the city, and of those that remained many kept their
children at home; they knew the Manumission Society as their special
friends, but knew nothing of the Public School Society; the reduction
of all the schools but one to the grade of primary had given great
offence; also the discharge of teachers long employed, and the
discontinuance of rewards, and taking home of spelling books; strong
prejudices had grown up against the Public School Society. The
committee recommended a prompt assimilation of the Colored schools to
the white; the establishment of two or more upper schools in a new
building; a normal school for Colored monitors; and the appointment of
a Colored man as school agent, at $150 a year. The school on Mulberry
Street at this time, 1835, was designated Colored Grammar School No.
1. A. Libolt was principal, and registered 317 pupils; there were also
six primaries, located in different parts of the city, with an
aggregate attendance of 925 pupils.

In 1836 a new school building was completed in Laurens Street, opened
with 210 pupils, R. F. Wake (colored), principal, and was designated
Colored Grammar School No. 2. Other means were taken to improve the
schools, and to induce the Colored people to patronize them; the
principal of No. 1, Mr. Libolt, was replaced by Mr. John Peterson,
colored, a sufficient assurance of whose ability and success we have
in the fact that he has been continued in the position ever since. A
"Society for the Promotion of Education among Colored Children" was
organized, and established two additional schools, one in Thomas
Street, and one in Centre, and a marked improvement was manifest; but
it required a long time to restore the confidence and interest felt
before the transfer, and even up to 1848 the aggregate attendance in
all the Colored schools was only 1,375 pupils.

In the winter of 1852 the first evening schools for Colored pupils
were opened; one for males and one for females, and were attended by
379 pupils. In the year 1853 the Colored schools, with all the schools
and school property of the Public School Society, were transferred to
the "Board of Education of the City and County of New York," and still
further improvements were made in them; a normal school for Colored
teachers was established, with Mr. John Peterson, principal, and the
schools were graded in the same manner as those for white children.
Colored Grammar School No. 3, was opened at 78 West Fortieth Street,
Mi