Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-05
The Randall school Building.

DEDICATION CEREMONIES YESTERDAY.
Yesterday afternoon the new school build
ing for coiored children, at the intersection
OF i and 1st streets southeast, which will be
known by the name of the Randall building,
Was dedicated with appropriate exercise -
" hich took place In the hall on the ~
floor. The bnilding was described in 1917.
sss. ssAH Gn nsIs were present
Hovey, Smith, Packard, Ryd,r Ferarsnn'
Brooks and Johnson. Supe, ,ntenaent n -
T; Cook. Hon: Fred Dc asias, MT. Joseph
teachers and parent and friends Of the mn
pi,s OF the dstrtct were also present.
MI. Henry johnson presided. and called
the meeting TO order, making some appro-
made during the past few years by the col :.
ored schools. Rev. w. ]. Walker offered q
prayer, and Mr.. Ryder read part of the 9Th
Superintendent q. T.Sook was intro
duced. and, after referring to the models of
school buildings OF the last and present CEN
tury as showing the progress made, he said
IL was even more apparent on the site of this
building. Here q rough and incommodious
school house was occupied in 1866, and In ten
short years IL bad been found necessary TO
erect this magnificent building. He referred
to the difficulties experienced by the teach
ers In the early days OF the color; d schools,
and related how they had been overcome
81 ecial reference was made to the labo:s of
Miss Randall lafter whom the building was
namely, VINO bad charge OF the school from
is6s TO 1874, and literally died at her post.
MI. Cook, In concluding, said that credit
should be given the District Commissioners
for their co operation, and TO toe SUB board
OF trustees for their zeal and energy.
Mr.. Joseph Williams, the contractor, then
aavanced' and referring 10 the committee
spoke In high terms OF the laoors OF Mr.
Brooks, and handed him the keys
Mr.. Brooks spoke of the fidelity of the
builder, whom he regarded as ,Ihe most col-
scentious and attentive master builder ne
had ever met. Mr.. Brooks proceeded to give
n hfCf
details, and turned the building over to the
Board of Trustees.
Mr.. w. W. Curtis accepted the building on
behalf of the board, and made a speech, in
which he said the day has passed when
buildings of this description were In danger
rom the 1ncend1ary on account of jealousy
of the color OF the students.
Mr.. johnson, in q few fitting rem arks re-
ferred TO the presence of Mr.. Frederick Doug
lass, whom he introduced.
Mr.. Douglass remarked that he was
present as spectator. and had been much
ed1ned by the remarks made. He had
thought how much the world had been in
debted to religion and how much TO kEowl-
edge. If the world had made any progress
from rudeness to civilization; from oppres-
sion TO charity towards all men; from slavery
to liberty, 1t had been brought about by
set In motion the paddle wheels of
all the steamers; 1t was by knowledge
that all the world had been made into
q whisper gallery. At one time the world
did not know that man convict ous could
not be changed by piucking out his eyes and
his tongue, and they tore out the hearts of
some men because OF their opinions. Reason
had shown them that multitudes of people OF
different opinions could live together In har-
mOny. There was a time, too, when the
people of America thought that the negro
and the white man could not live together in
harmony; that the white man should De kept
up by keeping the black man down. "How
slow was knowledge, and how patient was
truth; truth was patient, and we waited, and
oy ana by deliverance came.o
Mr.. Johnson then declared that they dedf-
Gated this building as the Randall school for
the education OF the colored youth OF South
Washington.
The benodiction was pronounced by Rev.
James Reed, and the assembly was dis
missed.