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Dec. 7. 1873
My dear Mamma & Papa,
Your letter reached me unusually early this week, because mailed
on Sunday, I suppose. It seems so nice to get a letter from home the same
week in which it is sent, and also wonderful when I remember in my first
year here, your letters were never more than fourteen days on the road
and sometimes more.
Our week of dissipation was very pleasantly ended by a visit from a colored
troop of singers, members of the Hampton School for Negroes. The Super-
intendent of the School, Gen. Armstrong, accompanied them, and gave us in
a few words the purpose and present prospects of the school. These singers
are traveling
seven men and five women, and I am sure will carry away pleasant
recollections of their Vassar visit for I never saw the College so enthusiastic over anything before. The most celebrated singer could not have received half the applause that these poor drakes. We clapped and clapped, till we could do no more. I really feared my hands would be blistered. The singing was very nice indeed, and the songs were thoroughly negro melodies. In one song, one man sang "Oh! then my little soul will shine, shine in heaven," alone, while all joined in the chorus. And every time he
Tonight Gen. Armstrong comes out to address the meeting of Religious inquiry, so we shall hear something more from them,- and their doings. It seems the school is not alone for teaching "book learning", but more especially for teaching
occupations for the men—
Tell the darkies, please, who always want to know if I see any of their
complexion up here, how delighted the Vassar girls were with these singers,
and how they welcomed them. One rather excitable girl went round and
buttoned all the women's gloves upon their departure, and vowed she would
have kissed them all If they had let her!
I do believe that I have written nothing only about the darkies. But I have
no more time to write new, so will have to leave unsaid anything more I may have to say.
With much love,
Your daughter,
Julie.