Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-08
Industrial Development of the Negro
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:


To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
Will you kindly allow me space to sup
plement the articles in Mondays and Tues
days Star describing the dedication exer-
cises of the Manassas Industrial School at
Manassas. Va, on Monday last Labor day?
1t was. indeed. an interesting occasion.
proving when woman Wills she can. The
woman who willel was Jennie Dean, and
what she can. or has done. is to raise the
foundations of an institution destined to be
a permanent power in the development Of
Virginia industries, after the thirty years
inertia attendant upon the destruction of
the old slave system. Nothing could be
more appropriate than that the foremost
man of the race, Frederick Douglass, should
deliver the Grafton Upon the setting of the
foundation Of this school of modern ideas
On the first battlefield Of the war; where the
cid regime received the first of its death
blows. The exercises of the day were under
the direction of Geo. c. Round, chairman
of the committee Of arrangements, whose
carefulness Of detail made the day con-
spicuous for its conveniences. Mr.. Round
Is q prominent lawyer of Manassas, who
undertook to aid the enterprise through
personal friendship for Gen. r. ID. Mussey,
first president Of the board of directors
and has continued his interest and faithful
services on the merits of the work since
the death of Gen. Mussey Representative
E. E. Meredith Of the eighth congressional
district, whose home is at Manassas
though not recovered from a recent i'll
ness. made one Of the heartiest speeches Of
welcome heard by any one. THE old COM
monwealth Of Virginia. he said, welcomes
you upon her sacred soil, coming as you do
to perpetuate the principles of liberty she
loves 50 well. You have come as frien is
of the humblest Of her citizens. to educate
their children for active, intelligent citizen
ship. and as such 1 welcome you again in
Of M.n
county of Prince William, and the COM
monwealth Of Virginia" Cheering and ap-
plause followed Mr.. Meredith as he made
his way through the crowd to return home
and to bed again.
That the colored people have the co-opera-
ton of their white neighbors in Prince Will
liam county could not be better attested
than by the addresses of Capt. r. H. Tyler
an ex-confederate soldier. who made the
flag presentation speech, and DR.. GARRISON
county superintendent CT schools. Both of
these gentlemen represent the typical south
erner in family associations and eaSy-going
culture, and made stirring speeches. show
ing them fully alive in the newest and best
educational ideas of the day, as we'll as
genuinely encouraging the progress of the
negro.
But no remarks were more happily receiv-
ed than were those Of Mrs. Ora Langhorne
of Cupeper. Va, herself an ex-slaveholder
In sweet and touching way she told of
the dear old mammies of slave days. of
their affectionate faithfulness to their fos-
ter children, and of the many tender
memories in the hearts of both time could
not efface. Her words brought tears to
the eyes Of some of the ''mammies' present,
and one near me murmured, BLESS her
heart, she's the right kind" But, how
ever dear those memories, Mrs. Langhorre
said, she would not have slavery again,
and her presence was to encourage the in
dustrial development Of the negro upon the
broad and noble lines of individual free
dom.
The building dedicated is the gift Of Miss
Emily Rowland of New York state and
Will be known as Rowland Hall, having
been so named by the board of directors in
honor Of the donor.
JANE E. THOMPSON,