I had
difficulty often in securing a satisfactory teacher. Sometimes, after
I had secured one to teach me at night, I would find, much to my
disappointment, that the teacher knew but little more than I did.
Often I would have to walk miles at night in order to recite my
night-school lessons. There was never a time in my youth, no matter
how dark and discouraging the days might be, when one resolve did not
continually remain with me, and that was a determination to secure an
education at any cost.
After I had worked in the salt furnace for some time, work was secured
for me in a coal mine which was operated mainly for the purpose of
securing fuel for the salt furnace. . . .
In those days, and later as a young man, I used to try to picture in my
imagination the feelings and ambitions of a white boy with absolutely
no limit placed upon his aspirations and activities. I used to envy
the white boy who had no obstacles placed in the way of his becoming a
congressman, governor, bishop, or President by reason of the accident
of his birth or race. I used to picture the way that I would act under
such circumstances; how I would begin at the bottom and keep rising
until I reached the highest round of success.
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