The American Missionary | Page 7

surpassed the dreams and expectations of the most hopeful.
The year past has been a remarkable one in our history. Our attendance has varied little from four hundred pupils in all grades of the twelve years' course, while our enrollment for the year has reached five hundred and twenty different pupils.
Every interest of the school has been prospered and greatly blessed and strengthened. The utmost harmony and earnestness has marked the work of the year, both among teachers and pupils. During the past session, as many as sixty of our pupils have started out in the Christian life, giving evidence of change of heart and an earnest purpose to live for Christ and His work in the world. We rejoice over this more than over all other results of our year's work.
The whole spirit and tone of our work has been such that even our trials and losses, from fire and from breaks in our working force, have seemed to be turned to means of blessing and sources of strength. Our trials and difficulties have been to us opportunities. We look forward hopefully to the future, as we look thankfully back to the past.
Our partially destroyed building, from the fire of March 3d, is rebuilt and greatly improved. We hope our corps of instructors, so uniformly faithful in the discharge of duty, may remain unbroken, the same for the coming year.
At the close of the term, the promotions were made in all grades by the principal, and the pupils given the "forms" they are to occupy the coming year. In truth, the formal "Commencement" for the year was made at the close of this session. Every pupil knows exactly his grade and place, and few will be absent at the opening, October first.
* * * * *
AVERY INSTITUTE, CHARLESTON, S.C.
Anniversary week of this Institute is always an occasion of the deepest interest to the colored people of Charleston and vicinity; and those who succeed in obtaining tickets of admission to Avery Hall consider themselves most fortunate. This year proved no exception, and the demand for tickets, and the enthusiasm of those in attendance, have never been surpassed in the history of the school.
The exercises throughout the week were of a high order. The Sub-Normal Exhibition and the Prize-Speaking Contest by the normal classes were unanimously declared to be the best ever given in Avery. At the commencement on Wednesday, every foot of space within sight or hearing of the platform was filled by intelligent and appreciative listeners. Eleven graduates--ten ladies and one gentleman--received the diploma of the Institute and joined the hundreds who have preceded them in the grand work of elevating their race.
* * * * *
THE NEW CHURCH AND SCHOOL AT ALCO, ALA.
BY REV. R.C. BEDFORD.
Brewton is the county seat of Escambia County, Alabama. It is on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, one hundred and six miles north of Montgomery, and seventy-four north of Mobile. It has a population of about two thousand five hundred, and is quite thrifty. Alco is a mile and a half further south, on the same road, and is a nice little village of five or six hundred people, that has grown up within the last three years, and almost wholly out of the Peters Lumber Company. The property of the Company consists of one of the largest and finest mills in the South, with nearly 200,000 acres of yellow pine surrounding it. Some three hundred colored men, most of them with families, are employed in the various operations of the mills. Mr. Peters is engaged most of the time in his large lumber and salt interests at Manistee, Mich., but comes South two or three times a year to look after the business at Alco. From the first, it was the purpose of the Company to do something to improve the church and school facilities of the colored people, and last spring, while Mrs. Peters was spending a few weeks at Alco, she had a building 35x60 erected, and nicely arranged for church and school purposes. This she turned over to the American Missionary Association, and they at once sent down Rev. W.P. Hamilton, of Talladega, to open a school and begin preaching. The second Sunday in June, he was joined by Prof. G.W. Andrews, of Talladega, Rev. R.C. Bedford, of Montgomery, and Rev. F.G. Ragland and Deacon Godbold of Mobile, to assist him in dedicating the building.
Though but little was known of Congregationalism in that part of the country, the services were entered into most heartily by all classes of the people. Most of the ministers at Brewton, in charge of colored churches, closed their places of worship and joined with us, partaking in the services, and speaking with great delight of the coming of an educated preacher and teacher among them.
Mr.