I was the only teacher. The students were about
equally divided between the sexes. Most of them lived in Macon
County, the county in which Tuskegee is situated, and of which it is
the county-seat. A great many more students wanted to enter the
school, but it had been decided to receive only those who were above
fifteen years of age, and who had previously received some education.
The greater part of the thirty were public-school teachers, and some
of them were nearly forty years of age. With the teachers came some
of their former pupils, and when they were examined it was amusing to
note that in several cases the pupil entered a higher class than did
his former teacher. It was also interesting to note how many big
books some of them had studied, and how many high-sounding subjects
some of them claimed to have mastered. The bigger the book and the
longer the name of the subject, the prouder they felt of their
accomplishment. Some had studied Latin, and one or two Greek. This
they thought entitled them to special distinction.
In fact, one of the saddest things I saw during the month of
travel which I have described was a young man, who had attended some
high school, sitting down in a one-room cabin, with grease on his
clothing, filth all around him, and weeks in the yard and garden,
engaged in studying a French grammar.
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