The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.2, page 68, 12 Feb. 1877, U. of Illinois Press

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The BOOKER T. WASHINGTON Papers John & Fannie were covered by it—unless, indeed, at the time ~ made the offer you mentioned their names, or ~ might have then said it would be all right. ~ have no memory or record of any such compact and am not able to recall any such remote conversation. They entered school without any such special understanding & when ~ called them up they neither of them mentioned any agreement protecting them. ~ am willing to make such agreements with students but, in all such cases, ~ depend upon the student to remember the particulars of his case and I am ready to take his word for it. ~ answer over coo applications a year and don't undertake [to keep]2 track of every statement I make in words especially. Now if ~ made any such agreement with you in regard to these two people please tell me just what it was. John & Fannie came to me as full pay students, on the usual basis & never asked any special consideration. ~ will keep to anything ~ said to you & take your word for it just what is its that I agreed to with respect to John & Fannie. Yours truly S. C. Armstrong ALpS Armstrong Letterbooks President's Once Vault ViHaI. Fanny Norton Smith Washington (~858-May 4, 1884) was born in Malden, W.Va., daughter of Samuel Smith, who was part Shawnee, and Celia Smith. She knew BTW from childhood. His pupil in the Malden school, she gained admission to Hampton with his help. She soon fell behind in her school payments and left Hampton in 1878, spending two years teaching school near Malden in order to settle her account. She walked three miles to and from work each day to save on board, and struggled to support her mother as well as to pay her Hampton bill. At the time she sent her final payment of $48 to J. F. B. Marshall in January 1880, she indicated that she was earning $32.50 a month but using most of it to meet household expenses. Marshall then placed her on the roll of honor, ''those graduates or students who, leaving the school in debt to it, have paid their debts in full from their earnings as teachers or otherwise.'' (`Southern Workman, 9 [Mar. 1880], be.) Fanny graduated from Hampton Institute in 1882 and married BTW that summer, joining the Tuskegee faculty immediately. The Tuskegee Institute teachers boarded with the Washingtons in their rented house, and Fanny carried the burdens of institute housekeeper. She was also responsible for broadening the curriculum for Tuskegee girls, developing a home-econorrucs training program. She and BTW had one daughter, Portia Marshall. Fanny's first name, as it appeared on her tombstone at the Tuskegee Institute Cemetery, was ''Fanny'' rather than ''Fannie,'' as she was sometimes known. (See inscription on tombstone of Fanny Smith, May 4, ~ 884.) 2 Corner of letter torn. Probably intended ''it is.'' 68