they say: "From a comparison of the school houses occupied by the
colored children with the splendid, almost palatial edifices, with
manifold comforts, conveniences and elegancies which make up the
school houses for white children in the city of New York, it is
clearly evident that the colored children are painfully neglected and
positively degraded. Pent up in filthy neighborhoods, in old
dilapidated buildings, they are held down to low associations and
gloomy surroundings. * * * The undersigned enter their solemn protest
against this unjust treatment of colored children. They believe with
the experience of Massachusetts, and especially the recent experience
of Boston before them, there is no sound reason why colored children
shall be excluded from any of the common schools supported by taxes
levied alike on whites and blacks, and governed by officers elected by
the vote of colored as well as white voters."

This petition and remonstrance had its effect, for mainly through its
influence within two years very great improvements were made in the
condition of the New York colored schools.

For the especial benefit of those who erroneously think that the
purpose of giving industrial education is a new thing in our land, as
well as for general historical purposes, I call attention to the
establishment of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia in
1842. This Institute was founded by the Society of Friends, and was
supported in its early days and presumably still "by bequests and
donations made by members of that Society." The objects of the
Institute as set forth by its founders, fifty-seven years ago, are:
"The education and improvement of colored youth of both sexes, to
qualify them to act as teachers and instructors to their own people,
either in the various branches of school learning or the mechanic