The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-24
TO HIS w PEOPLE
It. WASHINGTON GIVES SOME
STERLING, PERTINENT ADVICE.
Occupations That Have Slipped Away
from Colored FoIks-A Reception
at HercuIean Club.

Booker T. Washington last night deliv-
cred his lecture Industrial Education at
the V~ermont-street A. NJ. l.. Church to an
audience composed mostly or colored peo-
pie. His talk was In the interests of the
Colored Benevolent Society, which has done
much for deserving colored people in the
last year. No admission fee was charged,
and the church was crowded. Mir. Wash
ington donated his services to the society,
and after the lecture a collection was taken
and $50 in cash raised. This money will be
used by the benevolent society in its work.
Mr.. Washington said In substances:
AS a race there are two things we must
learn 10 90, one Is to put brains into the
is to dignity common labor. If we do not
DO this we cannot hold our W as a race.
Ninety per cent of any race earns Ii liy-
ing by the common occupations of life and
the negro can be no exception TO this rule.
Let me Illustrate the Importance of giving
attention to the common occupations of LIE:
twenty years ago every large and paying
barber shop over this country was in the
hands OF black men. To-day in New York,
Philadelphia and Boston you cannot find a
single first-class barber shop in the hands
OF colored people. The colored man had a
monopoly of this industry, he went on in
the same old way from day to day, with
no Improvement, he put no Intelligence into
his work. The white people In recent years
have taken up this occupation and by put
ting brains into 1t have secured for them
selves the monopoly. In the first place., the
white man got a light, cheerful room in
which he put improved chairs, carpeted the
floor and adorned. the walls with pictures;
then he added bath room and in one corner
CT the shop placed his desk, which he used
as office. Next he created a new fashion
plate, and a journal bearing on the work.
and finally he has gotten this occupation
to the point where his place is not called
a barber shop any more; IL is called a ton
serial parlor.. And SO to-day this occupa-
ton is fast slipping from US.
EVOLUTION IN WHITEWASHING.
"A few years ago there were a large num-
Der of colored people in the Northern cities.
as there are now In some Of the Southern
cities. who made their living by whitewash-
ing. The colored man came along with his
long pole and bucket of w~hitewash, here
and there he would get a chance to white
wash a fence, and less frequently the walls
OF a house. He would take that long pole
and whitewash not only the walls in the
crudest manner possible, but the carpet, pic
lures and parlor furniture at the same time.
You don't see this old man, with mis- pole
and bucket, any more, his occupation Is
gone; the white man has IL. The Anglo
Saxon has taken his knowledge or chemis-
try and applied 1t to the mixing of mater
physics to the blending of colors. his knowl-
edge OF geometry to figuring and decorat-
ing the ceiling. but you don't call this man
q WHY Nd1AltA lC 10 IL % 80 oNN0
rator. He has put brains into the indus
try. He has digniied 1t and that old man
with his long pole Is done for; A few
ton, and all over this country, for that mat
ter. had a monopoly of laundering. How is
p II to SIs mind Asa fo m aoes ! the A wh soon ma as s ape
young white mar left college he began to
invent, and as a result of his invention out
came the washing machine that will wash
one hundred shirts an hour; then anne the
ironer, huter and ruffier. Next he applied
steam and then electricity to the occupation
Of the old colored woman and so another
Many OF our people all over this country
used to earn a living by cutting the grass In
f BEDS ia infad fron ass yard ths sn @i Eise %hise 'h man n0 S"w
his opportunity. he brought to bear his
knowledge of surveying, terracing and plot,
planting by colors. This white man has
taken the place of the old colored, grass cut
ter. but he is not called a yard cleaner-
landscape gardener is the term we apply to
him. At one time In almost every city in
this country. but principally in the larger
cities, whenever there was a person sick no
one could nurse SO well as the old black
nanny. That occupation has gone. The
nice and tidy little white woman with her
dainty cap. clean apron. head fun OF physi-
has taken this once common occupation.
raised It UP. digniied 1t. beautiied 1t and
glorifed 1t. turned 1T into a profession. ana
the sick room with her diploma i'm her hand
and comes out well paid. 1t is true that at
present. In the South especially. we still hold
the matter of cooking largely in our hands.
Common occupation has slipped from us.
When in Chicago, a few days ago, l was sur
prised to find that in almost no public es-
adjustment was there q colored cook. /
found a man whom they called a chef He
was an educated, dignihsd. polished gentle
man, as intelligent as any man you can find.
He Is the mar who has transferred the COM
mon occupation OF cooking into a profession.
He has been through a. professional cooking
school and has received a diploma. In San
other place 1 found the people cooking by
electricity.
Nov, what are we going to do? Are we
going to put brains into these common occu-
pations. are we going TO dignity them. are
we going to keep UP with the world, or are
we going to let them slip from us-these
occupations which mean our lifeblood? Edu-
used. A man might as well I'll his head
with so much cheap soup as with learning.
unless he Is going to use his knowledge. The
world does not care very much for what a
person knows, but II does care for what he
does. An educated man standing on the
corner with his hands in his pockets Is of no
more service TO society than the biggest ig-
thing"
After the lecture an informal reception
was held I'm the church parlors, during
which refreshments were served. Mr..
Washington caves to-day for Terre Haute.
He will address the students of the State
Normal tonight. From Terre Haute he
will go directly TO his college I'm Alabama.
a considerable factor in charitable work the
last six months. looking after all cases re-