The total income for current expenses of these schools is $72,000. The attendance is 1,147, practically all of elementary grade. The total number of teachers is 26, of whom 13 are white and 13 colored; 21 are men and 5 are women. Some effort is made to teach secondary and theological subjects at the Greensboro school. The teachers devote practically all their time to academic instruction. There seems to be little effort to give instruction in gardening or simple industry.

The Lutheran work for Negroes was begun as early as 1879, and the board has expended considerable money and effort in the development of the schools.

Methodist Episcopal Church.—The Freedmen’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church owns and supervises 18 educational institutions for Negroes in the United States. All of these schools are rendering valuable educational service to their communities and all deserve the support and interest of the church. In addition to these institutions, credit must be given to this society for the organization of Meharry Medical College, now managed by an independent board of trustees and classified with that group.

A tabular view of the work of the Freedmen’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church is given herewith:

The annual income for current expenses of the 18 schools is $230,160, of which $105,835 is from the society. All of the schools have an annual income of $2,500 or over; two have incomes between $2,500 and $5,000; 12 between $5,000 and $15,000; three between $15,000 and $30,000; and one has an income of over $30,000. The total property valuation is $2,605,687, of which $1,824,778 is in the school plant and $742,874 in endowment. All of the schools have a property valuation in excess of $25,000, four have valuations between $25,000 and $50,000; five between $50,000 and $100,000; three between $100,000 and $150,000; three between $150,000 and $250,000; and three have valuations over $250,000.

The attendance on these schools is 5,059, of whom 3,263 are elementary, 1,600 secondary, and 196 collegiate. All but 2 of the schools have elementary pupils, all are maintaining secondary classes, and 8 are offering instruction in college subjects. The number of teachers is 266, of whom 65 are white and 201, or 75 per cent. are colored; 109 are men and 157, or 59 per cent., are women; and 191, or 72 per cent., are academic teachers.

The schools of the Freedmen’s Aid Society rank high in educational efficiency. Some of them are well known colleges for colored people. Claflin University, Orangeburg, South Carolina; Wiley University, Marshall, Texas; Rust College, Holly Springs, Mississippi; Walden University, Nashville, Tennessee; Morgan College, Baltimore, Maryland; Morristown Normal and Industrial College, Morristown, Tennessee; Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Arkansas; Bennett College, Greensboro, North Carolina; Samuel Houston College, Austin, Texas, and New Orleans University, New Orleans, Louisiana. Of these Wiley University, Walden University, Philander Smith College, Samuel Houston College and Bennett College are ably managed by colored presidents. Other institutions under this board are: Central Alabama Institute, Mason City, Alabama; Cookman Institute, Jacksonville, Florida; Gilbert Industrial Institute, Baldwin, Louisiana; Haven Institute, Meridian, Mississippi; George R. Smith College, Sedalia, Missouri, and Virginia Collegiate and Industrial Institute, Lynchburg, Virginia. In addition to these credit must be given to this society for the organization of Meharry Medical College, now managed by an independent board of trustees; for the maintenance and support of Gammon Theological Seminary, the best training school for colored ministers, and of the Sarah Goodridge Nurse Training School and Hospital at New Orleans, Louisiana. Princess Anne Academy which receives a portion of land-grant funds through the Federal Government is also supervised by the society.

The proportion of academic teachers is about the same as that in most of the denominational schools. The emphasis on the literary courses is marked. It is evidently unfortunate that this large denomination with 18 educational institutions should provide only three gardening teachers for the education of a people so largely rural. The percentage of men in the teaching force is above the average of church schools. This is probably explained by the fact that the proportion of colored teachers in these institutions is also above the average. The substitution of colored for white teachers in these institutions in the Freedmen’s Aid schools has evidently proceeded with considerable rapidity. The indications are that the change has been too rapid for the good of the schools. While democracy in education requires the recognition of the colored teachers, it is equally true that these schools need not only the financial aid of white people; but also their personal influence.

The Freedmen’s Aid Society was organized in 1866 “for the purpose of aiding the recently emancipated slaves and their children in securing the benefits of a good common school education, and such other educational preparation as was necessary to provide Christian ministers, physicians, school teachers, and industrial leaders for the race.” The colored members of the various branches of Methodism are next to the colored Baptists in number. The number of colored members in the Northern Methodist Church represented by the Freedmen’s Aid Society and the Woman’s Missionary Society is about 350,000. These members contribute about a fourth of the total sums collected by the Freedmen’s Aid Society for the education of colored people.

Of the many notable persons who have rendered valuable service to this society, only two or three of those who are now in the service can be mentioned here. Reference is made in the school sketches to the long years given by the presidents of Meharry Medical College, Claflin University, and Morristown Normal and Industrial College. To these should be added the name of Bishop W. P. Thirkield, whose wisdom and energy in the various important positions entrusted to him have contributed greatly not only to the work of this society, but also to the general welfare of the colored people.

The executive officers of the society at present, are two corresponding secretaries and a school inspector. These three officers supervise the schools and appeal to the white and colored churches for funds to support the institutions.

The purpose of the Freedmen’s Aid Society to continue its splendid work of education is revealed in the report of the commission recently appointed by the Society to study the schools, which among other things, said:

“We are persuaded that in spite of the better rural schools now being provided for the Negroes, in spite of some growth in normal school and high school accommodations, the work of the Freedmen’s Aid Society is still an urgent need of the South. So far from sounding any retreat, we of the church should make a great advance, provide a large endowment, give more adequate facilities, pay better salaries, and, in general, strengthen the institutions we have established. They are needed to train a Christian leadership for the colored race, and while they can touch but a few out of the negro millions, they can do, as they have already done, great things through these selected leaders.”

Woman’s Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.—The Woman’s Home Missionary Society owns and maintains 12 home schools for girls. Eight of them are connected with the various educational institutions of the Freedmen’s Aid Society. These homes usually provide home training for the girls at the larger schools of the Freedmen’s Aid Society. All of these homes are well managed. They are in charge of the best type of northern women and colored women, who have manifested unusual devotion and efficiency in their work. The important facts for these schools by States, are given below:

The total income for the current expenses of all the homes is $54,975, of which $38,502 is received from the Missionary Society. The value of all the property is $287,000. The total attendance is 1,572 girls, of whom 808 are in the homes not connected with the Freedmen’s Aid Society. The teachers and workers are 71 women, of whom 41 are white and 30 colored; 18 are academic and 42 are industrial teachers.

The names and locations of these homes are as follows: Adeline Smith Home, Little Rock, Alabama; Boylan Home, Jacksonville, Florida; Thayer Home, Atlanta, Georgia; Haven and Speedwell Home, Savannah, Georgia; Peck Home, New Orleans, Louisiana; Rust Home, Holly Springs, Mississippi; Kent Home, Greensboro, North Carolina; Allen Industrial Home and School, Asheville, North Carolina; Browning Industrial Home, Camden, South Carolina; New Jersey Home, Morristown, Tennessee; Eliza Dee Home, Austin, Texas, and King Industrial Home, Marshall, Texas.

The society began its work in 1881, when Thayer Home was built at Clark University, Atlanta, Georgia. The society is divided into “bureaus” consisting of a secretary and assistants who are white volunteer workers. “Each bureau has the responsibility in its own field of executing the plans and applying the funds as ordered by the general board of managers.” The central office is at Cincinnati, Ohio.

Presbyterian Board.—The Board of Missions for Freedmen of the Presbyterian Church owns and supervises 85 schools for colored people. Of these 32 are large important institutions. Through wise administration and fairly adequate equipment, they are meeting the needs of their communities or working successfully in that direction. Five of them are seminaries for colored girls. The educational work and general administration of these seminaries are excellent. They are among the best schools for colored people in the South. Two are boarding schools for young colored men, the others are boarding and day schools for boys and girls.

A summary table of these schools follows:

The total income for current expenses of the schools under the Freedmen’s Board, including Lincoln University, was $200,124. Of this $176,946 was spent in the 32 larger schools and $23,178 in the 53 smaller schools. According to income, 17 schools were under $2,500; 4 between $2,500 and $5,000; 9 between $5,000 and $15,000, and one between $15,000 and $30,000. Lincoln University has an income of $48,000.

The total value of property of the 31 schools directly under the board was $1,109,909, of which $1,038,729 was in the property of the larger schools and $71,180 in the property of the smaller schools. The inclusion of Lincoln University, would bring the property of the larger Presbyterian schools up to $2,151,321. On the basis of property valuation 14 schools were below $2,500; 5 between $10,000 and $25,000; 3 between $25,000 and $50,000; 8 between $50,000 and $100,000 and one over $30,000.

The attendance of all the schools under this board, including Lincoln University, was 8,915, of whom 7,833 were elementary pupils, 930 secondary, and 152 in college studies. Lincoln University had 130 students reported as of collegiate grade and Biddle University 22 in college subjects. The teachers and workers in these institutions are 423 in number of whom 84 are white and 339, or 80 per cent. are colored; 115 are men and 308, or 70 per cent., are women; and 373, or 88 per cent., are academic.

These percentages indicate that the schools under the Freedmen’s board have an usual proportion of colored teachers. As the secretary recently reported, “an overwhelming number of their workers belong to the colored race. There are only six white men in our employ.” White workers are now limited to the five girls’ seminaries and one other school. These comments do not refer to Lincoln University, whose teachers are with two exceptions white men.

The Presbyterian Church began work among Negroes as early as 1864. Two committees, with headquarters at Indianapolis and Philadelphia, were combined by the general assembly at Pittsburgh in 1865. In 1870 a committee doing similar work in New York was consolidated with the Pittsburgh committee. In 1882 this committee was incorporated under the present name of the board. The woman’s department of the board was organized in 1884. Through this department the women of the church rendered valuable aid to the schools.

The name and locations of the larger Presbyterian schools are given below:

Barber Memorial Seminary, Anniston, Alabama; Miller Memorial School, Birmingham, Alabama; Arkadelphia Academy, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Cotton Plant Academy, Cotton Plant, Arkansas; Boggs Academy, Keyesville, Georgia; Gillespie Normal Academy, Cordele, Georgia; Haines Institute, Augusta, Georgia; Hodge Academy, Washington, Georgia; McClelland Academy, Newman, Georgia; Seldon Normal and Industrial School, Brunswick, Georgia; Union Point Normal and Industrial School, Union Point, Georgia; Bowling Green Academy, Bowling Green, Kentucky; Free Memorial Institute, Camp Nelson, Kentucky; Mary Holmes Seminary, West Point, Mississippi; Albion Academy, Franklinton, North Carolina; Biddle University, Charlotte, North Carolina; Mary Potter Memorial School, Oxford, North Carolina; Scotia Seminary, Concord, North Carolina; Alice Lee Elliott Memorial School, Valliant, Oklahoma; Andrew Robertson Institute, Aiken, South Carolina; Brainerd Institute, Chester, South Carolina; Coulter Memorial School, Cheram, South Carolina; Goodwill Parochial School, Mayeville, South Carolina; Harbison College, Irmo, South Carolina; Kendall Institute, Sumter, South Carolina; Mayers Industrial School, Knoxville, Tennessee; Newton Normal School, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Swift Memorial School; Mary Allen Seminary, Crockett, Texas; Danville High and Industrial School, Danville, Virginia; Ingleside Seminary, Burkville, Virginia; Lincoln University, Lincoln, Pennsylvania.

Protestant Episcopal Boards.—The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church has general supervision of all of the Episcopal schools. The American Church Institute for Negroes, a subordinate organization to the society, was incorporated in 1906, for the purpose of assisting in the religious education of Negroes. Its first secretary was the Rev. Samuel H. Bishop, whose faithful service was ended by death in 1914. The Rev. Robert W. Patton, the secretary of the Fourth Provincial Synod, now gives partial time to the raising of funds and the supervision of the eight schools receiving aid from the institute. These schools are as follows:

• St. Augustine’s School, Raleigh, N. C.
• St. Paul’s Industrial School, Lawrenceville, Va.
• Bishop Payne Divinity School, Petersburg, Va.
• St. Athanasius’ School, Brunswick, Ga.
• Vicksburg School, Vicksburg, Miss.
• St. Mark’s School, Birmingham, Ala.
• St. Mary’s School, Columbia, S. C.
• Fort Valley School, Fort Valley, Ga.

The church, through the Missionary Society, appropriates about $50,000 annually for the education of Negroes in the United States. These gifts are made on the suggestion and advice of the bishops of the various dioceses. Appropriations for the larger institutions are sent directly to their treasurers. The small parochial schools are aided through the bishops of their diocese. These are frequently only little groups of children taught in the church. A state summary of the Episcopal schools follows:

The Episcopal Board of Missions and the American Church Institute give aid to 24 schools, of which 10 are large institutions. On the basis of income one of the large schools has an income under $2,500, five have incomes between $2,500 and $5,000, two between $5,000 and $15,000, and two over $15,000. These four are St. Augustine’s School in North Carolina; Fort Valley School, in Georgia; St. Paul’s School, and Bishop Payne Divinity School in Virginia.

The total income of these schools is $118,536, of which $109,181 is for the ten “larger” institutions and $9,345 is for the fourteen “less important” schools. The total value of property is $628,734, of which $604,543 is the property of the larger institutions, and $24,200 is the property of the smaller schools. The larger institutions have an endowment of $106,835.

The total attendance comprises 2,988 pupils, of which 2,720 are elementary and 268 secondary. The fifteen students at Bishop Payne Divinity School are preparing for the Episcopal ministry. About a thousand of the pupils reported were in attendance at the “smaller” schools. The total number of teachers and workers is 176, of whom 12 are white and 164 are colored; 58 are men and 118, or 67 per cent., are women; and 118, or 68 per cent., are teachers of academic subjects.

The proportion of colored workers is very large. Only St. Augustine’s and Bishop Payne Divinity School have any white officers or teachers. In addition to the scholars under the American Church Institute, the St. Michael’s School at Charlotte, North Carolina and the St. Phillip’s School, San Antonio, Texas, are among the important schools.

United Presbyterian Church.—The Board of Freedmen’s Missions of the United Presbyterian Church owns and maintains 15 schools for Negroes in the United States, of these eleven are rated as “more important,” and four as “less important.” While eleven schools are regarded as “important,” or essential parts of the educational activities of their community, the average income per school is only about six or seven thousand dollars a year. Knoxville College, with an income of $25,470, is the central institution of the system. The colored teachers of all these schools are largely prepared at Knoxville. The good work of this institution is seen in the high type of graduates who are employed in the smaller schools.

The total annual income for current expenses is $88,512, and the value of property is $455,600. The attendance is 2,870, of whom 2,470 are elementary, 370 secondary, and 30 collegiate. All the schools have elementary pupils, and seven schools maintain secondary classes. Only Knoxville College offers instruction of college grade. The total number of teachers is 166, of whom 44 are white and 122, or 73 per cent., are colored; 46 are men, and 120, or 72 per cent., women; and 108, or 65 per cent., are teachers of academic subjects.

The proportion of colored teachers is large; but, in view of the location and type of these schools, it is probable that the present division is necessary. Any increase in the proportion of colored teachers should be seriously questioned. It is suggested that the experience of other church boards should be consulted on this problem. The percentage of women teachers is above the average. The emphasis on industrial courses is somewhat more marked than in other church schools. The provision for instruction in gardening and agriculture is by no means sufficient, however, for the rural masses of the communities in which those schools are located.

Much of the success of the colored schools of the United Presbyterian Church is due to the ability and faithfulness of Dr. Witherspoon, whose long service forms a notable contribution to religious and educational work. In 1915 the Board of Freedmen’s Missions published the Fifty-fifth Annual Report of its activities. The time and consideration which this board of conscientious business men and ministers devote to the management of the affairs of the school under their care are....