deprived them of the advantages of American
benevolence; and there is no instance of any visitor having ever been
appointed to explore this fruitful field of operation.

OPENING OF THE SCHOOL.

"Early in December, 1855, the writer, with Mr. Brace, visited several
families. Our reception was not such as to promise success, although,
considering their distrustful and suspicious disposition, consequent
upon their isolated existence, they did not treat us disrespectfully.
Having thus prepared and informed them, on the evening of the tenth of
the same month we opened our School in a room kindly furnished by Rev.
Mr. Pease, on the north side of the Five Points' square.

"On the first night of our operation we had an attendance of ten boys,
six girls, seven young men, four young women, two men, and one woman
(thirty in all), attracted, as may be evident by the age of the
attendants, more by the novelty of the undertaking than by any definite
purpose. Of that number, only two could read a little in Italian--not
one in English; hence I formed a single class of the whole in the
alphabet.

"By more frequent visiting, the attendance was, after a little while,
nearly doubled; but toward spring it dwindled to such an insignificant
number, that it was deemed expedient to close the school.

"Instead of being deterred by this discouraging feature, we determined
to examine the field more carefully, and endeavor to discover the
immediate cause of the unexpected check our hopes had experienced.
Proper exertions in visiting, and cautious and timely investigations,
soon brought out the fact that some absurd rumors had been circulated
among them to the effect that our purpose was to turn them away from
their own church, alleging, as conclusive evidence, that our school-room
was used for Sunday religious meetings. These mischievous insinuations
called for the utmost prudent activity on our part, for, although these
people are not fanatics in religion, they, at that time, still clung
with tenacity to the infallibility of their priest. I say at that time,
because the unnatural and unchristian attitude assumed since by their
spiritual guides toward Italy has forced even the uneducated class into
a certain use of comparative rational freedom, and, beyond the
spiritual, they will not follow their religious leaders. Meeting with
only partial success by persuasion, I then promised shoes and clothing
to pupils who would at