up from slavery-第12章

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e　of　the　bath。　I　learned　there　for　the　first　time　some　of　its　value；　not　only　in　keeping　the　body　healthy；　but　in　inspiring　self…respect　and　promoting　virtue。　In　all　my　travels　in　the　South　and　elsewhere　since　leaving　Hampton　I　have　always　in　some　way　sought　my　daily　bath。　To　get　it　sometimes　when　I　have　been　the　guest　of　my　own　people　in　a　single…roomed　cabin　has　not　always　been　easy　to　do；　except　by　slipping　away　to　some　stream　in　the　woods。　I　have　always　tried　to　teach　my　people　that　some　provision　for　bathing　should　be　a　part　of　every　house。

For　some　time；　while　a　student　at　Hampton；　I　possessed　but　a　single　pair　of　socks；　but　when　I　had　worn　these　till　they　became　soiled；　I　would　wash　them　at　night　and　hang　them　by　the　fire　to　dry；　so　that　I　might　wear　them　again　the　next　morning。

The　charge　for　my　board　at　Hampton　was　ten　dollars　per　month。　I　was　expected　to　pay　a　part　of　this　in　cash　and　to　work　out　the　remainder。　To　meet　this　cash　payment；　as　I　have　stated；　I　had　just　fifty　cents　when　I　reached　the　institution。　Aside　from　a　very　few　dollars　that　my　brother　John　was　able　to　send　me　once　in　a　while；　I　had　no　money　with　which　to　pay　my　board。　I　was　determined　from　the　first　to　make　my　work　as　janitor　so　valuable　that　my　services　would　be　indispensable。　This　I　succeeded　in　doing　to　such　an　extent　that　I　was　soon　informed　that　I　would　be　allowed　the　full　cost　of　my　board　in　return　for　my　work。　The　cost　of　tuition　was　seventy　dollars　a　year。　This；　of　course；　was　wholly　beyond　my　ability　to　provide。　If　I　had　been　compelled　to　pay　the　seventy　dollars　for　tuition；　in　addition　to　providing　for　my　board；　I　would　have　been　compelled　to　leave　the　Hampton　school。　General　Armstrong；　however；　very　kindly　got　Mr。　S。　Griffitts　Morgan；　of　New　Bedford；　Mass。；　to　defray　the　cost　of　my　tuition　during　the　whole　time　that　I　was　at　Hampton。　After　I　finished　the　course　at　Hampton　and　had　entered　upon　my　lifework　at　Tuskegee；　I　had　the　pleasure　of　visiting　Mr。　Morgan　several　times。

After　having　been　for　a　while　at　Hampton；　I　found　myself　in　difficulty　because　I　did　not　have　books　and　clothing。　Usually；　however；　I　got　around　the　trouble　about　books　by　borrowing　from　those　who　were　more　fortunate　than　myself。　As　to　clothes；　when　I　reached　Hampton　I　had　practically　nothing。　Everything　that　I　possessed　was　in　a　small　hand　satchel。　My　anxiety　about　clothing　was　increased　because　of　the　fact　that　General　Armstrong　made　a　personal　inspection　of　the　young　men　in　ranks；　to　see　that　their　clothes　were　clean。　Shoes　had　to　be　polished；　there　must　be　no　buttons　off　the　clothing；　and　no　grease…spots。　To　wear　one　suit　of　clothes　continually；　while　at　work　and　in　the　schoolroom；　and　at　the　same　time　keep　it　clean；　was　rather　a　hard　problem　for　me　to　solve。　In　some　way　I　managed　to　get　on　till　the　teachers　learned　that　I　was　in　earnest　and　meant　to　succeed；　and　then　some　of　them　were　kind　enough　to　see　that　I　was　partly　supplied　with　second…hand　clothing　that　had　been　sent　in　barrels　from　the　North。　These　barrels　proved　a　blessing　to　hundreds　of　poor　but　deserving　students。　Without　them　I　question　whether　I　should　ever　have　gotten　through　Hampton。

When　I　first　went　to　Hampton　I　do　not　recall　that　I　had　ever　slept　in　a　bed　that　had　two　sheets　on　it。　In　those　days　there　were　not　many　buildings　there；　and　room　was　very　precious。　There　were　seven　other　boys　in　the　same　room　with　me；　most　of　them；　however；　students　who　had　been　there　for　some　time。　The　sheets　were　quite　a　puzzle　to　me。　The　first　night　I　slept　under　both　of　them；　and　the　second　night　I　slept　on　top　of　them；　but　by　watching　the　other　boys　I　learned　my　lesson　in　this；　and　have　been　trying　to　follow　it　ever　since　and　to　teach　it　to　others。

I　was　among　the　youngest　of　the　students　who　were　in　Hampton　at　the　time。　Most　of　the　students　were　men　and　womensome　as　old　as　forty　years　of　ago。　As　I　now　recall　the　scene　of　my　first　year；　I　do　not　believe　that　one　often　has　the　opportunity　of　coming　into　contact　with　three　or　four　hundred　men　and　women　who　were　so　tremendously　in　earnest　as　these　men　and　women　were。　Every　hour　was　occupied　in　study　or　work。　Nearly　all　had　had　enough　actual　contact　with　the　world　to　teach　them　the　need　of　education。　Many　of　the　older　ones　were；　of　course；　too　old　to　master　the　text…books　very　thoroughly；　and　it　was　often　sad　to　watch　their　struggles；　but　they　made　up　in　earnest　much　of　what　they　lacked　in　books。　Many　of　them　were　as　poor　as　I　was；　and；　besides　having　to　wrestle　with　their　books；　they　had　to　struggle　with　a　poverty　which　prevented　their　having　the　necessities　of　life。　Many　of　them　had　aged　parents　who　were　dependent　upon　them；　and　some　of　them　were　men　who　had　wives　whose　support　in　some　way　they　had　to　provide　for。

The　great　and　prevailing　idea　that　seemed　to　take　possession　of　every　one　was　to　prepare　himself　to　lift　up　the　people　at　his　home。　No　one　seemed　to　think　of　himself。　And　the　officers　and　teachers；　what　a　rare　set　of　human　beings　they　were！　They　worked　for　the　students　night　and　day；　in　seasons　and　out　of　season。　They　seemed　happy　only　when　they　were　helping　the　students　in　some　manner。　Whenever　it　is　writtenand　I　hope　it　will　bethe　part　that　the　Yankee　teachers　played　in　the　education　of　the　Negroes　immediately　after　the　war　will　make　one　of　the　most　thrilling　parts　of　the　history　off　this　country。　The　time　is　not　far　distant　when　the　whole　South　will　appreciate　this　service　in　a　way　that　it　has　not　yet　been　able　to　do。



Chapter　IV。　Helping　Others

At　the　end　of　my　first　year　at　Hampton　I　was　confronted　with　another　difficulty。　Most　of　the　students　went　home　to　spend　their　vacation。　I　had　no　money　with　which　to　go　home；　but　I　had　to　go　somewhere。　In　those　days　very　few　students　were　permitted　to　remain　at　the　school　during　vacation。　It　made　me　feel　very　sad　and　homesick　to　see　the　other　students　preparing　to　leave　and　starting　for　home。　I　not　only　had　no　money　with　which　to　go　home；　but　I　had　none　with　which　to　go　anywhere。

In　some　way；　however；　I　had　gotten　hold　of　an　extra；　second…hand　coat　which　I　thought　was　a　pretty　valuable　coat。　This　I　decided　to　sell；　in　order　to　get　a　little　money　for　travelling　expenses。　I　had　a　good　deal　of　boyish　pride；　and　I　tried　to　hide；　as　far　as　I　could；　from　the　other　students　the　fact　that　I　had　no　money　and　nowhere　to　go。　I　made　it　known　to　a　few　people　in　the　town　of　Hampton　that　I　had　this　coat　to　sell；　and；　after　a　good　deal　of　persuading；　one　coloured　man　promised　to　come　to　my　room　to　look　the　coat　over　and　consider　the　matter　of　buying　it。　This　cheered　my　drooping　spirits　considerably。　Early　the　next　morning　my　prospective　customer　appeared。　After　looking　the　garment　over　carefully；　he　asked　me　how　much　I　wanted　for　it。　I　told　him　I　thought　it　was　worth　three　dollars。　He　seemed　to　agree　with　me　as　to　price；　but　remarked　in　the　most　matter…of…fact　way：　〃I　tell　you　what　I　will　do；　I　will　take　the　coat；　and　will　pay　you　five　cents；　cash　down；　and　pay　you　the　rest　of　the　money　just　as　soon　as　I　can　get　it。〃　It　is　not　hard　to　imagine　what　my　feelings　were　at　the　time。

With　this　disappointment　I　gave　up　all　hope　of　getting　out　of　the　town　of　Hampton　for　my　vacation　work。　I　wanted　very　much　to　go　where　I　might　secure　work　that　would　at　least　pay　me　enough　to　purchase　some　much…needed　clothing　and　other　necessities。　In　a　few　days　practically　all　the　students　and　teachers　had　left　for　their　homes；　and　this　served　to　depress　my　spirits　even　more。

After　trying　for　several　days　in　and　near　the　town　of　Hampton；　I　finally　secured　work　in　a　restaurant　at　Fortress　Monroe。　The　wages；　however；　were　very　little　more　than　my　board。　At　night；　and　between　meals；　I　found　considerable　time　for　study　and　reading；　and　in　this　direction　I　improved　myself　very　much　during　the　summer。

When　I　left　school　at　the　end　of　my　first　year；　I　owed　the　institution　sixteen　dollars　that　I　had　not　been　able　to　work　out。　It　was　my　greatest　ambition　during　the　summer　to　save　money　enough　with　which　to　pay　this　debt。　I　felt　that　this　was　a　debt　of　honour；　and　that　I　could　hardly　bring　myself　to　the　point　of　even　trying　to　enter　school　again　till　it　was　paid。　I　economized　in　every　way　that　I　could　think　ofdid　my　own　washing；　an