File:Kate V. Hunter to Alice Mary Longfellow, 23 October 1895 (6ee1e1c8-2da6-41ce-a901-4b4c81bea72a).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1007.001/002.003-001#052

[printed letterhead: The Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute]
[endorsed: “Ans.”]
Hampton, Va., Oct. 23, 1895.
Miss Alice Longfellow,
My dear kind Friend,--
Now that I am writing you this letter, I am glad to say that I came back at Hampton again. Through my year out teaching has been of great benefit to me. I feel a great deal stronger. I have come back with a will to accomplish as much as I possibly can during this term. I was glad to meet with my classmates, school mates and teachers when I got back.
[p. 2] I told you about my school in my other letter, all that was of any importance. I completed a term of five months. The patrons seemed to be very well pleased, and some said that they would like to have me back again. I had a very full school the whole term. During the term, I had about sixty-five or more enrolled, but I never had more than thirty-five in school at once. The school-house was a very neat little frame building. It had been built about three years I think. I had a great many large girls and boys during [p. 3] the very cold weather. The days in which they could not work they chose to come to school. I think I taught the younger ones the most though because they came more regularly. The pupils of that school were not far advanced in their studies. I taught reading, writing, spelling, geography, grammar, arithmetic and a little physiology.
Before I opened my school, I was afraid that I could not manage and conduct a school all alone, but I ventured and said that I [p. 4] will try if I fail. Through mercies of the Lord I came out successful. There did come some dark days though, and I felt that I did not know whether I should be able to complete the term or not. By having gone out, I have seen the needs of my people. I know that I am weak, but I think that what I have received here at to Hampton have made me able to help them some.
The colored people in that vicinity live principally by farming. They raise a great deal of tobacco. I visited several of my scholars, and with the exception of a few, they live in log houses. They had [p. 5] these very clean and neat though. A very few of them have their own homes.
They told me when I went there that they only kept Sunday School during the summer. I got them to carry on the Sunday School then during the winter also. We had a very bright Sunday School. Their mothers and fathers came out also. They had preaching there just once a month so we used to carry on prayer meeting every first and third Sunday afternoons.
I think that I had better say where this place is. It is at Naruma, Va. [p. 6] It is twenty-five miles from Lynchburg on the Lynchburg and Durham railroad. My home is twenty-one miles above there nearer Lynchburg. This school has never been taught by a Hampton student or graduate.
When my school ended, I stayed at home about two weeks, and then I went to West Philadelphia to work for Mrs. S. C. Wells. While being there, I helped to wash an iron, did chamber work, nursed and cooked dinner twice every other week. I was glad when the first of October came when I should return to Hampton.
Now I shall have to close. I am [p. 7] very thankful to you for what you have done for me.
I am yours very gratefully,
Kate Hunter.

• Keywords: long archives; document; alice m. longfellow papers (long 16173); education; hampton institute; correspondence; Manuscripts (1007.001); (LONG-Subcollection); Correspondence (1007.001/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Scholarship Student Correspondence (1007.001/002.003); (LONG-SubseriesName); Letters to Alice Longfellow (1007.001/002.003-001); (LONG-FileUnitName)