The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-01
MAKING RAPID PROGRESS.
WHAT THE GEORGIA STATE INDUS
TRIAL COLLEGE Is DOING

Rev. ,. T.. SmIth-The Closing Tx
erciscs This Week.
There is hardly a prettier spot around
Savannah than the campus Of the Georgia
state Industrial College for coiored youths
jus, The other side OF Thuuierboit. Stand
ing ou a high blun overlooking marsh,
and shaded thoroughly by spreading live
oaks fes-oonel with moss. &c forms as pref
o. and as artistic a ground as can be
found anywhere in this section.
The college began yesterday the exer-
cls,s OF its NTH annual commencement,
the commencement sermon which was
preached iu the new college chapel by
Rev j. Z. smith OF Chattanooga. This ia
the first time the new chapel has been
used. and it was pretty well filed when
its 2p students and their friends crowded
into it,
The college Is a state Institution. being
a branch OF the state university, and in
charge of the chancellor Of that institu-
tion Dr. william r. Boggs as superin-
tcndeut. Ii has a special board of commits
sloners composed of Hon. p. W. Meldrem,
chairman; Hon. ". r. Hammond of At
lauta. Hon. ?. J. Cline Of MiHedgeviIe.
Prof OTIS Ashmore of this city. and Col.
George T. MurreI of Wnterville. These
commissioners meet regularly once a year,
usually at the commencement season, and
sometimes two meetings a year are found
necessary. Capt Jordan F. Brooks of this
city is treasurer.
Since its organization IN Athens in 1891,
when Prof. r. r. Wright was made presi-
dent and principal. the institution has
met with phenomenal success. Ii has
grown in numbers from eight or ten to 200.
Perhaps the most important feature of
the college Is that besides giving the stu
dents instruction in all the usual acade-
mic and collegiate branches. it trains them
in a profession, furnishing the means
whereby, when they have completed their
course they Will have no difficulty i'm earn
ing a living. COlored boys are gathered
from forty Georgia counties, are engaged
IN studying besides the regular branches
some feature OF manual training, in which
they are expected to perfect themselves
and pass rigid examinations before they
receive diplomas. This practical work in
GUIDES, architectural ana mechanical
drawing, woodworking, carving, iron
working. masonry and plastering paint
lng decorating and sign writing, and
farming. Each student is required to do
practical work In all of these lines during
the term, but selects some special one or
combination TO which he deVOtes most of
line Of work.
The boys are made to put their knowl-
edge 10 a practical test as they acquire
IT, The houses occupied by the epaCbers
We're built by the pupils as were also the
barns and farmers house. Not consider
ing repairs which We're many and impor-
tant, the magnificent chapel and model
school building, which has Just been COM
pleted, is a monument TO the Industrial
feature of the college. This building
5SXSO; two stories; tower "a feet high: four
rooms on the first floor chapel on the
second floor, with seating capacity of 500
was erected by pupils. The class In car
pentry did the wood work; class in ma
sonry built foundations and chimneys,
and class In painting its part of the task
The plans and elevations were made by
the director of the manual training de-
partment, ana the work carried on under
his supervision. As an excellent piece Of
workmanship the building will stand criti-
cism.
The question has so often arisen as to
whether boys take courses in manuel
training as matter of choice, or to con-
form with the course as laid down in
catalogue. whereas, few years back,
boys took hold of the work with reluct-
ance and without thought they now, al
most to man, hasten to their benches
and vie with each other for the highest
standing as to neatneSs and accuracy of
work. 1t is highly gratifying to note the
increased zeal with which they labor. In
fact, such progress has been made in
the past two years until last commence
ment for the first time in the schools
history, Certificates of proficiency were
presented to several young men.
The work done in this department is of
a high order and for the order of this
work and manner of instruction the school
was awarded a medal at the Cotton states
and International Exposition, held in At
lanta, Ga, in 1895
The exercises of the literary societies
take place tonight and the students will
be addressed by Rev. r. r. Carter at st.
Phillips A. NJ E. church. Tomorrow
night will take place the exercises and
annual address to the Y. NJ. {. A. of the
college. The address Will be by Rev. NJ.
f. Doty of this city. Wednesday viii be
the big day of the commencement, as the
diplomas Will be delivered by Hon. p. w.
Meldrim, and the annual address Will be
made by Hon. G. r. Glenn of Atlanta,
state school commissioner
Rev. ]. E. Smith preached most inter
esting and instructive sermon for the
boys yesterday. His text was Deut XXI,
g. and a portion of the l. Cor, tx, "a,
namely, BE strong and of good courage;
may obtain" His subject, Being Better
Than Doing"
In speaking to the class he said, There
come to every individual DAVIS which like
mountains stand out from the pain OF
everyday life, days of decision when the
path of life takes a new direction; beyond
the shadows of which decision life can
never pass. Illustrative of this truth there
comes down to us the story Of Philip Of
Neri. a saint of the Sixteenth century. A
young man, a student of a famous ltal-
ian university came running to him one
day with joy in his face to tell him of his
hopes and aims of life He had entered
He would spare no pains to get through
with his studies as soon as possible. 'Weu, ,
asked the saint, and when you have gone
through with your course of studies, what
do you mean to do% Then 1 shall take
my doctors degree, answered the young
man. And then% asked Philip. 4 shall
have a number of difficult questions to
manage, shall catch the peoples notice
with my eloquence, my zeal, my learning
and gain great reputation" And
then2" repeated Philip. And then. there
can be no question about, l shall be pro-
noted TO some high Office ana l shall make
money and become rich" and them" re-
iterated Philip. "And then 1 shall be
comfortably and honOrably situated i'm
wealth and dignity" And theu?" press
ed Philip. The young man reluctantly an
swered land then"-"and then'-"and
then
Il suppose shall die" And upon that
reply Philip, raising his voice. said with
great emphasis, "and what then2" and
the young man made no answer but hung
his head and went away. Right enough. !"
said Rev, Smith eloquently, SURELY is
such a high ambition looking forward
l pity the young men before whose youth
full vision there has never famed and
flashed any high ideal for even this pass
ing life. But to stop there at the margin
Of this life, bounded by its earthly ends
if the ideal for this life is such that ii