of Central Congregational Church, New Orleans. It was an eloquent pres entation of some of the difficulties in the way of the advancement of the colored people and the essential requisites of progress. He said in part:

"The Afro-Americans are distinct from the people among whom they are scattered; separate from them in condition, education and race. We must work out our destiny for ourselves. And yet there is no bond which unites us as one people, no great history, no present mission, no pride of nationality, no dominant aspiration, no great leader.

"The advancement of our people requires individual effort under wise leadership. It cannot be brought about by any one person, or by any action external to ourselves. Nor can it be secured in a brief time. The elevation of races, like the making of coral reefs which afterwards become fruitful islands, requires long periods and the faithful labor of individuals. Though each one's contribution is scarcely perceptible, yet in the aggregate these minute additions constitute the magnificent result.

"The foundation for the uplifting of the race has been laid in educational institutions such as this. The world expects the young people who are now being educated to render faithful service in accordance with the opportunities they have enjoyed. Not only is individual effort necessary, there must be also united effort. Stand by your own people. Encourage them. Trade with them. Help them in every way possible. Then competent leadership is necessary. But we need not be troubled about this. Whenever in the past a great emergency has called for a great leader the right man has been ready for the place. For the best discharge of duty thorough preparation is necessary. Do not be in haste to leave school, and enter on a profession. Make the best preparation possible. Take time enough for it Do not be content with having it said, 'He does very well for a Negro.' to the world's standard of qualification Fit yourself to compete successfully with anybody in your chosen vocation. The advancement of our race demands from each one the thorough and faithful performance of small duties. Do your best in the little things of daily life. Be faithful in that which is least, so shall you be called to more important duties."

Measure up

After the address there were several impromptu speeches. President Johnson, of the Mary Holmes school, congratulated the students on the opportunities now open to them. He understood Tougaloo University to emphasize four things: First. The necessity of self-respect. Believe in yourselves and in your race. Second. The necessity of intellectual development. This is the secret of power. Third. It is a Christian school. Fourth. It believes in industrial training.

Col. Power, of the Clarion-Ledger, spoke of the fact that for about twenty years he had been a trustee or visitor of the University, and of his gratification to notice decided improvement from year to year. Major Millsaps emphasized the necessity of self respect and united effort. Judge Brame followed in a similar strain, and spoke of the disposition of the white people to

accord justice and opportunity to the colored. He alluded to the noble stand of Judge Chrisman and Gov. Stone in putting down the White Caps. Col Preston, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, spoke of the great demand for colored teachers of high qualifications, and urged attendance on the two summer normal institutes of a month each, which are to be provided for colored teachers from the Peabody Fund. Miss Dickey said a few words about her work for girls at Clinton, and Rev. Mr. Harris, of Meridian, in a few ringing sentences, urged the young people of his race to live for some high and noble end.

DORCHESTER ACADEMY, MCINTOSH, GA.

PROF. FRED. W. FOSTER.

Wednesday morning brought us around to "the beginning of the end." Nearly the entire day was devoted to the examination of the different classes in the work covered during the school year, and the result was very encouraging, especially when there is taken into consideration the long walks to and from school, hard work at home, and necessarily irregular attendance on the part of many. It indicated hard and faithful work on the part of the teachers and a good degree of effort by the pupils. Our visiting friends, patrons of the school, were much pleased at what they saw and heard, most remaining the entire day at this very busy season. At the close of the examinations, all adjourned to the church to witness an hour's performance by the children of the primary grade. The little people sang, delivered their speeches, marched; the girls went through a doll-drill and the little boys a flag-drill, very much to the delight of the auditors.

Interest reached high water mark on Thursday. This was the occasion of our annual prize contest in speaking, sixteen young men and women contending for two whole and two half-year scholarships. Perhaps the casual on-looker might have considered their efforts merely commonplace, but to one knowing their many drawbacks-native inaccuracy of speech, lack of all previous reading which would help them to comprehend the spirit of a fine selection, want of early training the success accomplished might be a cause of surprise. They knew their pieces, gestures were mainly graceful and appropriate, and stiff school-boyishness wanting. Good music by a carefully drilled choir of students added variety and interest. At the close some two hundred promotion cards gladdened the hearts of as many waiting children and young people

One sad event cast a gloom over what otherwise had been an occasion of unmixed enjoyment. While our exercises were in progress, one of our students, who won a leading prize at our last year's exercises, a young lady of earnest Christian character, whom, during the past two years we had all learned to respect and admire, was called to pass up higher, after an illness of but four days.

The results of our year's work are most encouraging-a largely increased enrollment, a better average attendance, better work in the classes, and a much greater number remaining to the end of the year. Our enrollment last year was three hundred and seventy-two, of whom forty-eight per cent. remained to the close. This year we had four hundred and five, and kept sixty-six per cent.-and in spite of the fact that this year has been the hardest year financially for this people for a long time. Are they not deserving the cordial sympathy and aid of those more favored? To us who are here, the situation is full of promise and the future of hope. We call upon our friends 66 at home to rejoice and labor with us.

BALLARD SCHOOL, MACON, GA.

MISS CARRIE E. BROWNE.

Pupils from all the grades took part in the entertainment which ushered in the closing exercises, and showed much careful training both in elocution. and music. The programme consisted of choruses, songs, recitations, essays, readings, an exercise with Indian clubs, a sunflower chorus in which the sunflowers sung their determination to mount higher and higher on Ballard's ladder, and some very pleasing exercises by the little ones. The order was perfect, the large audience pleased, and the treasury nearly thirty dollars better off at the evening's close.

Written and public examinations took up the week until Thursday noon, when the church doors were opened, and the school marched in by grades to listen to the reading of the list of promotions. The students had been very anxious during the week, and the words of one little girl probably expressed the mind of all, when she said to her teacher, "Do you think I'll be promoted? Oh! I do hope I shall, for I shall be ashamed to face my people if I'm not." One of the manifestly unsuccessful ones, in a pathetic little note to her teacher said, “I am glad and sorry too, that school is going to close. I am sorry that I have not studied as hard as I ought, and sorry that I have not been as good as I could be, but it is all too late now." The children listened to the reading with intense eagerness, and many of the successful ones found it hard to restrain their jubilation.

This was followed by the industrial exhibit Two large tables in Andover Hall were covered with specimens of fine needlework on aprons, tray cloths, infants' clothing, ladies' underwear, strips of buttonholes, and an infant's blanket exquisitely finished in pink and blue. The number of dresses hanging on the wall attested to the industry of the dressmaking class. During the year, one rich black silk dress, several handsome wool dresses, and a large number of cotton dresses have been made. One of the white ladies here who calls on us has asked to have a dress made in the sewing-school next year, as the work is so well done. To complete the attractiveness of the

room, pretty comforts covered the chairs on one side, and long strips of bright colored patchwork were hung to the walls, while bouquets of flowers were everywhere.

Fortunately, Rev. Mr. Gutterson, District Secretary at Boston, was with us for the closing day. Owing to the extension of the course, there were no graduates. The exercises were chiefly by the high school pupils, and were followed by an address from Dr. Sherrill, of Atlanta. Many appreciative things were said of the efforts of the students who took part, and one of the gentleman visitors said he had but to close his eyes to imagine himself at the commencement of a Northern college, for what he had heard here was equal in every way to what is usually given at such times in Northern institutions. Dr. Sherrill's address was especially directed to the middle class—the twotalent people and was intensely practical. After his response to the vote of thanks given at the close of this address, our principal announced her appointment to another field, and this was heard with heartfelt regret by those who have labored with her, and the pupils who have been helped by her. May God bless her, is our prayer.

And now, as I write, we are saddened by an event which has followed our closing day. A gentle young girl, a member of the boarding department, who has endeared herself to all by her kind thoughtfulness, has left us never to return. God has promoted her to his own school, where Jesus Christ will be her teacher; a teacher too, whom she has learned to love and follow since she has been with us during this school year. She was one of the great number who were gathered into the fold during the wondrous outpouring of the spirit which was vouchsafed us a few months since.

BREWER NORMAL SCHOOL, GREENWOOD, S. C.

REV. J. M. ROBINSON.

The work of the school has gone on quietly, but with gratifying results. The very poor cotton crops for the past two years, and the opening of the free school and two other independent schools, have operated to reduce the attendance. Nevertheless, the average of boarding pupils throughout the year has kept up well, and we close with a larger number of this class than in any previous year.

Commencement, which occurred on the 24th of May, was an occasion of great interest. The people came from far and near, by team and train, and the campus presented a very lively scene. The closing exercises were held in the evening, and drew a more than crowded house. Hundreds came and went away without being able to get within hearing distance. The musical parts rendered by the pupils showed that progress is being made in acquiring the science of music. The calisthenic drills excited great interest, being something entirely new to the people. The original papers presented

were of a high order, showing an increasing disposition and ability to grapple with the great questions of the day. They were much complimented by a number of the white gentlemen of the place who were present, and who indeed spoke in high praise of the entire exercises. A large number of former students were present, and both they and the students now in attendance expressed a determined purpose to come to the school next year, and to be present on the opening day.

Many instances might be given of the sacrifice that has been made. Parents have gone without bread that their sons and daughters might go to college." Cne incident will serve to illustrate the feeling of these people toward this educational work. A very intelligent old man, the grandfather of one of our girls, who rode in a mule wagon twenty-five miles ard back in the broiling South Carolina sun that he might see what the "children" were doing, could hardly contain himself for joy. A happier old man it would indeed be diff cult to find. As he gazed on the buildings and grounds, and listered to the exercises of the pupils, he would exclaim, "O, how beautiful, How beautiful! I never dreamed it was so fine.. Why, it must be just like heaven! I've never seen heaven, but this is as near it as I ever expect to get in this world." And his daughter, the mother of cur girl, would say, "Didn't I tell you so, father? Didn't I tell you what a fine place this is, and how manly these white folks is to us ?" These words tell the story. To these poor, despised and down-trodden, but rising people, the Christian school is "heaven," where they can receive "manly" treatment. Who will help to make it a larger, brighter and better heaven?

SALUDA, N. C.

MISS M. A. PARSONS.

Dame Nature had treated us so shabbily upon one or two former occasions of great moment to us, that it was a relief to find her on her best behavior as the morning of the 19th dawned. All day the sun shone upon us, and the moon beamed at night as though bent on participating in our good time.

By seven o'clock the room was crowded with an audience, appreciative as usual, and ready to stay till midnight, should the programme prove good. The room looked very attractive with its broad frieze of hemlock and flamecolored azalea ; and the festoors of crinkly mountain laurel, delicate pink, or pure white, indicated the reckless extravagance of the Old North State where flowers are in question.

And the programme- of course there was the usual number of recitations. The little ones brought out the old-time favorites, such as Kitty and Mcusie, and the Frogs at School, and received the warmest praise for their efforts. Then there were several choruses, solos ard instrumental pieces. for the