This was the first time that I had ever heard anything
about any kind of school or college that was more pretentious than the
little coloured school in our town.
In the darkness of the mine I noiselessly crept as close as I
could to the two men who were talking. I heard one tell the other
that not only was the school established for the members of any race,
but the opportunities that it provided by which poor but worthy
students could work out all or a part of the cost of a board, and at
the same time be taught some trade or industry.
As they went on describing the school, it seemed to me that it
must be the greatest place on earth, and not even Heaven presented
more attractions for me at that time than did the Hampton Normal and
Agricultural Institute in Virginia, about which these men were
talking. I resolved at once to go to that school, although I had no
idea where it was, or how many miles away, or how I was going to reach
it; I remembered only that I was on fire constantly with one ambition,
and that was to go to Hampton. This thought was with me day and
night.
After hearing of the Hampton Institute, I continued to work for a
few months longer in the coal-mine. While at work there, I heard of a
vacant position in the household of General Lewis Ruffner, the owner
of the salt-furnace and coal-mine.
Pages:
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53