Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-05

towns, as also do many-too many-of the
colored people. But the great mass of the
colored people are on the large plantations,
under influences and environments not the
most favorable for their advancement. In
the first place. the plantations great es-
tates are getting large again. Small hold
erS in this belt are selling out or leasing
their holdings, which are gradually falling
into the capacious NAV of capitalists of
both races. The capitalist usually resides
in the cities and towns and is often the
Storekeeper. He hires to the cOlOred farm
er small patch Of ground, usually ten
acres, for half the crop, which must be cot
ton. and furnishes the scantiest necessary
supplies, taking a mortgage on the prospec-
1--WE crop for his security. 1t is easy to see
that by paying fifty per cent of his crop for
rent of the land and the merchant charging
his own prices for supplies there is not
likely to be much of a surplus left over
for the benefit Of the colored "cropper."
Indeed, a deficit is usually the result. 1t is
q msdemeanor for "cropper'' in debt to
leave the county. Hence he is forced to re-
main. and unless he escapes and runs away
each year becomes more hopelessly imbed-
ed in the quicksands of debt 1t is this
never ending succession of years of accu-
mulating debt that causes the negro to de-
scribe the way the white man always
figures him in debt in these quaint lines:
IAN aughts an aught, and a fgur's
fgur;
All for the white man and none for the
munerative employment being open to them,
tie colored population is making great
progress intellectually, morally and ma
te rally. They are we'll equipped with
schools and churches, and thousands of
them own real estate. Many of them are
in business on their own account. Much
farm land is owned by colored people in the
black belt. But the proportion of land own
ed is not so great as it is in the cities and
towns.
The Star of Tuskegee.
But there is a star, a bright particular
star. in this black belt-"the star of Tus-
kegee.' Perhaps this little town is now the
most famous place in Alabama. Thousands
know something of Tuskegee who never
heard of Admission, and who may think
birmingham is i'll England. The town of
Tuskegee IS old, quaint and commonplace
enough. What makes it so famous is the
fact that it is the seat of great indus
trial school for the training of colored
youth.
The general reader had doubtless read
more or less about tlis great school before
the Atlanta exposition opened. NewsDa-
pers and magazines had not failed to tell
the reading public all about this bright
star in the black belt of Alabama But
when Mr.. Booker Washington its founder
builder and able principal, had finished that
magnificent specimen of American oratory
delivered by him on the opening day of the
exposition, rot only Tuskegee, but Mr..
Washington, was famous. His speech was
telegraphed all over the country, and re-
ceived much favorable comment. 1t at once
raised him to be the foremost colored man
in the country. Recently he has been the
guest of some of the most tony social
and literary clubs in the north-such as
the Hamilton Club of Chicago and the
Union League of Brooklyn. He is modest
and unaSSuming, and bears his success in
a fitting manner.
While in that vicinity recently I visited
the school. Leaving the Atlanta and West
Point railroad at Cheehaw, thirty-nine
ST nf
west of Atlanta l boarded train on a
little narrow gauge road. and the diminutive
locomotive. after snorting and putting for
about half an hour to travel five miles,
pulled the train up to the station at Tus-
kegee. The school grounds are mile away
from the railroad station. Order, system
and cleanliness prevail everywhere about
the property.
The Growth of Tuskegee.
This school has had a remarkable growth.
Beginning in 1882 in a rented building, with
an annual appropriation of $1,000 from the
state of Alabama, Mr.. Washington has
built this school up, until today it has sew
enty-two teachers, over 1000 students, thir-
ty-five buildings, all but one the work of
students; 1910 acres of land, $50 of which
are under fine state of cultivation; 374
head of live stock and a valuable equip
ment of machinery and apparatus.
The property is valued at $3.50, 600 The
annual disbursements. two-fifths of which
go into permanent plant, are about 81, 600
OF this amount students contribute about
the Peabody fund. $780, and the state Of
Alabama, 5000. The balance, about $50 900
annually. must be raised by donations
from friends of education.
There arc four departments, academic,
| Industrial musical and Bible training
Number Of industries for boys, eighteen;
| for girls, seven; number Of graduates
| 1S)Imost all Of whom are teaching in
south. a IN
| train its students for teachers and leaders
among their own people in the south, par
ticularly in the black belt. They are given
| that kind of training which experience
proves best fits them for the work. The
| heart, the head and the hand are all care
| fully trained. 1t is also a part of the
plan to teach in the most thorough man.
ner trade to those who may desire it.
The academic department runs night and
| day. Those working in the shops learning
| trades get pay for their work according to
other expenses. Trade pupils attend the
night school. The teachers and pupils a t
| the school and on the farm constitute a
community of over ] 900 persons.
They make in the workshops or raise on
| the farms about everything they use. They
make their own brick saw their own lum-
Der from logs hauled from the wealth of
pine forests on their own land and con-
struct the buildings. The rooms are fur
nished with bedsteads, mattresses, tables.
| chairs and tinware from the products of
| the shops Nearly all the clothing is made
| on the grounds, as also are the wagons
| buggies, harness, etc
Mr.. Washington is also the originator of
| the annual Tuskegee Conference for Ne
gro Farmers" The first one was held in
the spring of '92. The purpose is to inspire
the masses of colored people to secure
homes of their own, to aim after better
ways Of living. to insist upon better edu-
cational advantages. especially an exten-
sion of the school term, and, generally, to
raise the standard of living morally phys
ically, intellectually and financially
ANDREW F. HILLYER