Philip White note, Laurens Street School

Philip's father Thomas died in 1835 when Philip was about twelve years old. A year later Philip became a student at Colored School no. 2 on Laurens Street. Located in a brand new two-story building, this school, in contrast to the earlier Mulberry Street School, was run by black teachers. The boys’ principal teacher was Charles Reason.

Thomas's death left the family quite poor. The Public School Society helped out by hiring Philip and his mother for occasional, low skilled jobs. The Society's books recorded the following payments: on January 25 and April 28 1840, $3 to Philip A. White for making fires in African Public School no.2 during three months; on June 11, 1841, $15 to Elizabeth White for cleaning and whitewashing primary school no. 7.