Freedmen's Bureau Records: William Cithrow to John
W. Jordan, May 21, 1868
Summary:
Responding to Jordan's request for a school report, Cithrow describes the
situation in the area around Waynesboro. He writes that although he taught a
Sabbath school for blacks, his resources were stretched too thin to keep it
going. He also comments on the level of interest in setting up a proper school
for blacks among the black and white communities in the area.
MJno W Jordan
May 21 1868
Waynesboro
The monthly report for Cold. School dont apply to this place, there being no day or night School here. I conducted a Cold. Sabbath school in the village for one year or more, ending at [unclear: X] May but having a white school on my hands found my duties too heavy & was reluctantly constrained to suspend it for the time. The work was an interesting one & about 15 white teachers engaged in it. No. of pupils might be set down at from 40 to 90, average about 50. I am met almost daily by the former pupils with the question when is the school to begin again? The Negro's never have had a school here, except this Sunday school. I req. about 4 to 500 primary & other books from the [unclear: tract] society & other sources, for the use of the school, during its existence the Cold people did nothing scarcely toward keeping it up. Those who might have servd as teachers seemed to take little interest in & had to depend on white teachers alone. I think a school here could be a good enterprise - a day school, the whites have no prejudice that I know of against day schools. I know they look with [unclear: approbation] on Sabbath schools as most of [added: our] young people & some old, took a hand as teachers from time to time.
Respy
William Cithrow
No day-night or Sabbath school now operating in this part of the county to my knowledge.
