oys and girls coming from much more favorable
surroundings. Our music, too, rendered by young people whose previous
practice, for the most part, extended no farther than Gospel hymns or
plantation melodies, could not have failed to convince one of careful
drill and earnest effort, and was a very pleasurable part of the day's
programme.

The County Superintendent of schools was with us through the whole of
Thursday, and expressed his keen appreciation of the work done. While
these two days gave evidence of solid work accomplished, it is only by
daily contact during the entire year that one can realize the gain in
scholarship, methods of work, ability to think and express thought,
and the growth in morals and Christian character that has been made.

* * * * *

BURRELL SCHOOL, SELMA, ALA.

PROF. A. T. BURNELL.

Burrell School has just closed a very pleasant and successful year,
having, despite the hard times, a larger enrollment than any of the
three years preceding; the attendance being also slightly better at
the very last. Selma is an educational center, and, for the colored
people, has five institutions receiving generous patronage--the A. M.
E. ("Payne") Institute, the Reformed Presbyterian ("Knox") Academy,
the Baptist University, Burrell School, and the public school
supported by the city, the latter just taking possession of a
commodious brick building; so we may truly say that the youth of the
despised race now have an upward look. And yet _not one-half_ of the
colored children of Selma are even enrolled, much less regular
attendants at school.

These people are fond of public exercises, and give large audiences
and interested attention that seem to know no diminution, even when
some twenty closing exercises of the different grades occur, as within
the past ten days. Burrell came in for her share, beginning with the
annual sermon by the principal on the 20th of May, and offering two
evening programmes on the 24th and 25th in the Congregational Church,
each well patronized, the last named securing an especially full
house. "Maud Muller" and the "Songs of Seven" were given with
tableaux, while Carleton's "First Settler's Story" and the "Tramp
Story" showed that careful training had been given in elocutionary
lines. The primary and intermediate grades presented the customary
variation of recitations, dialogues and songs. One and all did well;
the church was tastefully decorated,