lf-governing force in the people; and in order
to be self-governing a people must be educated. Moreover, all good
laws that are cheerfully obeyed are but the emphatic expression of
public sentiment. Where the great majority of the people are kept in
ignorance the tendency is toward the production of two other classes,
aristocrats and political "Herders." The former seek to get as far
from "the common herd" as possible, while the latter bid off the
rights of the poor and ignorant to the highest bidder.

It was quite appropriate for the Government to make speedy provision
for plying the mass of ignorant Negroes with school influences. And
the liberality of the provision was equalled by the eagerness of the
Negroes to learn. Nor should history fail to record that the
establishment of schools for freedmen by the Government was the
noblest, most sensible act it could have done. What the Negroes have
accomplished through these schools is the marvel of the age.

On the 20th of May, 1865, Major-Gen. O. O. Howard was appointed
Commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau. He gave great attention to the
subject of education; and after planting schools for the freedmen
throughout a great portion of the South, in 1870--five years after the
work was begun--he made a report. It was full of interest. In five
years there were 4,239 schools established, 9,307 teachers employed,
and 247,333 pupils instructed. In 1868 the average attendance was
89,396; but in 1870 it was 91,398, or 79-3/4 per cent. of the total
number enrolled. The emancipated people sustained 1,324 schools
themselves, and owned 592 school buildings. The Freedmen's Bureau
furnished 654 buildings for school purposes. The wonderful progress
they made from year to year, in scholarship, may be fairly judged by
the following, corresponding with the half year in 1869:

JULY, 1869. JULY, 1870.
Advanced readers 43,746 43,540
Geography 36,992 39,321
Arithmetic 51,172 52,417
Writing 53,606 58,034
Higher branches 7,627 9,690

There were 74 high and normal schools, with 8,147 students; and 61
industrial schools, with 1,750 students in attendance. In doing this
great work--for buildings, repairs, teachers, etc.,--$1,002,896.07
was expended. Of this sum