and used as a dwelling, opened again in 1818 under the auspices of an association of free people of color of the city of Washington called the “Resolute Beneficial Society.”  The school was declared open then “for the reception of free people of color and others that ladies and gentlemen may think proper to send to be instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, or other branches of education apposite to their capacities, by steady, active and experienced teachers, whose attention is wholly devoted to the purpose described.”  The founders presumed that free colored families would embrace the advantages thus presented to them either by subscription to the funds of the Society or by sending their children to the school.  Since the improvement of the intellect and the morals of the colored youth were the objects of the institution, the patronage of benevolent ladies and gentlemen was solicited.  They declared, too, that “to avoid disagreeable occurrences no writing was to be done by the teacher for a slave, neither directly nor indirectly to serve the purpose of a slave on any account whatever."[3] This school was continued until 1822 under Mr. Pierpont, of Massachusetts, a relative of the poet.  He was succeeded two years later by John Adams, a shoemaker, who was known as the first Negro to teach in the District of Columbia.[4]

[Footnote 1:  Ibid., 196.]

[Footnote 2:  Ibid., 197.]

[Footnote 3:  Daily National Intelligencer, August 29, 1818.]

[Footnote 4:  Special Report of the U.S.  Com. of Ed., 1871, p. 198.]

Of equal importance was the colored seminary established by Henry Smothers, a pupil of Mrs. Billings.  Like her, he taught first in Georgetown.  He began his advanced work near the Treasury building, having an attendance of probably one hundred and fifty pupils, generally paying tuition.  The fee, however, was not compulsory.  Smothers taught for about two years, and then was succeeded by John Prout, a colored man of rare talents, who later did much in opposition to the scheme of transporting Negroes to Africa before they had the benefits of education.[1] The school was then called the “Columbian Institute.”  Prout was later assisted by Mrs. Anne Maria Hall.[2]

[Footnote 1:  Ibid., 1871, p. 199.]

[Footnote 2:  Other schools of importance were springing up from year to year.  As early as 1824 Mrs. Mary Wall, a member of the Society of Friends, had opened a school for Negroes and received so many applications that many had to be refused.  From this school came many well-prepared colored men, among whom were James Wormley and John Thomas Johnson.  Another school was established by Thomas Tabbs, who received “a polished education from the distinguished Maryland family to which he belonged.”  Mr. Tabbs came to Washington before the War of 1812 and began teaching those who came to him when he had a schoolhouse, and when he had none he went from house to house, stopping even under the trees to teach wherever he found pupils who were interested.  See Special Report of the U.S.  Com. of Ed., 1871, pp. 212, 213, and 214.]