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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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day. There were twenty-three scholars present. I was quite surprised
to find them dressed so clean and well; but was very much amused when >
I learned that they were looking for me, and were dressed for the occasion,
My school continues pleasant, and, with one or two exceptions, we are
improving very rapidly. I think I shall have a very pleasant school
this summer. There will be some changes, as my largest pupils will
leave ; but I am in hopes that I may still be able to have as large a school
as I have now.—Springvale, Fourth Month 1st, 1867.
Prom Mary McBride.—I am quite proud of my pupils. A number
of them take particular pride in dressing neatly and nicely, and looking
like ladies, two of them especially, in the first class. They are good,
faithful girls, in whom I have every confidence, and I think in the future
they will be able to take entire charge of the school, They are good spell-
ers andj readers, write well, and talk grammatically. A number of the
young ladies at the boarding school here do not read or write as well as
four of the girls in my first class,—Fairfax Court House.
From Catharine H. Hall.—My school is doing, I think, quite as well
as the Association could wish, I am much pleased with the rapid pro-
gress of my pupils, in all their studies, as well as the interest they take in
their school duties.— Greenfield, Va.
From Mary A. Taylor.—My little ones are getting along so nicely I
think I shall not style my school the primary department much longer. I
shall soon have been with them a year (less our long vacation), and in that
time twelve have advanced from the alphabet to the second reader; a
number are reading in the first, and I have a nice class in definitions.
They also promise to be good spellers—many of them will spell long
words without the book. It is amusing to see how they will copy every-—
thing put upon the blackboard. Two little boys cried the other day when
school was over, because they wanted to stay and make writing and sums.
—Mt. Pleasant.
As frequent messages of gratitude and kind remembrance had
been received from the colored people, the following response, in
the form of a circular letter, was addressed to them in the
Twelfth month, and 2,000 copies of it were subsequently
printed for distribution among them :—
CIRCULAR LETTER.
To tHe Freep PreorLe UNDER ovuR Care.
Philadelphia First Month, 1867.
Dear Frienps:—In love we now address you, although we have never
looked upon your faces, and may never meet you’ in this world, yet we
believe you are not strangers to our interest in your welfare. We sor-
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Friends Freedmen's Association Records --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr