A Deep And Interesting Lecture

A large and appreciative audience was present at the Presbyterian church last evening to listen to the address by Professor V. B. Stickney, of Aun Arbor, on "Nikola Tesla," and "The Recent Marvelons Discoveries in Electricity and Tlie Ether." The address was remarkable for itg depth of thought which was taken from science, history, poetry and philosophy. He entered into the mysterious field of nature's laboratory of reserve energy and made propheeies of future glory for the world's needs in light, heat and mechanical power. Thia lecture was given at the special written invitation of O'Brien J. Atkinson, Esq., Hon. H. W. Stevens and Supt. of Schools, J. H. Beazell.- (From Port Huron Daily News, January 15, 1896.) "The lecture was flue - the man is an orator."- (Hon. O'Brien J. Atkinson.) As Mr. Atkinson is the well known leader of the bar in eastern Michigan, and presided at the lecture, sat upon the platform and introduced the speaker, the above is a compliment of which anyone might be proud. It is not generally known, but the lecturer, a citizen of Ann Arbor for nearly seventeen years, prepared public lectures upqn electricity and other scientific subjects twenty-seven years ago, as principie of a Massachusetts high school, and white in a patriotic service to his country of over four years as an officer in the army acting under President Lincoln's special directiou through Gen. Banks, superintended the organization in New Orleans of the first public colored school ever orgauized there or in the United States, and acted as superintendent of the same nearly two years, and induced Gen. Banks to extend the schools all over the state of Louisiana, resulting in employing over 400 teachers and in enrolling 40,000 colored children as pupils. This was in 18G3-4, after Port Hndson, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, but before Pittsburg Landing, Chattanooga, The Wilderness, Sherman's March to The Sea, and two and a half years before the final surrender of Lee. As the result of his success as superintendent as above stated, in 1869, four years after the close of the war, without solicitation oa his part or his knowledge until after he was chosen, he was elected superintendent of all the white and colored schools in New Orleans, and member of the State Board of Education for Louisiana.