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  2. North Carolina in the New South (1870-1900)
  3. Education and Opportunity

Table of Contents

Primary Source: African American College Students, 1906

These tables were part of a report published in 1906 about the education of African Americans in North Carolina. This page details the circumstances of many of the African Americans who attended the Colored Normal School in Elizabeth City during the 1905-1906 school year. Included are brief biographies of a handful of students who worked to pay for their own schooling at the college. 

Record of Pupils, 1905-'06.

 

Boys 

 Girls  Total 

Total number of pupils

 79 241 320
Occupation of Parents.

Pupils whose parents are farmers

 43 84 127

Pupils whose parents are preachers

 5 16 21

Pupils whose parents are merchants

 3 11 14

Pupils whose parents are butchers

 1 3 4

Pupils whose parents are carpenters

 3 12 15

Pupils whose parents are fishermen

 --- 3 3

Pupils whose parents are teachers

 5 2 7

Pupils whose parents have some other occupation     

 19 50 69
Self Help.

Pupils whose parents own their own homes

 25 124 149

Percentage whose parents own their own homes

 32.0%     51.4%    46.5%   

Pupils who pay all their expenses at school

 20 30 50

Pupils who partly pay their expenses at school

 50 211 261

Pupils whose parents pay all their expenses

 9 --- 9

Some self-supporting students 1905-'06.

  1. George T. Jones, born in Lewiston, Bertie County; age, 23; attended public school eight terms; entered State Normal School 1902; was janitor, mail-carrier and did other work for school; during vacation worked in furniture store and drug store; taught two Sunday-school classes, sang in choir and paid all his school expenses; father dead; graduated 1906.
     
  2. Moses Collins, born, 1882, in Washington County; attended public school eight terms; worked on farm; attended State Normal School five terms; during vacations worked at saw-mills and on farms; graduated 1906; parents dead; paid all his own expenses.
     
  3. Emily O. Piland, born Gates County, 1880; father dead; worked on farm to educate herself; attended public school ten terms; entered State Normal School at age 18; continued working on farm during vacations; graduated 1906.
     
  4. Clarkie Hinton, born in Pasquotank County, 1886; worked on farm; attended public school nine terms; during vacations worked on father's farm; graduated 1906; has teacher's certificate.
     
  5. Willie Person, born in Northampton County twenty-two years ago; works on farm and at saw-mill; pays own expenses; attended public school ten terms; attended Garysburg High School two terms; entered State Normal School 1905; will graduate 1907; parents living.
     
  6. Lewis Person, born in Northampton County twenty years ago; works on farm and at saw-mill for support; attended public school eight terms; attended Garysburg High School two terms; entered State Normal School 1905; parents living; will graduate 1907.
     
  7. James H. Rowsom, born 1884, in Washington County; attended public school eight terms; works on farm; pays own schooling; mother dead; entered State Normal School 1902; graduated 1906.
     
  8. Mary E. Bonner, born 1884, in Brunswick County, Va.; moved to Northampton County at five years of age; attended public school in Northampton and assisted parents on farm; entered State Normal School 1904; will graduate 1907.
     
  9. Rosia Toomer, born in Chatham County, 1888; father dead; mother owns little farm; works on farm to support family and educate herself; left school this spring to begin farming; attended public school; wants to teach to help her race; entered normal in 1906.
     
  10. Mamie L. Cheek, born twenty years ago; father owns farm; she works on farm; attended public school; entered normal 1906; honest and faithful.
     
  11. Enolia L. Davis of Warren County, 17 years of age; father dead; mother owns home and farm; works on farm; attended public school; entered normal 1906.

Primary Source Citation: 

Second Annual Catalogue of the North Carolina State Colored Normal Schools for 1905-'06 with Announcements for 1906-'07. Raleigh: E.M. Uzzell & Co., State Printers and Binders, 1906. Joyner Library Special Collections, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C. http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/13579

 

Credit text

Second Annual Catalogue of the North Carolina State Colored Normal Schools for 1905-'06 (Raleigh: E. M. Uzzell & Co., for the North Carolina State Board of Education, 1906), pp. 25–26.

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