Bishop
College Historically Black College
Second Building: Marston Hall was erected in 1881, and school opened the same year.
Bishop College Notes 1887 - 1888, The Baptist home mission monthly, Volumes 9-10
Bishop College. Marshall, TExas REV. S. W. CULVER, PRESIDENT. The sixth annual session of this institution commenced Oct. 1st. No change has been made in the teaching force since last year. The number in attendance during the fall term was greater than during the corresponding term of any previous year. The number in attendance thus far is 140. Of these fifty-six are preparing to teach and twenty-one studying for the ministry. Of the latter, eight have expressed a decided interest in African missions, and expect to hold themselves in readiness, if the way should open in that direction when they have completed their studies, to engage in that work. Much interest has been manifested in Bible study and in religious meetings, and three have professed conversion. Most of our advanced students, as they go out to their homes or to their summer employments, become active laborers in temperance and Sunday school work, and much good has been done through their efforts. Industrial work is fully organized in the girls' department, and, under the matron and lady teachers, is carried on successfully. A carpenter-shop and some tools have been procured for the use of the men. Two of the students have been employed in building a tower for the bell, which has been removed thither from the cupola on Marston Hall. It is the purpose to employ one of these students during the latter part of the session in instructing others in mechanical work. The school was never more prosperous than now, and is increasingly popular and influential. It has a faculty of six, one of whom is a colored graduate of the Institution. A valuable gift of books has been made the school from the Calvary Baptist Church, New York. A collection made by Mrs. A. S. Patton, of Plainfield, New Jersey, has also been given, and Ginn and Company have donated to the school their excellent series entitled, "Children's Classics"—in all increasing the library by nearly one hundred volumes. Efforts have been made toward industrial education, as our school is an industrial or manual labor school. Besides the instruction of the schoolroom, the boys and girls are taught to work. We attempt, as far as possible, 1. To teach them the manliness of labor. 2. To train them to fixed habits of work. 3. To educate them to the value of labor beyond the supplying of immediate wants. 4. To impress upon their minds a sense of responsibility for the faithful improvement of the lime during which they are employed. 5. To teach them to do their work in the most advantageous way. 6. To train them to secure the best results both as to quantity and quality of work done. Since the beginning of the school session, quite an advance, I think, has been made, especially in keeping tools in place and in faithfulness to work. One of the hindrances to making this department prominent, except in the direction of farm work, is the want of suitable appliances on the mission. The repairs now in progress on the buildings, however, have afforded opportunity to learn something of carpenter work under the direction of a practical mechanic. The boys seem to regard this as a privilege, and some show an aptitude for becoming, with suitable instruction, very good workmen. We think it desirable that there should be, in every school, an interest in temperance matters. We have temperance catechisms for text books, from which lessons are recited weekly. In connection with these recitations, short lectures or remarks are presented, illustrated with experiments, and interspersed with temperance songs. The year began under circumstances the most unfavorable to religious growth or to progress of any kind. The whole corps of teachers of last year, some of whom had been here almost since the Mission was established, had left, not one of them remaining. The pupils were naturally displeased at having teachers whom they had long learned to love, exchanged suddenly for total strangers for whom they had yet formed no attachment whatever. Now, however, the school seems to be in good running order. We are becoming better acquainted, and ties of mutual regard are, we trust, forming between teacher and pupil. Best of all, the Holy Spirit has begun to work in our midst. One new convert will be baptized next Sunday. Five more are seeking, and ten have been restored. The awakening and sustaining religious interest in the school is what we deem most important. It transcends all else because it includes all else. There is some interest among the pupils in Christianizing Africa. One, who was formerly a member of our school, but now gone to complete his studies in a higher institution of learning, purposes to enter upon this great field of labor. Another, now in our highest classes, and having one of the brightest minds in our schools, looks, also, to that darkened and needy but hopeful land as the scene of her life work. As to students designing to enter the ministry, we regard this a step to be taken with extreme caution. We believe that the standard of qualifications should be placed very high, and that the candidate should feel doubly certain that he has not himself chosen the work, but that God has called him to it. There are one or two who seem to feel it their duty to preach the Word. Others are weighing the question in the light of prayer.
President Culver of Bishop College Texas has been kept at Marshall all summer by severe illness of his son who at last accounts was convalescent
317 Bishop College, Marshall, Tex.—President Culver writes : "We have two more than were reported for October last year. I think the character of our students never stood higher than now, and, of course, the school is moving on pleasantly. I think I have reason to look for a prosperity not surpassed, perhaps not equalled, by that of any other year. We have, I think, the good will of both white and colored people, so far as the school is known, throughout Texas, Northern Louisiana, and Southern Arkansas. "I am saddened at the loss of our dear Brother Marston. His genial presence always brought sunshine when he came. He met me, when I first came here, as a brother, and as time went on our acquaintance ripenened into intimacy, and he was truly a brother beloved. He was wise in counsel, and an indefatigable worker in the Christian cause. No man living has done so much to put in operation those lines of activity, educational, moral, and religious, among the colored Baptists of the Southwest, which are now raising them to a higher and better civilization, as Dr. S. W. Marston. The amount of work he did here can hardly be understood by Northern people. Suffice it to say the influence of what he did will survive and continue past all possible calculation. Surely his works do follow him, and when the summons came to him to ' come up higher,' I have no doubt he listened to the approving words, ' Well done.' "
43 Bishop College.—Rev. S. W. Culver writes: " School opened for the winter term yesterday, and there came in a rush. We have to day somewhere between seventy and eighty boarders. Our theological class is not large yet, but is excellent in quality, consisting of some of the best ministers in the State. I have my theological and Bible classes in the forenoon, and the school hours are all taken up with class work in the afternoon. The new recitation room is not quite ready for use, but will be in a few days, and will be greatly needed."
49 The following teachers were appointed: At Bishop College Marshall Texas HH Culver
161 Obituary. Rev. S. W. Marston, D.D., died September 30, 1887, at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, after a lingering illness of about one year, at the age of sixty-one. He was a native of Maine, and spent the first thirty years of his life chiefly in New England. After holding various positions of honor and special responsibility, he was chosen by the Board in February, 1879, as General Superintendent of Missions among the colored people at the South. After acceptable service in this line of work, in 1881 he was made District Secre tary for the Southwest, with headquarters at St. Louis. He continued in this capacity until his death. He was directly instrumental in the establishment of Bishop College, Marshall, Texas, and in many other ways left his strong impress for good upon the colored people, who deeply lamented his loss. He was highly regarded both for his personal qualities and for his devotion to his work.
195 IN JUNE 1887The following teachers were appointed: At Bishop Baptist College, Marshall, Texas.—Rev. S. W. Culver, Pres.; Mrs. S. W. Culver; Miss Rose Fowler; Prof. F. D. Shaver; Mrs. M. A. C. Shaver.
273 The following teachers were appointed: Bishop College Marshall Texas Miss Kate Knight
309 The following teachers were appointed: Bishop College Marshall Texas Prof. David Abner, Jr.
The Baptist home mission monthly by American Baptist Home Mission Society - 1887
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