COTTON VALLEY, ALA

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 21, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 21.

COTTON VALLEY, ALA.

A TEACHER in the Congregational school in the Cotton Valley sends an interesting account of the work there to the American Missionary, from which we take the following items:—

There are many features about the work here that make it a most interesting one. First, it is situated in a dense black belt, where the people are anxious to improve, and are appreciative of all that is done for them. Next, Cotton Valley is quiet and retired, being 40 miles from Montgomery, 9 from Union Springs, and 13 from Tuskegee, so that, while we are enabled to teach without interruptions that break into school life in cities, we are yet not so far removed as to be incommoded when business necessitates our going to a city.

Ten years ago Miss Lilla V. Davis left her home in Boston, Mass., and, coming down here under the most adverse circumstances, and in the midst of the lowest humanity, established this school. Her teaching in those days was not so much from books, but she went into the homes of the people and made them feel that she was one of them. She talked and read to them, taught them the rules of decency and virtue and cleanliness. Thus step by step has she been leading them on, until now, instead of a valley of ignorance, it is as “a city set on a hill,” whose light can not be hid; for, instead of a one-room log cabin, we have a nice, comfortable school building, planned and furnished in modern style. I mean by this that what we have is up to date, and not that we have all we need.

Our school this year is larger than ever, and our students, I think, would compare well with those of more favored schools in cities. The present enrollment is nearly two hundred, and when the weather is good, and all are in, we find the work rather heavy, as there are only three teachers, and we all believe in thorough work.

Perhaps it would be interesting to say that the relation of the white people of the settlement to the school is most friendly. They respect Miss Davis to the highest degree, and are willing and glad to show any favors to her or her teachers.

Thus far, I have shown you only the favorable side of the picture, but I would beg my readers to remember that it has also a painful side. Those who are teaching are the children of ancestors who have lived for centuries in darkness and ignorance, with only eleven years of light; and there is still a great work to be done here. We find it necessary to instruct them, not only in books, but along the lines of all the virtues which go to make a man a man, and a woman a woman.