, and 736 were collegiate. The number of teachers and workers was 2,562, of whom 1,069 were white and 1,493, or 58 per cent. were colored. On the basis of sex, 714 are men and 1,848, or 70 per cent. are women. Classification according to character of work shows that 1,916, or 74 per cent. of the teachers are academic, 339 industrial, 31 agricultural, and 276 administrative. Comparison with other groups of schools indicates that those under white boards still retain a considerable fraction of white teachers, that the number of women teachers is rather larger than in other groups, and finally that the proportion of academic instructors is higher than in any group except those under the colored boards.
There are ten denominational groups which own and maintain a number of institutions for the education of colored people. Nine other denominations are supporting one or two schools each. Very few of the churches represented by either the larger or smaller of these boards have any considerable proportion of Negroes in their membership. There are other denominations, notably the Unitarians, who have contributed liberally to colored schools without any thought either of increasing their church membership or their control over these schools. The primary purpose of practically all of these organizations has been the education of the Negroes in America, and their preparation for life in a democracy.
In this connection, it is interesting to note the religious preference of the Negroes in the United States as compiled by the United States census of 1904. According to this census there were 3,685,097 Negroes in the various denominations. Of these 2,354,789 were enrolled by Baptists, 1,182,131 belonging to various branches of Methodism, and the remaining 148,177, hardly 4 per cent of the total, were distributed among the Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian, and Congregational denominations.
The larger denominations maintain central offices and one or more traveling secretaries whose duties include both the supervision of the schools and the appeal for funds to the supporting churches. This personal supervision, together with regular reports of both financial and educational activities, has developed economy and honesty in the use of funds and thoroughness in the school work.
_The American Baptist Home Mission Society._—The American Baptist Home Mission Society owns or supervises 24 educational institutions. All of these are large and important schools. These schools are effectively managed, and their general average of educational efficiency is very high. The following table shows the distribution of these schools by States:
AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY.
───────────┬───────┬──────────┬─────────────────┬──────────┬─────────── │Number │ │ │Income for│ │ of │ Counted │ │ Current │ Value of States │Schools│Attendance│ Teachers │ Expenses │ Property ───────────┼───────┼──────────┼─────┬─────┬─────┼──────────┼─────────── │ │ │Total│White│Negr.│ │ ───────────┼───────┼──────────┼─────┼─────┼─────┼──────────┼─────────── Total │ 24│ 5,536│ 419│ 139│ 280│ $304,861│ $3,870,744 ═══════════╪═══════╪══════════╪═════╪═════╪═════╪══════════╪═══════════ Alabama │ 1│ 268│ 21│ 1│ 20│ 9,479│ 83,000 Arkansas │ 1│ 313│ 18│ │ 18│ 15,109│ 90,000 Florida │ 1│ 404│ 18│ │ 18│ 8,070│ 80,158 Georgia │ 5│ 1,287│ 106│ 50│ 56│ 81,573│ 621,624 Kentucky │ 1│ 130│ 15│ 1│ 14│ 11,308│ 60,000 Louisiana │ 2│ 572│ 26│ 10│ 16│ 16,356│ 462,000 Mississippi│ 1│ 310│ 16│ │ 16│ 1,591│ 100,000 Missouri │ 1│ 66│ 11│ │ 11│ 4,486│ 20,000 North │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Carolina │ 3│ 419│ 46│ 14│ 32│ 41,051│ 433,251 South │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Carolina │ 1│ 507│ 30│ 18│ 12│ 21,384│ 635,744 Tennessee │ 2│ 242│ 31│ │ 31│ 9,942│ 117,500 Texas │ 1│ 371│ 22│ 12│ 10│ 19,247│ 314,935 Virginia │ 3│ 537│ 36│ 21│ 15│ 37,684│ 630,354 West │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Virginia │ 1│ 110│ 23│ 12│ 11│ 17,581│ 222,178 ───────────┴───────┴──────────┴─────┴─────┴─────┴──────────┴───────────
The annual income for current expense of the 24 schools is $304,861, of which $150,637 is received from the board. On the basis of income five of the schools have incomes between $1,500 and $5,000; ten between $5,000 and $15,000; six between $15,000 and $30,000; and twenty have incomes of over $30,000. The total property is valued at $3,870,744, of which about three and a third millions are in plant and almost half a million is in endowment. According to property, only one school has a valuation under $10,000; three schools have valuations between $10,000 and $25,000; four between $25,000 and $50,000; seven between $50,000 and $150,000; three between $150,000 and $250,000, and six over $250,000.
The attendance of these schools was 5,504, of whom 3,186 were elementary, 2,068 secondary, and 250 collegiate. All the schools maintain elementary classes, and all but two have secondary pupils. Seven of the institutions are offering instruction in college subjects. Two of the seven, however, had neither the equipment nor teachers to maintain college work. The number of teachers is 419, of whom 139 are white and 280, or 66 per cent. are colored; 148 are men and 271, or 65 per cent., are women; and 295, or 70 per cent., are academic teachers.
These percentages for the color, sex, and work of the teachers indicate that the Baptist Society is following an average course in the selection of its workers, and the arrangement of the school program. The high grade of colored officers and teachers now in charge of some of the Baptist Society schools indicates that the transfer from white to colored management has usually been made with considerable care. Of the 419 teachers and workers, only 42 are offering industrial courses and seven are teaching agriculture or gardening. For a people eighty per cent. rural, this proportion of agricultural teachers is evidently not adequate.
The history of the work of the American Baptist Home Mission Society in the south begins with the following resolution passed by its executive committee in 1862:
_Resolved_, That we recommend the society to take immediate steps to supply with Christian instruction by means of missionaries and teachers, the emancipated slaves—whether in the District of Columbia or in other places held by our forces—and also to inaugurate a system of operations for carrying the Gospel alike to free and bond throughout the whole southern section of our country, so fast and so far as the progress of our arms and the restoration of law and order shall open the way.
From that day to the present time the society has worked unceasingly for the education and religious development of the colored people. Some measure of the remarkable success achieved in these fifty years of service is given in the educational institutions described in this report. The efforts of the society have doubtless been strengthened by the consciousness of a certain responsibility for the colored Baptists, who constitute such a large proportion of the membership of all colored churches.
Most of the schools are well known. They number among their graduates some of the ablest leaders of the colored race. The most widely known schools are: Morehouse College and Spelman Seminary, Atlanta, Georgia; Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina; Virginia Union University, and Hartshorn Memorial College, Richmond, Virginia; Jackson College, Jackson, Mississippi; Arkansas Baptist College, Little Rock, Arkansas; Roger Williams University, Nashville, Tennessee; Storer College, Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia; and Selma University, Selma, Alabama.
The names of the men and women who gave many years of faithful service would constitute a list too long to be entered here. Two of those whose wisdom has directed the policies in recent years should be mentioned. Dr. H. L. Morehouse belongs to the past as well as to the present. He began as secretary of the society in 1879, and has continued until the present time. Dr. George Sale was superintendent of education for several years until his death in 1912. His influence on the educational methods of the institutions under his direction was a valuable contribution to the education of the colored people.
_The Woman’s Baptist Home Mission Society._—The Woman’s Baptist Home Mission Society owns and maintains Mather Academy, contributes liberally to the support of Spelman Seminary and Hartshorn College, and provides some aid for other schools. So far as the facts could be ascertained, the officers of the society supervise its contributions with considerable thoroughness, and it is to be desired that their activities in Negro education could be increased, especially in the education of colored girls.
_Roman Catholic Board._—In recent years the work of the Roman Catholic Church in developing schools and churches for colored people has been very marked. The various orders of the church now own 112 schools of which seven are rated by the Bureau of Education as large institutions. While most of the colored schools are small they are rendering a needed aid to the meagre public schools in the places in which they are located. The following table is a summary of these schools:
CATHOLIC BOARD OF MISSIONS.
────────────────────┬────────┬───────────┬─────────┬─────────┬───────── │ │ │ │ Income │ │ Number │ │ │ for │ │ of │ Counted │ │ Current │Value of States │Schools │Attendance │Teachers │Expenses │Property ────────────────────┼────────┼───────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Total │ 112│ 13,507│ 404│ $146,821│ $491,000 ════════════════════╪════════╪═══════════╪═════════╪═════════╪═════════ Alabama │ 9│ 885│ 25│ 13,064│ 25,000 Arkansas │ 3│ 253│ 13│ 4,230│ Delaware │ 1│ 80│ 18│ 23,000│ 75,000 Florida │ 7│ 663│ 17│ 3,330│ Georgia │ 7│ 1,170│ 23│ 4,840│ Kentucky │ 6│ 506│ 10│ 2,510│ Louisiana │ 25│ 3,142│ 83│ 18,304│ Maryland │ 4│ 888│ 20│ 5,650│ Mississippi │ 13│ 1,440│ 42│ 8,952│ 56,000 North Carolina │ 6│ 407│ 12│ 2,700│ Oklahoma │ 2│ 65│ 4│ 750│ South Carolina │ 3│ 366│ 10│ 2,500│ Tennessee │ 2│ 281│ 9│ 4,350│ Texas │ 6│ 617│ 17│ 3,640│ Virginia │ 7│ 847│ 52│ 31,075│ 335,000 Northern States │ 9│ 1,387│ 38│ 15,094│ District of Columbia│ 2│ 510│ 11│ 2,882│ ────────────────────┴────────┴───────────┴─────────┴─────────┴─────────
So far as they could be determined, the annual income for current expenses is about $150,000. The value of the property of the seven larger schools is about $500,000, of which $335,000 is in the two schools at Belmeed, Va. The total attendance is 13,507, of whom 13,443 are elementary and only 64 secondary. The number of teachers is 404, of whom the majority are white sisters of various Catholic orders. The proportion of teachers of simple industry is small and the number teaching gardening and agriculture is negligible.
The two largest Catholic schools are located at Rock Castle, Virginia. Both of these schools receive the greater part of their support from Mother Catherine Drexel, of Philadelphia and her family. These schools are the St. Emma Industrial and Agricultural College and the St. Francis de Sales Institute. The literary works of these schools is low; but the industrial work is of high order. Other large Catholic schools are: St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Montgomery, Alabama; St. Joseph’s Industrial School, Newcastle, Delaware; Holy Ghost Catholic School, Jackson, Mississippi; St. Joseph’s Parish School, Meridian, Mississippi, and St. Mary’s Commercial College, Vicksburg, Mississippi.
_The Christian Church._—The Christian Church began work among the colored people as soon as the Civil War was ended. The official body of the denomination is called The Christian Woman’s Board of Missions. The church had no organized plan until 1872, when a group of philanthropists formed a stock company to start a school in Mississippi. About 1890 the American Christian Missionary Society took over the property and work of the stock company. In 1900 all the property was finally transferred to the Woman’s Board. Through the efforts of this board the annual contributions have increased from $3,000 to $10,000, and four schools have been added to the one in Mississippi. A summary of the schools of this church is given herewith:
CHRISTIAN WOMAN’S BOARD OF MISSIONS.
────────────────────┬────────┬───────────┬─────────┬─────────┬───────── │ │ │ │ Income │ │ Number │ │ │ for │ │ of │ Counted │ │ Current │Value of States │Schools │Attendance │Teachers │Expenses │Property ────────────────────┼────────┼───────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Total │ 5│ 440│ 37│ $29,910│ $184,602 ────────────────────┼────────┼───────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Alabama │ 1│ 93│ 6│ 2,512│ 8,875 Mississippi │ 1│ 196│ 18│ 21,006│ 160,491 Tennessee │ 1│ 61│ 4│ 1,730│ 3,750 Texas │ 1│ 14│ 3│ 1,712│ 3,000 Virginia │ 1│ 76│ 6│ 2,950│ 8,485 ────────────────────┴────────┴───────────┴─────────┴─────────┴─────────
The Christian Woman’s Board maintains five schools, of which two are rated as “larger or more important.” The total income for current expenses is $29,910, of which $21,000 is for the Southern Christian Institute in Mississippi. The value of property is $184,602, of which $160,492 is also in the plant of the Southern Institute. The total income for current expenses is $29,910, of which $21,000 is for the Southern Christian Institute in Mississippi. The value of property is $184,602, of which $160,492 is also in the plant of the Southern Institute. The total attendance is 440, of whom 409 are elementary and 31 secondary. The number of teachers is 37, of whom 15 are white and 22 colored; 14 are men and 23 are women.
The general management of these schools is economical and the educational work is effective. This simplicity of organization and the genuine interest of the teachers are noteworthy. The other important school of this denomination is The Alabama Christian Institute, Lowndes County, Alabama.