part is now presented for the first time and the whole of it put in form to be of interest, if not of value. The recent destruction of the Columbia bridge prompted my writing a sketch of it, so that there might be a record made of its continuous history, and I will open this paper with that sketch

was again able to return to Washington, D.C." Efforts to educate Blacks in Columbia began quite early. As noted above the Columbia Abolition Society and the Sabbath School Society operated schools for Blacks prior to 1820. There is very little documentary evidence of the efforts put forth by Columbia