The American Missionary | Page 7

Wakefield, who was shot at New
Iberia, are in our school, and many others closely connected with
suffering families. It has been very difficult for the colored people to
get a living, and the sacrifices they make to keep the children in school
are wonderful.
* * * * *
LE MOYNE NORMAL INSTITUTE, MEMPHIS, TENN.
BY PROF. A.J. STEELE.
Another year has passed in the history of our work at Le Moyne
Institute, and its eighteenth anniversary has been celebrated with the
graduation of a class of eleven, and the tenth reunion of an alumni
association numbering some seventy five members. Recalling sixteen
years of experience in connection with this work, I can fix upon
scarcely a single event or circumstance that has not been made to
conduce to the advancement of our work and influence in the
community, and looking over results in all directions, they have
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