The South As It Is: 1865–1866

Chapter 31

XXXI NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 20, 1866 ONE day this week I made a visit to the house once owned by Mr. Pierre Soule, and now in the hands of the Government. For nearly a year it has been used as an asylum for colored orphans. A young lady from Boston, Mrs. De Mortie, has been its manager from the time when it was founded, and, indeed, may be regarded as its founder and preserver, having successfully overcome the many obstacles which stood in its way at the beginning, and the perils which have threatened its existence since. It was only after wearisome delays that the Federal officers quartered in the house could be got out of it in order to make room for Negro children. The citizens resident in that quarter were, of course, violently opposed to the establishment of a Negro school and house of refuge in their neighborhood; and others, not aggrieved by its vicinity to their residences, were very angry at seeing so elegant a mansion given up to such uses. A guard had to be stationed round the building to protect it from destruction and its occupants from insult . This was furnished by General Banks, who warmly befriended the enterprise from the outset. On the part of some people who had been expected to render aid there was a good deal of backwardness at the first, and it is only recently that a society, called the Louisiana Association, and made up for the most part of wealthy people of color in New Orleans, has been formed, and has pledged itself to give the institution pecuniary assistance. At one time it was in great danger from an order issued by the Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau, which seemed to contemplate the 314 The South As It Is: 1865-1866 315 apprenticing of all the inmates of the asylum. There were at once a great many visits from Southern men demanding apprentices in the most confident manner, one even threatening the matron that she would do well to be careful of her language or she might find herself apprenticed. Prompt recourse to General Canby averted that danger. Courage and patience constantly exerted have kept the asylum in existence and successful till the present time. And now a French gentleman, who has recently visited this country, and while here gave a careful examination to the institution, offers to bestow upon it $10,000 on condition that $20,000 additional is raised, and Mrs. De Mortie entertains the confident hope of soon seeing her enterprise carried to a prosperous conclusion. That there is need of such an asylum is evident from the fact that it is now giving support and an education to fifty-six children. The number of inmates was at one time as high as one hundred, but that was while many of the Negroes of this city and the neighboring country were yet in the Federal army and the Confederate camps. In many of these cases the mother died during the father's absence, and the child found refuge in the asylum. Then upon his return it was removed and cared for by him. I found children of all ages, from those of four months old up to fourteen and fifteen years, and some whom I did not see, and who are more than fifteen years old, were away at work, and are only to be found in the asylum at night. The school is held in what was once the dining-room, and contains about fifty pupils, two of them being day-scholars, who pay for their tuition. An increase in the numbers of this latter class may be expected, I was told, and their tuition fees will be applied to the expenses of the establishment. The list of studies embraces the common branches of an English education, history and physiology among the rest, and there is a class of ten who study French. Plain needlework is also taught. One of the teachers is paid by the National Freedmen's Relief Association, and the others by the Freedmen's Bureau. One of them informed me that her scholars behaved very well in school and gave her no trouble, so far as discipline was concerned, but she thought them indolent and averse to study. I only heard them 316 John Richard Dennett singing, an exercise which they performed with a great deal of spirit. The dormitories, dining-rooms, playrooms, and the grounds were all very neatly...