File:M. J. Sherman to Alice Mary Longfellow, 12 March 1890 (e6904896-3b50-4698-8f40-5fffd674d1ae).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1007.001/002.003-001#035

[printed letterhead: The Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute]
Hampton, Va., Mar. 12, 1890
My dear Miss Longfellow,
Many thanks for your kind letter which came to me a few days ago.
Enclosed please find Rebecca’s letter. She is repeating, and is doing pretty good work.
Miss Richards has explained about Culbertson, I think.
With many thanks for all your kindness to Hampton,
Very truly yours,
M. J. Sherman
[printed letter, verso]
Hampton, Va., February, 1890
To Contributors of Scholarship Gifts of Seventy Dollars.
Please find enclosed a letter of acknowledgment, original and uncorrected, from a student who has been assigned this year as your beneficiary, and who writes to express........ appreciation, and to give some account of ........... While free Tuition is thus provided, the student is responsible for board, books and clothes, the cost of which is chiefly worked out in the labor departments. Colored students earned last year on our farm and in our household industries and twelve workshops $48,308. 83. The earnings of Indians (whose board and clothing is provided by the government) are given them that they may learn the use of money, one half being kept until their return home.
The course of study begins with one year in the night school, except that apprentices to the trades spend all day from two to four years in the shops two years in the night school being about equivalent to one in day school, the work in the former being the most earnest and satisfactory, even after ten hours of toil.
The Junior Class, made up chiefly from the night school, is followed, by the Middle Class, which is sent out for one year's practice, to teach in the public free schools of this and other states. Then those who desire, enter as Seniors. The plan has, for years, worked admirably, bringing back a class of thoughtful students, who know their needs, and graduate far better qualified to teach than if their course of study had been unbroken.
Among the best workers we have sent out are those who have been backward in study, full grown on entering, poor spellers and writers, but faithful and steady. Dullness and character often go together; we are surest of the least brilliant—the plodders; while those of fine ability are not uncommon, and have made noble records among their people.
Many have to repeat their Junior or Middle year. The three year's course is too short for about one third of our students.
Unless a definite promise has been made, no one is considered as pledge ahead for a scholarship contribution.
No reply to this letter is expected, yet an answer would be greatly enjoyed. Much good has resulted from the relations established by these letters.
Since students, especially new comers, need several months' training in expression by language and writing, scholarship letters are not sent until February; and then that the work of sending over three hundred may be done with the least interruption to teaching and study, they are all, or nearly all, prepared and sent at once. Hence the response to a scholarship gift made any time after July 1st, the beginning of the fiscal year, is delayed for several months.
S. C. ARMSTRONG,
PRINCIPAL.

• 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)