Page 169 - Swann Galleries - Printed & Manuscript African Americana- Sale 2308 - March 21, 2013

309 ● (EDUCATION.) WALTON, B.F.
Souvenir 1911.(cover title). Negro
Town Public School, District No 3,
Tymochee, twp, Wyandot Co., Ohio.
8 elaborately illustrated pages, two of
them printed on semi-transparent “parch-
ment” paper. 16mo, original pictorial
silk-tied wrappers, lightly soiled.
(Philadelphia: Ohio Printing Co, 1911
[300/400]
A true labor of love. The teacher of some 26
students of “Negro Town” had this little sou-
venir printed up for them on the occasion of
their graduation. It shows real affection for what
had to be a tiny community. Many of the 26
students are siblings, narrowing still the actual
number of families involved. The cover reads
“By Wisdom Wealth is Won,” and “Tis
Education forms the common mind/ Just as the
twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.” We were able
to locate a B.F. Walton in Wyandot County
who was involved with education there in the
early part of the 20th century.
309
310 ● (EDUCATION.) WASHINGTON, BOOKER T. An Honorary Member of
the “Plucky Class.” Partially printed certificate, 31⁄
2 x 5 inches accomplished by hand,
presented to William Gibson [in Washington’s hand] and SIGNED BY BOOKER T WASHING-
TON AT THE BOTTOM in the original small hand-made wooden frame. The edges of the
card are slightly worn, the paper evenly toned.
[Hampton, Virginia, circa 1879-1880] [6,000/8,000]
A RARE SOUVENIR OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON’S CLASS AT THE HAMPTON INSTITUTE,
INSCRIBED AND SIGNED BY HIM. In a small hand-made frame, more than likely made by the
recipient of this charming little certificate at Hampton’s own sawmill, where most of
Washington’s “Plucky Class” male students worked. Washington taught at Hampton from
1879 through 1880. We have dated this certificate based on that period as well as from
Booker T. Washington who wrote in his “Up From slavery:” “General Armstrong had found
out that there was quite a number of young coloured men and women who were intensely in
earnest in wishing to get an education, but who were prevented from entering Hampton
Institute because they were too poor to be able to pay for any portion of the cost of their board,
or even to supply themselves with books. He conceived the idea of starting a night-school in
connection with the Institute, into which a limited number of the most promising of these young
men and women would be received, on condition that they were to work for ten hours during
the day, and attend school for two hours at night. They were to be paid something above the
cost of the board for their work. The greater part of their earnings was to be reserved in the
school’s treasury as a fund to draw on to pay their board when they had become students in the
day-school, after they had spent one or two years in the night-school. In this way, they would
obtain a start in their books and a knowledge of some trade or industry, in addition to the other
far-reaching benefits of the institution. General Armstrong asked me to take charge of the night
school, and I did so. At the beginning of this school there were about twelve strong, earnest
young men who entered the class. During the day the greater part of the young men worked in
the school’s sawmill, and the young women worked in the laundry . . .These students showed
so much earnestness. .that I gave them the name of “The Plucky Class.” After a student had
been in the night school long enough to prove what was in him, I gave him a printed certificate . . .”
This is the only example of this certificate we have ever seen.
[SEE ILLUSTRATION OVERLEAF]