t of the water and
would have an umbrella stretched over her to keep from getting wet from
above. The little fellows would be standing in the water below like
little ducks. They stood these conditions exceedingly well. Many of them
were not protected with overshoes or any shoes, but they came to school
each day just as if they had been properly clad.

It is impossible to describe the hardships that we suffered during that
winter, which was severe for the South. As the winter came on and grew
more and more severe a great many of the children were taken with
pneumonia, la grippe, and similar ailments. I wished, in the interest of
health, to abandon the school for a few weeks until better weather; but
neither pupils, nor teachers, nor parents would listen to this, and so
the school continued under these circumstances until the new schoolhouse
was ready for use. It is needless to say that some of the pupils never
survived those conditions; in fact, the strange thing is that any of us
did.

UP FROM SLAVERY

THE STRUGGLE FOR AN EDUCATION

Booker T. Washington

One day, while at work in the coal-mine, I happened to overhear two
miners talking about a great school for colored people somewhere in
Virginia. This was the first time that I had ever heard anything about
any kind of school or college that was more pretentious than the little
colored school in our town.

In the darkness of the mine I noiselessly crept as close as I could to
the two men who were talking. I heard one tell the other that not only
was the school established for the members of my race, but that
opportunities were provided by which poor but worthy students could work
out all or a part of the cost of board, and at the same time be taught
some trade or industry.

As they went on describing the school, it seemed to me that it must be
the greatest place on earth, and not even Heaven presented more
attractions for me at that time than did the Hampton Normal and
Agricultural Institute in Virginia, about which these men were talking.
I resolved at once to go to that school, although I had no idea where it
was, or how many miles away, or how I was going to reach it; I
remembered only that I was on fire constantly with one ambition, and
that was to go to Hampton. This thought was with me day and night.

After hearing of the Hampton Institute, I continued to work for a few
months longer in the coal-mine. While at work there, I heard of a vacant
pos