CHAPTER LXXXII.
MISS MARY E. BRITTON.
The subject of this sketch was born in Lexington, Ky., more than thirty-two years ago, where she still lives and teaches in the public schools. She was also educated in the schools of this thriving little city, and now seeks to help lift up others as she herself has been lifted up.
MISS MARY E. BRITTON.
Miss Britton has done much in the field of primary education for the race. She stands high in her own city as a refined, intelligent, faithful leader and teacher. She has done much for the general public in the line of newspaper writing and agitation. Prominent among the papers in which her writings have appeared we mention the American Citizen, a Lexington weekly, the Cincinnati Commercial, the Lexington Herald, the Daily Transcript, Lexington, Ky., the Indianapolis World, Indiana, the Cleveland Gazette, Ohio, The Courant, Louisville, Ky., The Ivy, Baltimore, Md., American Catholic Tribune, etc.
Mrs. A. E. Johnson said of her:
She has an excellent talent for comparing, explaining, expounding and criticising, and has made no small stir among the city officials and others for their unjust discriminations against worthy citizens.
Mrs. I. Garland Penn says of her:
Miss Britton claims to be neither a poet nor a fiction writer, but she is a prolific writer on many subjects of a solid, practical, forcible character. Teaching is her forte, and she prefers to perfect herself in both the science and art of the profession. As a teacher she is greatly respected and esteemed.
A friend in the Indianapolis World speaks of her in the following complimentary manner:
The city (Lexington, Ky.) officials are building the colored people a school-house on the corner of Fourth and Campbell streets, and Miss Mary E. Britton, the "Meb" of our literature, smiles even more pleasantly than usual. She has done a great deal to educate the youth here under the most vexing circumstances, and none can appreciate or rejoice more in better facilities than she.
Mr. I. Garland Penn also speaks of her as follows:
Miss Britton is a specialist. Recognizing the fact that one cannot satisfactorily take in the whole field, she wisely concludes to pursue and perfect herself in such branches of it as she feels confident are hers by adaptation. Such a course cannot fail to give success to the one pursuing it.
The journalistic work seems to be the calling of Miss Britton. No other field would suit her so well. In manner and style her composition is equal to any of her sex, white or black. As an elocutionist she stands next in rank to the accomplished Hallie Q. Brown. No literary programme gotten up by the Lexingtonians is complete with- out the rendition of some choice selection by her—Miss Britton. She is a hard student, a great reader, and a lover of poetry. Miss Britton is an acknowledged teacher of high intellectual attainments.
The American Catholic Tribune, Cincinnati, says of her:
It is with pleasure that we call the attention of our readers to a paper read by that talented young woman and rising journalist, Miss Mary E. Britton, at the State Teachers' Institute held in Danville, Ky., last week. Without commenting on the terms it proposes, we give it to the public for careful perusal.
The Christian Soldier (Lexington, Ky.) also thus refers to her:
Miss Mary K. Britton is one of the brightest stars which shine in Dr. .Simmons' great magazine. Our Women and Children, and the magnitude of those stars is national. Lexington never gets left when it comes to pure, good and sensible women.
Suffice it to say that we need among us more such staunch and invincible champions of the cause of right and of equal justice to all men. Miss Britton well deserves the place she occupies in the hearts of her people at home as well as throughout this country wherever she is known. Who can predict her future?