Choctaw Freedmen, by Robert 
Elliott Flickinger 
 
Project Gutenberg's The Choctaw Freedmen, by Robert Elliott 
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Title: The Choctaw Freedmen and The Story of Oak Hill Industrial 
Academy 
Author: Robert Elliott Flickinger 
Release Date: November 4, 2007 [EBook #23321] 
Language: English 
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 
CHOCTAW FREEDMEN *** 
 
Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Marcia Brooks, Don Tvenge, 
African American Biographical Database and the Online Distributed 
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net 
 
The Choctaw Freedmen
[Illustration: OAK HILL] 
AN OAK TREE 
On the southeastern slope, near the Academy, A pretty Oak, That 
strong and stalwart grows. With every changing wind that blows, is a 
beautiful emblem of the strength, beauty and eminent usefulness of an 
intelligent and noble man. 
"He shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon; like a tree planted by the rivers 
of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season." 
[Illustration: ALICE LEE ELLIOTT 1846-1906] 
 
THE Choctaw Freedmen 
AND 
The Story of OAK HILL INDUSTRIAL ACADEMY Valliant, 
McCurtain County OKLAHOMA 
Now Called the ALICE, LEE ELLIOTT MEMORIAL 
Including the early History of the Five Civilized Tribes of Indian 
Territory the Presbytery of Kiamichi, Synod of Canadian, and the Bible 
in the Free Schools of the American Colonies, but suppressed in France, 
previous to the American and French Revolutions 
BY ROBERT ELLIOTT FLICKINGER A Recent Superintendent of 
the Academy and Pastor of the Oak Hill Church 
ILLUSTRATED BY 100 ENGRAVINGS 
Under the Auspices of the PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF MISSIONS 
FOR FREEDMEN Pittsburgh, Pa.
ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS IN THE YEAR 
1914 BY THE AUTHOR IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF 
CONGRESS AT WASHINGTON, D. C. 
Journal and Times Press, Fonda, Iowa 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
I. GENERAL FACTS Introduction--List of Portraits 
I Indian Territory 7 
II Indian Schools and Churches 15 
III The Bible, An Important Factor in Civilization 31 
IV The American Negro 39 
V Problem of the Freedman 46 
VI Voices From the Black Belt 59 
VII Uplifting Influences 65 
VIII The Presbyterian Church 84 
IX The Freedmen's Board 90 
X Special Benefactors 96 
II. OAK HILL INDUSTRIAL ACADEMY 
XI Native Oak Hill School and Church 101 
XII Era of Eliza Hartford 107 
XIII Early Reminiscences 114
XIV Early Times at Forest 124 
XV Era of Supt. James F. McBride 131 
XVI Era of Rev. Edward G. Haymaker 134 
XVII Buds of Promise 146 
XVIII Closed in 1904 154 
XIX Reopening and Organization 155 
XX Prospectus in 1912 162 
XXI Obligation and Pledges 169 
XXII Bible Study and Memory Work 173 
XXIII Decision Days 183 
XXIV The Self-Help Department 185 
XXV Industrial Education 196 
XXVI Permanent Improvements 202 
XXVII Elliott Hall 210 
XXVIII Unfavorable Circumstances 216 
XXIX Building the Temple 227 
XXX Success Maxims and Good Suggestions 241 
XXXI Rules and Wall Mottoes 259 
XXXII Savings and Investments 272 
XXXIII Normals and Chautauquas 275
XXXIV Graces and Prayers 279 
XXXV Presbyterial Meetings and Picnics 282 
XXXVI Farmer's Institutes 287 
XXXVII The Apiary, Health Hints 294 
XXXVIII Oak Hill Aid Society 300 
XXXIX Tributes to Workers 308 
XL Closing Day, 1912 325 
III. THE PRESBYTERY AND SYNOD 
XLI Presbytery of Kiamichi 335 
XLII Histories of Churches 345 
XLIII Parson Stewart 351 
XLIV Wiley Homer 360 
XLV Other Ministers and Elders 370 
XLVI Synod of Canadian 382 
IV. THE BIBLE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL 
XLVII The Public School 391 
XLVIII A Half Century of Bible Suppression in France 418 
[Illustration: OAK HILL CHAPEL] 
[Illustration: ELLIOTT HALL--1910]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
Alice Lee Elliott Frontispiece 
Elliott Hall 11 
Choctaw Church and Court House 14 
Alexander Reid, John Edwards 15 
Biddle and Lincoln Universities 70 
Rev. E. P. Cowan, Rev. John Gaston, Mrs. V. P. Boggs 91 
Eliza Hartford, Anna Campbell, Rev. E. G. and Priscilla G. Haymaker 
108 
Girls Hall, Old Log House 109 
Carrie and Mrs. M. E. Crowe, Anna and Mattie Hunter 116 
James McGuire and others 117 
Wiley Homer, William Butler, Stewart, Jones 148 
Buds of Promise 149 
Rev. and Mrs. R. E. Flickinger, Claypool, Ahrens, Eaton 160 
Reopening, 1915, Flower Gatherers 192 
Mary I. Weimer, Lou K. Early, Jo Lu Wolcott 193 
Rev. and Mrs. Carroll, Hall, Buchanan, Folsom 224 
Closing Day, 1912; Dr. Baird 225 
Approved Fruits 256 
Planting Sweet Potatoes and Arch 257
Orchestra, Sweepers, Going to School 274 
Miss Weimer, Celestine, Coming Home 275 
The Apiary; Feeding the Calves 294 
Log House Burning, Pulling Stumps 298 
Oak Hill in 1902, 1903 299 
The Hen House, Pigpen 295 
The Presbytery, Grant Chapel 352 
Bridges, Bethel, Starks, Meadows, Colbert, Crabtree 353 
Crittenden, Folsom, Butler, Stewart, Perkins,    
    
		
	
	
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