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Friends' Association of Philadelphia for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen, Annual Reports
Report of the Executive Board of Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen, Read at the Meeting of the Association
Yearly reports printed for annual meeting of the association. Largely consist of narrative accounts of the freedmen's progress, drawn from letters sent by teachers who operated colored schools under the care of the association. Most years, a list of the society's officers, the treasurer's report, accounts of donations received in cash and goods, and an overview of distributions made were also included.
1864 - 1871
192 p. ; 22 cm.
reformatted digital
SG 3
Friends Freedmen's Association Records--http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr
The Women's Association of Philadelphia for the Relief of the Freedmen was founded in 1862 to provide charitable assistance to recently freed slaves. Many Quakers were involved in this organization, but it was not until the following year that a similar group that was officially affiliated with the Society of Friends emerged. The Friends Association of Philadelphia and its Vicinity for the Relief of Colored Freedmen, was founded by Orthodox Quaker men in 1863. Soon after, in 1864, an equivalent group was established by Hicksite Quakers of both sexes: the Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen (amended to the more precise "Friends' Association of Philadelphia for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen"), which incorporated the Women's Association in 1865. It is unclear when this association closed, but it was in existence at least as late as 1872. Its Orthodox counterpart, renamed Friends' Freedmen's Association circa 1873, continued to operate in various capacities--most recently as a scholarship fund--until it was dissolved in 1982.
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‘“‘T believe the number of pupils in attendance is greater than at
this time last year, having some days as many as seventy present.
They have kept me very busy; even with the aid of some of the
scholars, I have scarcely found the day long enough to accomplish all
I wished to do. The weather so far, has been so warm and Spring-
like, and the roads so good, that all the little ones living in the coun-
try can easily walk, so that I have them in addition to the usual
number of men and large boys. I think they show as much interest -
as ever, and in some cases more. I have not found it necessary to
turn my last winter’s scholars back; they have apparently lost very
little, and take up their studies and go on where they left off without
any difficulty. I have a class of eight in Warren’s large Geography,
and a class of eleven in History (Goodrich’s United States). These
have just started since New Year, and are getting along very well.
My highest class in Arithmetic are working in Fractions, and are
thorough as far as they have gone, I think: I had six new scholars
the first of this month, four men and two boys, who did not know the
Alphabet; they are now spelling words of five and six letters, and
reading a little. They are so anxious to learn that I have very little
trouble in teaching them. I think there is a decided improvement in
the condition of the colored people of this neighborhood. I have
very few ragged ones in school, and nearly all have good boots or
shoes, and are clean and whole. Their behavior, with a few excep-
tions, is excellent, and they seem to wish to give me as little trouble
as possible. They are prompt in their payment of the ten dollars per
month, their portion of my salary, paying it out of the fund raised
for that purpose. They also provide coal, etc., so that I have no
trouble at all in attending to it: I thought you would be glad to know
that they are willing and trying to do what they can to support the
school. One of my favorite pupils left me at Christmas, to enter the
High School in your City, where she now is. She wishes to qualify
herself for a teacher.
“The great interest for the Indians, which is felt by Friends, has
not failed to reach us, and some of our Friends have left their homes
to go among them. They have written back, giving accounts of their
manner of living, &c., which are highly interesting. I was invited a
short time ago to spend the afternoon in company with most of our
young Friends in sewing for the Indians,—the material being fur-
nished at the request of one of our number, by the Baltimore Com-
mittee. I went after school, and arrived in time to see the finishing
touches put to the work. Nothing was left for me to do but enjoy
the nice supper and social chat afterwards. Of course, I regretted not
giving my stitch, but consoled myself with thinking my afternoon’s
work had been in quite as good a cause.”
IsaADORE BRINKERHOFF, who was teaching at Herndon, re-
ported a regular attendance of thirty-five, she says:—
“My pupils progressed rapidly in all their studies; there is quite
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Friends Freedmen's Association Records --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr