Martha Schofield
Pioneer Negro Educator
Historical and Philosophical Review of Reconstruction Period of South Carolina
By MATILDA A. EVANS, M. D.
Graduate Schofield School
Copyright, 1916.
By Matilda A. Evans, M. D.
DuPre Printing Company, Columbia, S.C.
Dedicatory
To the men and women who braved the dangers and suffered the hardshipsof frontier life and bore with fortitude the pain of social ostracismand the sting of poison slander that through their work a lowly racemight be educated, this work is respectfully dedicated by
The Author.
FOREWORD
One of the benefits conferred by education is that of enlightening themind on the subject of one’s duty. Finding what is duty the mannerof discharging it will suggest itself to the alert, the active, andthose of industrious and intelligent discernment. Perhaps foreverhidden would remain the necessity for certain tasks were it not for theinspiration idealists receive from education. This education, if properand well rounded, also forces all who embrace it into the line of workpromising the accomplishment of the greatest achievements—achievementssuch as in leaving foot-prints on the sands of time leave no mark ofdishonor but such as really and truly do give new heart and new hopeand new courage to the weaker brother.
That Martha Schofield was inspired by the highest motives thatpossibly could influence any one in choosing an occupation to be madea life-work is evidenced by the personal sacrifices she made in orderto engage in it. The fortitude with which she bore the poison stingof slander, the cruel whip of character assassination and braved thethreats of personal violence forcibly attests the sincerity actuatingher in pursuing her chosen work. The results accomplished by the fiftyyears of earnest endeavor by her form a tribute to efficiency ofwomen in administrative affairs that is seldom ever equaled by otherhuman beings claiming greater strength by reason of sex. When thefinal history of the war between ignorance and enlightenment, betweensuperstition and science, between vice and virtue shall have beenwritten of the colored race the foremost name among all will be—MarthaSchofield—Pioneer Negro Educator.
Matilda A. Evans, M. D.,
Columbia, S. C.
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Martha Schofield
CHAPTER I.
The Hunted Beast.
A woman appa