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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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steadily and earnestly. Their conduct is admirable ; I have not —
had an instance of bad behaviour to remark through the winter,
on the part of the grown up scholars. They are very obedient,
and seem to wish to give me as little trouble as possible. I
enjoy teaching. my winter school more than any other. Of
course among the younger ones I have some who are very try-
ing to both temper and patience, and who do not love study,as
well as play; but I hope they will improve as they grow older ;
for some of the brightest intellects in school are among these
‘mischievous little folks. We had a very pleasant visit from
Carrie Thomas at our Quarterly Meeting, which was held here
_ last month; she seems very much interested in her school at
Lincoln, and is much more pleasantly situated than at Leesburg.
The colored people of Leesburg are now plastering their school-
house; so I suppose it is nearly finished. I am very sorry to
hear of Lucretia Mott’s illness; we had heard she expected to
visit our neighborhood, and hoped she would do so before long;
T hope her illness will not prove seridus. I have received the
Independent quite regularly, and enjoy it so much, especially
Mrs. Ames’ letter in the last; how kind of her to undergo such
a pleasure as the ‘Inauguration Ball,’ just to gratify us poor
country girls, who could not go, with a description of it. The —
name of the colored man who wants the Intelligencer is Webster |
Minor, one of my scholars. Iam right glad it is to be sent to —
him, ashe will appreciate it. The colored First-day school here |
was dropped at Christmas; we expect to re-commence the Ist
of Fourth month. I have no expectation of attending your
Yearly Meeting this spring, though it would be very pleasant
todo so. My recollections of my visit to Philadelphia are so
pleasant that I will be willing to repeat it.”
From Jennie Speer, Manassas Va., March 27, 1869.
‘Yours of the 23d, containing P. O. orders, was duly received,
for which I send the receipt. Iwas not aware that I did not
send the receipt for the whole before, and will do so now.
‘“‘T am very sorry that you think of closing the school so
soon; it seems to me that we are just getting nicely started, and
ready to go right along. The cold weather being over anda
good prospect of having a comfortable school-house, we can get
along so much better. The colored people have fixed up some
benches and desks, and have raised money to plaster the house ;
and besides that, I have the promise of help in the Sabbath-
school, which is getting along go nicely. I feel that the colored —
people here need Missionaries as much as any of the ‘ Sandwich
Islanders.’ Their religious ideas are composed of prejudice and
superstition; and many would not, at first, let their children
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Friends Freedmen's Association Records --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr