21 was under the charge
of a special sub-committee. Among the teachers was John B. Russworm,
from 1821 to 1824, who entered Bowdoin College in the latter year, and
afterward became governor of the colony of Cape Palmas in Southern
Liberia.

The first primary school for Colored children in Boston was
established in 1820, two or three of which were subsequently kept
until 1855, when they were discontinued as separate schools, in
accordance with the general law passed by the Legislature in that
year, which provided that, "in determining the qualifications of
scholars to be admitted into any public school, or any district school
in this commonwealth, no distinction shall be made on account of the
race, color, or religious opinions of the applicant or scholar." "Any
child, who, on account of his race, color, or religious opinions
should be excluded from any public or district school, if otherwise
qualified," might recover damages in an action of _tort_, brought in
the name of the child in any court of competent jurisdiction, against
the city or town in which the school was located.[62]

MISSISSIPPI

passed an act in 1823 providing against the meeting together of
slaves, free Negroes, or Mulattoes above the number of five. They were
not allowed to meet at any public house in the night; or at any house,
for teaching, reading, or writing, in the day or night. The penalty
for the violation of this law was whipping, "not exceeding
thirty-nine" lashes.

In 1831 an act was passed making it "unlawful for any slave, free
negro, or mulatto to preach the Gospel," upon pain of receiving
thirty-nine lashes upon the naked back of the presumptuous preacher.
If a Negro received written permission from his master he might preach
to the Negroes in his immediate neighborhood, providing six
respectable white men, owners of slaves, were present.

In 1846, and again in 1848, school laws were enacted, but in both
instances schools and education were prescribed for "white youth
between the ages of six and twenty years."

MISSOURI

ordered all free persons of color to move out of the State in 1845. In
1847 an act was passed providing that "no person shall keep or teach
any school for the instruction of negroes or mulattoes in reading or
writing in this State."

NEW YORK

had the courage and patriotism, in 1777, to extend the right of
suffrage to every male inhabitant of full age. But by the revised
constitution, in 1821, this lib