The Choctaw Freedmen Part 14

On Tuesday, February 16, 1886, the school was opened with seven pupils.

The opening exercises consisted in the reading of a chapter by the new teacher, the singing of a hymn and prayer by elder Henry Crittenden. The latter was profoundly impressed with the fact that, in the auspicious opening of the school that morning, the colored people of that section were realizing the answer to their oft repeated prayers, the fulfilment of their long delayed hopes.

The new teacher had never heard such a prayer in any school she ever attended. He thanked Our Heavenly Father, "That the prayers of his people were answered. In their bondage they had cried unto Him and He had heard their cry. In their ignorance and darkness they had asked for light and the light had come." He prayed for the teacher that "G.o.d would give her wisdom and enable her to be faithful." He prayed for the children and their parents that, "they might be able to see and appreciate what G.o.d had done for them," and for the school, "that it might abide with them and become an uplifting power to them and their children."

On the following Monday the number of the pupils had increased to fourteen. The chills were prevalent and frequently half the pupils would be seen huddling around the log fire in the chimney fireplace, and making a chattering noise with their teeth.

A BOARDING SCHOOL

On April 15, 1886, Miss Hartford began to live at the school building and some of the pupils brought their corn-meal so they might live "wid de teacher," and Oak Hill became a boarding school with an enrollment of 24 pupils.

At a prayer meeting of the women held soon after this event, it was decided to build a kitchen at the west end of the log house so "de chillen might have a place to bake and eat their corn bread." While they were building this kitchen a man who saw them said to Miss Hartford, "It makes the men feel mighty mean to see the women doing that work." She repeated to him the following words from the third verse of the fourth chapter of Paul's epistle to the Philippians: "I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labor with me in the gospel, whose names are in the book of life." The result was very gratifying. He got his team, hauled the rest of the materials and then helped them to complete it. This improvement increased the facilities and also the general interest in the school.

In September 1886 pupils began to arrive from distant places and whilst some of them were retained in the building others were located among the friends in the neighborhood. In February following, all the available room in the log house was occupied and the work of the school proving too great for one teacher, another one was requested. The inst.i.tution had now acquired the name, "Oak Hill Industrial School."

PRISCILLA G. HAYMAKER

In April 1887, Miss Priscilla G. Haymaker, of Newlonsburg, Westmoreland county, Pa., arrived to aid in the management of the school, and this event was the occasion for another thanksgiving on the part of the people. At a meeting then held they decided to build a house that could be used for a school house and chapel, using the materials in the Oak Hill school building of 1878. The men agreed to donate all the work they could, and, with ox teams, delivered the lumber in the old building. The Board gave $50.00 and Rev. John Edwards $25.00 towards the purchase of new lumber. It fell to the lot of Miss Hartford and Elder Henry Crittenden to pay some of the balances due on this building, and their contributions were remarkably large ones for those early days.

Miss Hartford, at the time this building was undertaken, was given special permission to solicit money to furnish the new school building, to fit up the "old log house" for a boarding house, and scholarships of $15.00 each. She went east and returning in August found the new building ready for the desks.

Miss Haymaker solicited and received the promise of a large bell that had been used by her father on the old farm at Newlonsburg, Pa., that the people might rejoice over the possession not merely of a chapel and school building, but one "wid a bell."

The time appointed for opening the fall term was now near at hand and yet the old log house was not ready for the boarders, that were expected soon to fill it, owing to the fact no workmen could be found to do the work. Miss Hartford and Miss Haymaker, with the help of a boy, made the bedsteads and tables with their own hands, the latter manifesting considerable skill in the use of the saw and hammer. On September 1st the boarders began to arrive and on the 15th, 60 pupils were enrolled of whom 36 were boarders. Every boarder was expected to bring 12 bushels of corn, and with scholarships of $15.00 each, there was no danger of starving. The girls were required to do the housework and the boys to provide the wood. Miss Haymaker was not used to roughing it and before the close of November she was compelled to return to her home, broken in health.

ANNA E. CAMPBELL

Miss Anna E. Campbell of Midway, Pa., who had previously been sent for, arrived at Oak Hill two days after the departure of Miss Haymaker, and with her the long expected bell, from the old home of the latter. The following Sabbath, the first one on which they were called together for worship by the clarion tones of the new bell, was another glad day for the people, and they extended to Miss Campbell a very cordial welcome, as the new a.s.sistant of Miss Hartford. She remained until the end of the term, June 15th, 1888.

Miss Campbell held temperance meetings every Sat.u.r.day and some objected to them, because "dey was teachin de risin generashun dat it was wrong to drink whiskey or use tobacco, while de Bible said it was good for de stomik." During this second term six of the pupils, repeated the Catechism and nine united with the church.

During the summer of 1888 Miss Hartford remained alone to take care of the homeless children, and maintain the Sunday school and prayer meeting. Other parents began to call and plead for room for their children. Believing the time had come when another and a larger building was necessary in order to receive them, she rode a long distance to confer with a carpenter, in regard to the erection and cost of a frame building for boarders. He arranged to call and make an estimate, but while she waited for him, her health began to fail. The exposures, burdens and privations proved too great for her, single handed and alone, and she felt constrained to return to her home. She was unable to return to Oak Hill and died at Richmond, Ohio, July 9, 1901. Miss Campbell was also unable to return and the school was left without a teacher.

XIII

EARLY REMINISCENCES

ELIZA HARTFORD.--PRISCILLA G. HAYMAKER.--ANNA E. CAMPBELL.--THE NIGHT SCHOOL.--HARDSHIPS AT OAK HILL.

"Books are keys to wisdom's treasures; Books are gates to lands of pleasure; Books are paths that upward lead; Books are friends. Come let us read."

The following reminiscences, gleaned from letters written by these three heroic young lady teachers, will be read with interest. They discover in their own language, their feelings of hopefulness and loyalty while coping with unexpected embarra.s.sments and unusual privations. Single handed and alone they penetrated the wilds of Indian Territory to a secluded spot, where they were a half day's ride from their nearest white friends, and thirty-five miles from the railway.

Holding aloft the Bible, the true standard of the cross, they rallied the ignorant and uncivilized natives appreciatingly around it, more worthily and long before our famous explorers decorated the North Pole with the American flag.

The mail was carried once a week from Clarksville to Wheelock, ten miles east, the nearest post office.

TEACHING ELIZABETH WASHING

At the end of her first year, March 19, 1887, when she was still working alone, having school, Sunday school, preaching and boarding house all in the old log house, Miss Hartford wrote to a friend, as follows:

"This ought to be a resting day for me, but I am always tired on Sat.u.r.day. This has been my wash day and I will give you my experience with a girl of fifteen, who is very ignorant about the simplest things relating to work. It is useless to tell Elizabeth how to do any work, unless one goes with her and shows her every change. Today I had her wash her own clothes by my side, while I washed mine, to show her how, and how speedily she ought to do her own work. The only way to succeed in having them work is to work with them."

"These poor Freedmen have a just claim on the church. They are far below their white brothers and sisters, but they are not to be blamed for it.

Slavery has made them so, and we must do something to lift them up. This however, will not be done by sending them to expensive schools, to make ladies and gentlemen of them, but where they will learn to work thoughtfully and be taught the pure religion of the Bible. The worst ones among them are very religious in their way."

A "FEELIN' MEETIN'"

"On last Sabbath we had an example of the way they like to do things.

Their old black preacher always preaches on the Sunday school lesson. He comes early to hear what I say and then 'enlarges on de subject in de afternoon.' I cannot tell you how hard it is sometimes to sit still and listen to the old man's explanations. Last Sabbath he dwelt a long time 'on de fact Rebecca was a shameful deceiver an dat Jacob was another one.'"

"In the afternoon, after two hours of preaching services he concluded, 'as it was still early in de day' they would sing a hymn and any who wished to jine de church could come 'for'ud and give us der hand.'"

"As soon as they started to sing, a woman fell in some sort of spell.

She was sitting near me on the same bench. Instantly it occurred to me they were getting up one of their 'feelin' meetin's', as they call them, and I was frightened half out of my wits. Fearing they would get to shouting and pounding each other, I ran out as fast as I could. There were about fifty of them packed in one little room sixteen feet square and I was up in front. It was one of the friendly tribe that shouted, and had I been wise, I would have known what was coming. My flight spoiled the meeting, but if you would appreciate my feelings just imagine you are alone in a small room with fifty darkies and fifteen or twenty of them commence shouting and breaking benches. I had a severe headache and have not felt well all week."

"After I ran out the people laughed and the poor woman recovered quite suddenly. By the time I was safe in my own room the meeting was dismissed. I was nervous and discouraged. I called the old preacher to my room and gave him a lecture. He said he did not believe in shouting and had no idea of any one doing so. I am afraid some of the shouting ones will be offended but I could not help it. It was the first time I have felt afraid since I came here."

"The school children think it was the 'best meetin' they were ever at.'

They say 'Miss Hartford did look so funny when she got scared.' I tell them they may laugh at me but not at the poor woman who shouted. I tell them that shouting and falling in fits is not religion, that the poor woman was probably a good christian, but her shouting and spells do not make her one."

"'Mamma says,' said one of them, 'that she first took religion wid one of them spells and dey allus' come when she gits happy.'"

"Poor things! I tell you this to show you in what a sad state they are.

They have had enough preaching to make them think they are religious, but have had no real Bible teaching, and there are ten thousand of them in this nation. The Board has concluded to send Miss Haymaker here and I am glad."

BOTHERSOME "BREDDERIN"

The Board talks about sending a new preacher here, I hope they will send a strong healthy consecrated white man. A sickly man has no business here. Common sense and grit are needed more than learning. It will be no easy task for a white preacher to manage these black Presbyterians. I suspect it will require more tact and will power to manage this set, than one of our city churches.

A half dozen old fellows claiming to be elders tried to run 'de Sunday School and de teacher' until I read to them a letter from Dr. Allen, secretary of the Board. Not one of them can read, but they take great pride in being elders.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MRS. M. E. CROWE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CARRIE E. CROWE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ANNA T. HUNTER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MARTHA HUNTER.]