trial
work.

The school has entered upon its fifth year. It has grown steadily and
surely. The work done has been thorough and of a high grade. Up to the
present time there have been in all 252 pupils connected with the
school. There have been five teachers aside from the music, sewing and
manual training teachers, principal and matron.

The students are instructed in the common school branches. The work in
the normal grades is designed to prepare them for teaching. The girls
have classes in sewing, are taught to care for their rooms, and each
one does her own laundry work. A certain amount of time, whether in
the dining-room, halls, kitchen or laundry, is required. In this plan
there are two objects; to aid the pupils in paying their school
expenses and to teach them the arts of housekeeping. Each boy is
required to give especial care to his room. A certain amount of work
is also required of them. It consists of yard work, carrying mail,
sweeping school buildings, attending to the lamps, etc.

When there have been white boarding pupils they have had separate
rooms and a separate table in the common dining-room.

Bible lessons are given twice a week by the pastor. A school prayer
meeting is held every Thursday afternoon in the school chapel. In this
meeting the majority of the pupils take part, and much interest is
shown. The Christian Endeavor, however, is the most enthusiastic
meeting in which the students engage. It is held in the chapel of the
church, and attended by both town people and the school. The colored
students have shown themselves efficient committee workers and
leaders. There have been several conversions in the society, and there
is great reason to be encouraged. It is in this field that personal
work is needed and is effective. So the school is educating the pupil
in different lines, industrial, intellectual, and religious.

Last May the Governor of Florida signed a bill, now well known, framed
by Superintendent Sheats, of the State Educational Department, which
was aimed directly at the Orange Park school. What Mr Sheats' real
intentions are in regard to the colored race is but too plain. One can
but perceive, if his policy is followed, that their education in
Florida practically ceases. During the last session of the Florida
Legislature he requested it to enact a law prohibiting any others than
negroes from teaching schools for negroes, except in normal
instruction in institutes and summer scho