Women of distinction/Chapter 41

CHAPTER XLI.

MISS ADA C. HAND.

The subject of this sketch was born in Westmoreland county, Va., December 25, 1862. When she was but little more than a month old her parents braved the perils of that unsettled period, and moved to Washington, D. C., so that for all practical purposes she is a child of our capital city. Her mother was free, but her father was a slave. This latter fact, however, had little effect upon the child's career, for both were practically free when she was born, and during all her life with them she was able to enjoy the full benefit of what time and ability they were capable of bestowing upon her. Her father was said to have been a man of uncommon natural ability, but of course had been denied all advantages which schooling would have afforded. Her mother was one of those amiable characters which seem filled with love for all, and bred to innate nobleness and purity of life. She had learned to read and write a little, and what she knew was carefully imparted to Ada. She not only confined her teaching to what could be gained from books, but the fundamental principles of house-wifery were carefully taught, and although to the negro the term and use of the kindergarten were absolutely unknown, this mother intuitively grasped the idea in teaching Ada to plan, sew, cut and fit for a large doll of her own and to make all of the stitches common to ordinary needle-work, thus indelibly impressing upon the child's mind the practical bearing and relation which these things would have upon the necessities of real life.

When Ada was nine years old her mother died, leaving three children, an older sister and a younger brother. The sister soon married. Many persons were anxious to adopt Ada, because of her known usefulness and capability in household lines. The father, however, kept her and her brother together, Ada being housekeeper and "maid of all work." This condition of affairs obtained but for three brief years, when the father was, in the wisdom of God, called to his final rest.

Ada and her brother then went to live with their sister, whose husband was particularly cruel and overbearing. Not desiring either of the children to secure the advantages of an education, he ordered that Ada should be put to service as a nurse. Her independent spirit revolted at the indignity, and justly so, as she supported entirely her brother and herself and only needed his roof as a protection. Her present knowledge of books enabled her to secure several adult pupils at night, who paid her fifty cents per month each, thus giving her the scanty means of securing for herself and brother the degree of comfort which they enjoyed.

The failure to crush Ada's spirit was spent upon the brother, who was taken out of school and subjected to a street education, which Ada's good sense deemed hurtful. Finding herself unable to thwart the strong will of this brother-in-law, who seemed unrelenting in his course towards her brother, she planned to steal him away and place him in the charge of an aunt who resided at least sixty miles off in the country. Accordingly she started with him, took the steamer down the Potomac River, traveling all night, and reached the place to which she was destined about three o'clock in the morning.

No inkling had been given to the aunt of the coming of the children, nor had Ada any idea of the time the boat would land her at the place she desired to reach; but the watchful care of that Father who never sleeps was around and about these precious treasures, and they were fortunate in finding their aunt's husband waiting at the landing to meet friends whom he expected by the boat. He conducted them safely to his home, where they remained for two months, Ada studying from the books which had composed a necessary part of her traveling outfit.

Having reached the high school course of our city schools, there were of course no schools sufficiently advanced to which she could go in the country. Her determination to have an education induced her to return to Washington, leaving her brother to the care of her aunt.

She enjoyed the hospitality of a friend for one night after her arrival and was the next day invited to live with a cousin. This she did, but the struggle to get an education was not here appreciated, and Ada still had to strive against the burdens heaped upon her, which, at times, seemed greater than she could bear. Having arrived just in time for the examination in the high school, she was admitted, and, notwithstanding the loss of two months of actual training, led her class. This being her first year in the high school, and with such a record, nothing could now daunt her. Many a day she sat and drank in the instruction imparted without having had a mouthful of food, as the little money she was able to earn was not sufficient to provide shoes, clothing, light and fuel. These were necessities which her fingers and brain had to earn after her household tasks were completed, for the latter were required as a bonus for a shelter.

Five years of care and deprivation had now passed, and with the class of 1879, of the high school for colored children of the District of Columbia, Ada was graduated and subsequently passed very creditably the examination for admission to the Miner Normal School, of which Miss M. B. Briggs was principal.

With the close of the school year 1879-'80 Miss Ada C. Hand was graduated with honors from the normal school, having passed successfully the entire curriculum of the public school course of the District of Columbia, and stood among the first for admission to the grammar, high and normal school. At the opening of the school year 1880-'81 she was placed in charge of a first grade (primary) school, where she distinguished herself through the native ability and aptitude shown for her chosen profession. So marked was her strength in the school-room in every point of her work that she was made training teacher in the normal school the second year she taught, which position she has held consecutively for ten years, shooting clear above all others in methods and plans of work.

She has attained considerable prestige as an artist, particularly at portraits; paints, draws and sketches any object she desires for use in connection with the object or language lessons in her school-room. In 1878 she received a medal for the best original design. She has made a complete set of charts to facilitate the work of teachers in presenting in the most attractive and pleasing way the text-books required by the first year course of our school.

Miss Hand has for ten years taught one hundred pupils a day—a school of fifty (first grade) from 9 to 12 a. m., and another of fifty pupils (second grade) from 1 to 4 p. m.—besides keeping accurately the complicated record book required for each school. She is held responsible for the methods given pupil-teachers of the normal school in four subjects during the year.

Her manners in the school-room are decidedly pleasing and attractive, and her school is a model of excellence in every particular at all times. There is a great demand for admission to her school, and many parents gladly take their children from remote sections of our city to have them enjoy the benefits of Miss Hand's experience. She spares neither time nor money in making her school first-class in every particular. This year she has purchased, at her own expense, a symphonion which will play an unlimited number of pieces, for the purpose of meeting the want she felt of a piano to conduct her classes in writing and calisthenics.

She is very unassuming and her unpretentious manners have endeared her to many hearts in our city. She has a few friends whom she has tried and to these she is true, but she has no fondness for society or notoriety.

Having been properly directed in her earlier years as to the value of work, the child of ten years was a fair index of the woman of to-day, for the tidy, lady-like appearance which she always made when her own hands washed and ironed the spotless garments she wore as a child still follows her, and it can now be said to her credit that, although she has not earned less than $80 per month for the past six years, she still makes every article of clothing she wears, such as dresses, cloaks, underclothing, etc., which most young women regard as such an irksome task.

Miss Hand is a member of the Presbyterian Church and has had charge of the infant department for the past eight years.