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and I regret so much that they cannot come more regularly to |
school. The half dollar per month is paid cheerfully by those
who feel that they are able. Still, in the four months I have
been teaching, we have collected thirty dollars ($30.00), which
I have kept as thee directed. I believe I told thee in a former
letter that we had elected three directors to collect this money
and attend to all the business of the school. They meet once a
week. After they have attended to any business which they may
have on hand, J. M. Wood and myself read to them, and gener- —
ally some of them read or recite some selected pieces. They elect
officers every four weeks, and are learning to do business in a much
more orderly manner than at first. The Standard comes regularly,
and after we have read them I give them to some one who can
read them, with directions to give them to some one else when
they are through with them; thus all who can read have the
benefit of them. I frequently receive papers which I suppose
thee sends; please except my thanks for them.

“« The packages which thee sent with Uncle Samuel’s barrels
were very acceptable, particularly the spectacles. We have a
number in both First-day and week-day schools who have been —
needing them for a long time, but were unable to get them.
Does thee not think of visiting us this spring ; I am sure it
would do us all good to receive a visit from some of you. I
always think with so much pleasure of your visit two years ago.
I wish so much for you to see my school for yourselves, that you
may know if it is as nice as I think it it. Please remember me
to thy family.

From Helen A. Hurley, Gum Spring, Va., March Ist, 1869.

‘‘My school continues much as usual, ik the exception of
not quite so good an attendance. As the weather has been so
mild the farmers are commencing their spring work, which, I
am sorry to say, deprives me of some of my best scholars ; : still,
a few of them pursue their studies in the evenings, and come to
me when they are at a loss how to proceed, and on stormy days ;
with a very few exceptions, they all take a great deal of interest
in their studies, and really try to improve the advantages they
_ have, to the best of their ability. I have one scholar especially,
a boy about eighteen years of age, who, when he first came to
me, three weeks ago, did not know a single letter of the alphabet,
and who now spells quite nicely. It is really a pleasure to

teach him, he is so anxious to learn; and his whole face bona yh

with joy whenever he is called to say a lesson.

‘‘We had a meeting at.our school-house on Tuesday, to see
what could be done with regard to the last month of the term,
which thee proposed should be their month. We had not so