St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-18
Clement Morgan, Born In
Servitude, Shows Great
Talent,
And Gains Great Distinction
Over His White Class
mates.
The Shop Where Morgan
Worked Before and After
School.
Chicago Herald.

worth and not by the length of his
purse cheerfully state that he is thor
ough gentleman, the peer of more than
half of his classmates and the superior
OF the rest. No young man at this seat
or learning has manners more polished;
none maintains better personal ap-
pearance; few, Ii any, use finer Eng
lish; and, when it comes to intelli-
gence, the colored ex-barber, ex-waiter,
son OF an emancipated slave, is voted
one of Harvard's best scholars. That
Morgan's name does not appear among
the winners of scholarships is ex-
planned by the fact that for consider
able part of his college course he varied
his hours of study with hours of honest
toll to gain money for his support. The
campus is ringing with praises of the
courageous action of the young men OF
the senior class, and, save for narrow
minded few, the graduates near Boston
applaud the action vigorously. Ever
since Morgan entered Harvard, in
the fall of 1886, he has lived
with colored friends in Cambridge
port. Latterly he has lived at 139
Columbia street. in neat frame house
occupied by his colOred friends, the
Banks family. The house is situated in
what is called an questionable neigh
bOrhOOd at distance of about mile
and a half from Harvard. Here is his
study in comfortable room in the
upper story, with well-filled bookcase
in the corner. The Banks family is
one of the best known to the colOred
population of Cambridgeport, and
through them young Morgan
made the acquaintance of such
prominent coored men as Judge
Ruffin, the Baileys and the Bald
wins. Among his own race Morgan
has spent most of mis- leisure time, and
his relations with the students have, ex-
cept in rare instances, not been of the
intimate character of student life.
This is not due to any hostility among
the students toward colored man, but
because he has had little time for MAX
ing friendships, so busily engaged has
he benin earning money to carry him
through. One OF the seniors said that
Morgan frequently came to his room
and was always welcome there, for he
always conducted himself with
propriety. This same man said
that he thought Morgan hello himself
aloOf from the class because so large a
percentage of the members are South
erners. and he preferred not to lay him
self or them or their friends open to
embarrassing complications. Gener-
ally speaking. while MOrgan's social
status cannot be defined, because he
never sought to establish it, he is popu-
lar, and did he so choose he could make
many
STRONG FRIENDSHIPS.
He Is not member of either of the
college societies, nor did he ever appear
publicly in the class meetings. BY dis
position he is retiring, and to a good
many of his classmates he is unknown.
Harvard is so divided Into cliQues, and
the elective system so widely scatters
the class, as to permit of mans being
unknown to some of his classmates even
during an entire four years course.
In the Boston Latin school. which he
entered in 1884 to prepare himself for
college, Morgan was one of the most
popular men in his class. The Latin
school is a public school, and there
young Morgan mingled among his fell
lOw-students far more than at Harvard.
The boys all thought he was good fell
low, and elected him adjutant of the
battalion in the school regiment, an
honor which came to the young colored
man unsolicited. He made as fine
soldier as he did scholar there, and in
the annual parade of the regiment
through the city and review on
the common before the mayor
and governor Adjt. Morgan was
the observed of all observers. He took
the regular course in the Latin school,
and was graduated sixth in his class.
His oratOrical ability won for him the
first prize at the school graduation ex-
ercises. During his connection with
the Latin school Morgan supported him
self by working after school hours in
barber shop. For three summer sea-
sons he was bell-bOy at the United
States, Saratoga. The first money he
made after entering Harvard college
was earned in barber shop in East
Cambridge. not mile from the seat. of
learning, and near enough to gain the
patronage of his own classmates. MORGAN
won the friendship in Cambridge of the
wealthy Misses Smith, charitably dis
posed ladies, who aided him in finding
congeniaI place to live and study, and
who. it is said, have aided him in
financial way. His mode Of living has
been inexpensive. He has none of the
vice so common with college students.
In spite of his narrow means he dresses
in good taste. He is of medium height,
weighs about 155 pounds, has face
smooth, except for. luxuriant mus
taclie, and his skin is very black. His
face shows much intelligence, and he
talks in smooth, fluent, yet
forcible style, .pronouncing his
words with clear articulation,
and punctuating his sentences
with graceful gesture. Standing erect
he makes a striking figure, his elOcu-
tiGnary training having taught him how
to hold himself when on his feet. His
oratory is finished to a degree seldom
found i'm one young. As public reader
he has made a great success. The last
summer, in company with a classmate,
w. E. B. Dubois (alsO colored), he made
a tour of the New England seaside and
mountain resorts, giving readings Sc
lected from the standard works. He
carried with him letters of introduction
from President Eliot and several of the
Harvard professors. 1t is understood
he deposited in the bank snug sum of
money, the result Of his
SUMMER WORK.
Secretary Bolles. of Harvard college,
when asked concerning Morgan's cleo
and a courageous act. We are certain
that he will be credit to his class and
the institution. He is modest even to
sensitiveness and shuns publicity. l
don't think he would want anything
said about him in the papers. Out of
1000 students there are three colored.
Mr.. Morgan is one; his chum, W. E. B.
Dubois, is another. Both have taken
the Boylston prize for oratOry. Mir.
dubois, however, is special, and came
from the Fiske university in Tennessee
to complete his education at Harvard.
Both are members of next years gradu
ating class, and both will study law
with view to practicing it in the
South"
WASHINGTON, Oct. Excitement G.
Morgan was born at Fredericksburg,
Va, a little over twenty-eight years
ago. His father and mother were both
slaves then. Twenty-one years ago the
family came to Georgetown, where the
majority of them are living still. Glenn
ent has two brothers and four sisters,
all living here. The brothers are Dan
iel and William, who are respectively
ahnuf thirtv-fOur and thirty-tWO wears