to the most highly favored
element of our population.

The third period in the early education of Negroes in West Virginia
was reached when these pioneer teachers had wrought well enough to
enable the Negroes to help themselves. Because of the rapid
development of this industrial State and the consequent influx of
Negroes from other commonwealths, however, the number of Negro
teachers produced on the ground proved inadequate to the demand for
instructors among the increasing and expanding Negro population of
West Virginia. There went out to the other States the call for help,
which was answered largely by workers from Virginia, Maryland, and
Ohio. Virginia did not have many workers to spare, but from Baltimore,
where, because of the liberal attitude of the whites toward the
education of Negroes prior to the Civil War, a considerable group of
Negroes had been trained, came a much larger number of volunteers.
From Ohio, however, came as many as were obtained from both Virginia
and Maryland, for the reason that, although the Negroes were early
permitted to attend school in Ohio, race prejudice had not
sufficiently diminished to permit them to instruct white persons in
public schools. Looking out for a new field, their eyes quickly fell
on the waiting harvest across the Ohio in West Virginia. Some of these
workers from adjacent States, moreover, served the people not only as
teachers but also as ministers of the gospel. They were largely
instrumental in establishing practically all of the Methodist and
Baptist churches in the State, and while they taught school during the
week, they inspired and edified their congregations on Sunday.

The beginning of the education of the Negroes in West Virginia at
public expense was delayed inasmuch as its first constitution,
although it made provisions for free schools, did not extend the
facilities of the same to the freedmen. In the report of the State
Superintendent of Public Schools in 1864, therefore, he complained
that the Negroes had been too long and too mercilessly deprived of
this privilege. "I regret to report," said he, "that there are not
schools for the children of this portion of our citizens; as the law
stands I fear they will be compelled to remain in ignorance. I commend
them to the favorable notice of the legislature."[2]

In 1866, therefore, the legislature enacted a law providing for the
establishing of public schools for Negroes between the ages of six and
twe