I had been working in a salt-furnace for several months, and my
stepfather had discovered that I had a financial value, and so,
when the school opened, he decided that he could not spare me
from my work. This decision seemed to cloud my every ambition.
The disappointment was made all the more severe by reason of the
fact that my place of work was where I could see the happy
children passing to and from school mornings and afternoons.
Despite this disappointment, however, I determined that I would
learn something, anyway. I applied myself with greater
earnestness than ever to the mastering of what was in the
"blue-back" speller.
My mother sympathized with me in my disappointment, and sought to
comfort me in all the ways she could, and to help me find a way
to learn. After a while I succeeded in making arrangements with
the teacher to give me some lessons at night, after the day's
work was done. These night lessons were so welcome that I think I
learned more at night than the other children did during the day.
My own experiences in the night-school gave me faith in the
night-school idea, with which, in after years, I had to do both
at Hampton and Tuskegee. But my boyish heart was still set upon
going to the day-school, and I let no opportunity slip to push my
case.
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