Seeing how matters stood with her in these circumstances, Prudence
Crandall conceived the remarkable purpose of devoting her school to the
education of colored girls exclusively. She did not know whether her
idea was practicable, and so in her perplexity she turned for counsel to
the editor of the _Liberator_. She went to Boston for this purpose, and
there, at the old Marlboro' Hotel, on Washington street, on the evening
of January 29, 1833, she discussed this business with Mr. Garrison. This
visit and interview confirmed the brave soul in her desire to change her
school into one for the higher education of colored girls. It was
expected that a sufficient number of such pupils could be obtained from
well-to-do colored families in cities like Boston, Providence, and New
York to assure the financial success of the enterprise. When Miss
Crandall had fully matured her plans in the premises she announced them
to the Canterbury public. But if she had announced that she contemplated
opening a college for the spread of contagious diseases among her
townspeople, Canterbury could not possibly have been more agitated and
horrified. Every door in the village was slammed in her face. She was
denounced in town meetings, and there was not chivalry enough to cause a
single neighbor to speak in her defence. Samuel J. May had to come from
an adjoining town for this purpose. "But," says Mr.
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