condition of the pledge. But the good done to the children is not the
only benefit. Through these children, the parents become interested in
temperance. One little boy said, "Since I joined the Band of Hope I
got my papa and mamma to join the pledge too." Many families were
represented by either father or mother, and in many cases by both.
This topic is destined very soon to be of paramount importance in the
training of the colored people.

The week beginning May 21 was given up to examinations. The pupils
have in the main done well. Many of them in advancement and aptness
will compare well with white children. By reason of a re-arrangement
in the course of study, there was no graduating class this year.
However, on the evening of May 25, we had an exhibition given by the
scholars. The stage at the back was prettily draped with the national
colors, and flowers were scattered in profusion everywhere. At the
appointed hour the room was filled with the parents of the pupils and
other friends of the schools. The programme was a miscellaneous one,
made up of tableaux, songs, dialogues and recitations. Some of these
reflected great credit upon the pupils and their teachers. I say
_some_ of them, because some parts were rendered so excellently as to
astonish one who did not expect anything _very_ good from negro
scholars. One beautiful scene was, "Winding the May Pole," by twelve
little girls dressed in white. Another striking piece was, "What
Alcohol has done for the Nations." Different persons in appropriate
costume represented the various nations of Europe and one represented
Africa, each in a short speech stating what havoc alcohol had made.
One young lad caused a good deal of merriment in declaiming "Theology
at the Quarters," in which he drew a picture of the candidate for
heaven being subjected to a close examination before he could be
admitted through the "_Alaplaster_ gate." "The questions," said the