After I had worked at the furnace for some time, I was sent to work in a coal-mine. It operated to provide fuel for the salt-furnace. I dreaded my work there. The place was dark and dirty. It was hard to get cleaned up after a day's work. I also noticed that the young boys who began work there had little opportunity to get an education. And most of them lost their ambition to do anything else.

One day while working in the coal-mine, I overheard two miners talking about a great school for colored people somewhere in Virginia. That was the first time I ever heard of a school higher than the one in our little town.

I moved closer to hear what they were saying. They said that the school was established for members of my race. And that it provided opportunities for poor but worthy students to work for all or part of their room and board while they were taught some trade or industry.

This seemed like the greatest place on earth. And not even Heaven had more attractions to me than did this place called Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute.