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of November the number of free-linen towhom nbI was thus extended was 1,894, of whom 872 were inmates of the hospitals. The number of refugees aided was 192. The destitution of those colored dependents who were not in hospital was caused mainly by the discharges on account ofvoting, above alluded to, the closing of tobacco factories in and around Richmond, and the general stagnation of business. Under the operation of these causes, the number of dependents upon Government charity continued to increase, until March, 1868, it reached 15,328 freed men (1,152 of whom were in hospital) and 1,793 refugees.Instead of issuing regular rations the commissioner directed the establishment of sonp-houses at Richmond, Alexandria, andother places where the suffering was most intense. Large quantities of desiccated vegetables and potatoes were, on application to General Grant, obtained from theCommissary Department for this purpose. By this means a great saving to the Government was effected. Relief was afforded through the eoup-liouaes at about one-third the cost of issuing rations. The assistantcommissioner reports that through the month of December there wns an increase(over the preceding month) of 8,309 in the w | number of frecdmen aided by the Bureau. The additional expense incurred in relieving these destitutes through the agency ofsoup-hou6es was but a little over $100. The strictest economy compatible with efficiency was observed. The number of de-wpendents diminished with the return of spring, being reduced in the month of August to 3,870 persons.00 Efforts have been steadily made to in- duce the county authorities to assume thecare of paupers, colored as wcdl as white,residing within their respective jurisdictions. That these efforts have not met with more decided success is due partly to the poverty and partly to the unwillingness of the authorities appealed to. In many counties the provision for the support of paupers of either class was lamentably deficient. The Bureau therefore continuedto afford aid to that class who would otherwise have been utterly helpless.In the month of October, 1867, by direction of the commissioner, seven Bureau hos-98 pitals in the State of Virginia were closed, 40 and the patients, so far as possible, transferred to the charge of the civil authorities, i'bose who remained without other resource were sent to the hospitals which were con-| tinned, one at Richmond and the other at Hampton, Va.la view of the failure of the civil authorities to provide for these patients, the commissioner, in hie letter of July 1,1868, directed General Brown to continue the medical department in Virginia without mate-w rial changes until further orders.7J The interest of the freed people in their schools remains unabated. The schoolsthemselves have been highly prosperous, and their classification and discipline have been constantly improving. In November, 1867, the number of schools in operation was 197, of which 154 were public free 771 schools. The number of teachers was 250, of whom 160 were white. Number of pupils, 12,657. In the month of April, 1867, the number of schools was 269, teacher* 310, pupils 16,403.^ The freedmen have endeavored, to the extent of their slender means, to share the expense of conducting these schools. Many schools have been opened by the freedmen and the expense borne by themselves.Thus, in the month of May, of 2*19 school*01 | which were in operatiou in the State, 72 were wholly and 07 partially sustained by frecdmen. The remaining 110 were whollyLJ *sustained by the various benevolent agencies. One-sixth of the entire expense of the schools during the month was borne bythe Treed people.The operations of the normal schools atRichmond, Hampton, and RippenHull havebeen attended with success, and it is hopedthat in them will be trained an efficientcorps of teachers for future usefulness, in view of all the opposing influences tobe encountered, it is considered that theeducational work in Virginia is in a healthy and prosperous condition.46CO0A
Newspaper Details
Richmond Daily Dispatch
Richmond, Virginia, US
Thu, Dec 03, 1868
Page 1
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USA 13 Jun 2019
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