| Huston-Tillotson
University Historically Black College
1891
TEN YEARS IN TEXAS. MIRS MARTHA J. ADAMS. How vividly do I recall the bright morning of October ist, 1880, when, wearied with a long journey over the roughest of railroads, I made my first entrance into the capital city of the '' Lone Star State." Here I was " Way down in Texas, a land of cow boys and six shooters," also a land to love for its sunny skies, its balmy breezes, its brisk Northers and its warmhearted people. My coming had been hastened that I might be in time for the opening of the new school at Tillotson Institute, for which the five story brick building was promised to be in complete readiness ; judge, then, of the surprise to my Yankee ideas of promptness to find huge piles of sand and barrels of lime representing the plastering, and other things in like condition. But my three months of waiting were not lost time, but were spent largely in becoming personally acquainted with the people. I never tired sitting in the cabin of some old aunty, as she told me the story of her slave life. There was "ole aunt Milly " the first negro woman in Austin, who used to thrill me with stories of those early days ; " Aunt Delilah " would tell me of her joy when she put into her master's hand Is 1,500 in gold, her own earnings, and she became a free woman: Dear old saints ; shall we meet beyond the river ? Tillotson Institute was opened in January, 1881, and for ten years has gone steadily forward in its beneficent work of Christian education of the young men and young women of Texas. Being the youngest of the chartered institutions of the American Missionary Association, and so far away, it has not been as often or as prominently before the public as the older and more central institutions, neither has it been as often the recipient of gifts from those whose hearts and purses are open towards this work ; but it is not one whit behind the others in the character of the work done, or in the ability and consecration of its devoted workers. With its two hundred students packed into its first and only building— for home, school, church, domestic and industrial purposes—it is crowded to suffocation almost, in sleeping, dining and school rooms. Some of our girls are compelled to go to neighboring houses to sleep, while two of our brave lady teachers occupy the rude unfinished upper story of the industrial shop. Does not this show the imperative need of additional buildings ? Tillotson has reason to rejoice in the superior class of young people that enter its walls, and in the record of those who go out from them, as principals of schools, teachers, physicians, clerks in the post office—successful in business and trades. One boy who entered here the first day of the school, and continued to complete the studies of the freshman class in college, is now a junior at Williams College, and Tillotson is proud to know that he is one of the five selected from the junior class for the prize-speaking contest at next commencement time at Williams College. Do you ask, " In what has been the greatest apparent improvement of this people during these ten years ?" Well, for all these years I have gone freely in and out of their homes, always kindly welcomed as a trusted friend, have known much of their home life, of their patient burden-bearing—as if that was the work of life—of the still bitter fruitage of slavery darkening their homes, of the looseness of the family relation, of the lack of wise parental discipline, the multitude of boys lounging in ignorance, idleness, and crime, of the debased lives of girls, who seem never to have had any pure womanly influences come into their lives, yet with all this dark picture, I answer unhesitatingly : The greatest apparent improvement is first in moral character, aud secondly in home life. There is a surprising increase in the number of homes of their own ; then in the greater number of separate rooms, in the tasteful adornings of the home, the greater sacredness of the marriage bond, the better treatment of the women, and the greater intelligence of the women—also, in Christian character and principle in their daily living. An earnest Christian young man, who is doing grand work as an educator for his people, said to me yesterday, " The needs of my people are an inspiration to me, every educated Christian negro ought to rejoice to live now to help in this work." So may not the still pressing needs of this emancipated people be an inspiration to the American Missionary Association and its friends to go gladly and hopefully on in the strength of the Lord God of Hosts until their redemption ?
Texas. In the great state of Texas we have made only a beginning of service. This empire state alone would furnish field for a large share of the entire means of the Association. The church work has gone on at Dallas, Paris, Dodd, Bois d'Arc, Helena, Goliad, Austin and Corpus Christi, with varying results. A general missionary has begun service, and we hope to secure means for the more energetic prosecution of work in this vast state. At Austin, Tillotson Institute enrolled two hundred students, with a much larger average attendance than the previous year. The, accommodations in the building are inadequate. The pressure upon the school-rooms has been very trying. The industrial work is receiving more development. It is intended to add a printing and a sewing department during the coming year.
Mahala Murchison
by
Congregational Home Missionary Society - 1891
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