87 convert and educate the freedmen of North Carolina and other states and carried out these convictions primarily by contributions to and service in the Freedmen's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In areas where members of both races belonged to the Methodist Episc0pal Church, a general pattern of separate congregations based on race developed. The history of Bennett College reflects this pattern in that no mention was found of support of the school by the white Methodist Episcopal Church congregations of Greensboro. Segregation of the races within the same denomination, however, seems to have been den sired by both races.

The general white population of North Carolina, even though not giving tangible support to Bennett College, had a genuine respect for its faculty, students, and quality of work. Although many white North= ern teachers in schools for freedmen were looked upon with contempt by white Southerners, both w. J. Parkinson and E. 0. Thayer, white princi= pals of Bennett Seminary, reported that they were treated cordially and respectfully, by the citizens of Greensboro. The local citizens ad— mired the fine spirit of the college and its high caliber of students during Dr. C. N. Grandison's presidency. Several contemporaneous news—

paper accounts, which may be considered as fairly objective, were high—

ly complimentary of the educational accomplishments of Bennett stu»

dents. These and other instances cited in the text point toward excela lent relationships between the white citizens of North Carolina and the faculty and students of Bennett College.

The alumni of Bennett College formed a core of educated and