Mackie, the lady principal, asking me to return to
Hampton two weeks before the opening of the school, in order that I
might assist her in cleaning the buildings and getting things in order
for the new school year. This was just the opportunity I wanted. It
gave me a chance to secure a credit in the treasurer's office. I
started for Hampton at once.
During these two weeks I was taught a lesson which I shall never
forget. Miss Mackie was a member of one of the oldest and most
cultured families of the North, and yet for two weeks she worked by my
side cleaning windows, dusting rooms, putting beds in order, and what
not. She felt that things would not be in condition for the opening
of school unless every window-pane was perfectly clean, and she took
the greatest satisfaction in helping to clean them herself. The work
which I have described she did every year that I was at Hampton.
It was hard for me at this time to understand how a woman of her
education and social standing could take such delight in performing
such service, in order to assist in the elevation of an unfortunate
race. Ever since then I have had no patience with any school for my
race in the South which did not teach its students the dignity of
labour.
During my last year at Hampton every minute of my time that was
not occupied with my duties as janitor was devoted to hard study.
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