The more books, the larger they were, and the
longer the titles printed upon them, the better pleased the students
and their parents seemed to be.
I gave little heed to these protests, except that I lost no
opportunity to go into as many parts of the state as I could, for the
purpose of speaking to the parents, and showing them the value of
industrial education. Besides, I talked to the students constantly on
the subject. Notwithstanding the unpopularity of industrial work, the
school continued to increase in numbers to such an extent that by the
middle of the second year there was an attendance of about one hundred
and fifty, representing almost all parts of the state of Alabama, and
including a few from other states.
In the summer of 1882 Miss Davidson and I both went North and
engaged in the work of raising funds for the completion of our new
building. On my way North I stopped in New York to try to get a
letter of recommendation from an officer of a missionary organization
who had become somewhat acquainted with me a few years previous. This
man not only refused to give me the letter, but advised me most
earnestly to go back home at once, and not make any attempt to get
money, for he was quite sure that I would never get more than enough
to pay my travelling expenses.
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