last summer
built the school houses in which they taught, the people contributing
time, lumber and money, and they are the _only_ school houses in the
State, outside of the large towns, that were built for, or are fit for,
the purpose. Two of them have halls above for meetings, are fitted up
with blackboards, desks, etc. The stories our boys tell of their efforts
to introduce modern appliances and methods, remind me of those I used to
hear from the old veterans Barnard, Camp, and others, of their struggles
in the early days in Connecticut.

They have grown in cleanliness and industry beyond expression. When I
first came here, it was sometimes harder to get a bit of work done than
to do it myself. Now, it is a pleasure to work with them.

In nothing, perhaps, has there been so great a gain as in the habit of
reading. The progress in this is simply astonishing, and cannot be
described in a few words. Seven years ago, there was hardly a reader in
the school. Now, many of our young people come to my library and,
looking over my books, talk of them and their authors as intelligently
as young people of the same age in Massachusetts would.

I conclude by saying that, in this far-away corner, God has greatly
blessed the efforts made by faithful teachers, and there is every cause
for encouragement and hope.

* * * * *

OBITUARY.

Another of our educated, consecrated and useful colored pastors has
passed away. Rev. Welborn Wright, pastor of the Second Congregational
Church of Lawrence, Kansas, died at his home, August 14th, of
consumption. He was born in South Carolina, and had been pastor of the
church in Lawrence over six years. He was a man of thought, earnest in
his convictions, and had acquired a large influence over his own people.
His church had prospered greatly under his care.

He won the esteem of the white people. Two years ago he was elected a
member of the Board of Education of the city, and proved himself to be a
man of good judgment in practical affairs. His funeral was attended by
Rev. Dr. Cordley, Rev. R.B. Parker and Rev. A.N. Richards. He was
Secretary of the Minister's Meeting of Lawrence, and resolutions of warm
commendation and sympathy for his family were passed by that body, and
also by the Board of Education of Lawrence.

* * * * *

We have just learned that Mr. A.J. Berger, formerly industrial teacher
at Macon, Georgia, died at C