Richmond planet., 1897-12-18
TUSKEGEE'S TRIBUTE
THE ECHOES OF SEC
RETARY WILSON'S
VISIT.
The Governors Patriotic
Remarks.
Booker 7. Washington's Tri-
umph.

The formal opening and dedication
of Tuskegee's new Agricultural build |
ing was attended yesterday with Incl
dents Of the most notable and pleasur-
able kind.
In the pavilion Of the school. sitting
snveloped with the stars and stripes,
amid buntings and native grasses and
MOSES, with q ve.!:.Aa SSs SSs saaaEs Of all |
! nations about, fantastic creations.
wrought from agricultural and farm
products, festooned and gsrlanded
from every vantage point, was to be |
found national and state officialdom,
which came to lend its presence at the
launching of the first distinctly Negro
1 agricultural school ever founded.
This day was the ripening fruition OF
Booker L. Washington's Ieffort to es
tablish in the so-called Black Belt OF
Alabama q department of agriculture
| which will AFFORD practical instruction
to the 50 per cent of the blacks of the
region who depend upon agriculture,
in some form, for their living. Black
farmers and white farmers OF this and
| adjoining counties came in large
numbers by rail and carriage and OK
cart to hear and greet President Nc |
Kinley's Secretary of Agriculture, the |
Hon, James Wilson; Governor Joseph |
+. johnson of Alabama, Ex- Governor |
w, J. Northern of Georgia, State Com
missioner of Agriculture, Maj. l +. \
Culver, State Superintendent of Edu-
cation, Hon. j o. Turner, the Hon. @.
K. Glenn, Ge0rgia's Superintendent OF
| Public Education, DIR. J. l.. Nj. Curry,
of the Peabody and John +. Slater, ed
acational funds, and the representa-
tives of educational interests, who
came from every section of Georgia
and Alabama.
No more demonstrative welcome has
lever been gwen distinguished visitor
to Tuskegee than that offered Secreta-
ry Wilson. Governor Johnston and Dr.
IOurry Monday night as they arrived at
the school grounds, escorted by white
and colOred citizens. Arches OF ever
green, mess and holly graced the ap-
proaches to the grounds and liue1 the
broad avenues Flags and buntings
decorated each Of the schools forty
buildings and lighted candles Rlowed
from the windows Of each of those sit
uated along the boulevard which goes
through the grounds. Along this was
lined on either side the eight hundred
students, the eighty-six instructors
/ and many citizens OF Tuskegee. Each
? was provided with q lighted pine knct
: which WAS vigorously waved as lusty
T cheers aud shooting sky-rockets rent
the air in accompaniment with the in
stitution's brass banG of thirty pieces
which struck up Hail to the Chief" as
the distinguished party came in sikht.
The campus was as brilliantly lighted
as though Old Sol in RrandeuF was
reigRing supreme aud doing duty for
the occasion,
!, But the apothesis of enthusiasm
3 was reached as the distinguished Sec
lretary and the states Executive were
. Ipiloted to the platform in the presence
: of 5000 people, white and black, rich
and poor, prominent and obscure, in
teliigent and illiterate, which were
!, closely packed in the commodious pa
y lvilion. The immense audience rose TO
it's feet, wildly cheered, waved hand
kerchiefs and drowned the orchestra
as it essayed again to play "Hail to
Z the Chief" For nearly ten minutes
the demonstration continued and ceas-
ed only when Mr.. Washington calmly
strode to the front and asked for ST.
lence. He introduced Rev. Dr. Al
stork of Montgomery who offered pray
er-
In few short Introductory remarks
}. Mr.. Washington had to say that the
e formal opening and dedication of the
ii mean that Tuskegee was juat begin
ming to teach agriculture. On the con
trary it has had place as an industry
since the inception of the work at Tus-
u kegee. 1t did mean, however, he said
y that special emphasis is hereafter tC
be given this important branch under
scient tific tutelage. He had q word oi
thanks for the state which has founded
e an experiments station here at Tuske
gee; unbounded thanks for Mr.. Morris
K. Jesup, the New York banker F.; DR..
l.. NJ. Curry and the trustees of the
John +. Slater fund whose generosity
made possible the erection Of the builc
Of ing and assured its support; and fol
k Secretary Wilson and Governor John
10 ston who left the cares of official state
l. to be present 20 pledge their supper
Y, and, In person, express their cOrdia
to Endorsement of she new addition Il
ar Tuskegee's means for the accomplish
ment of practical good.
Letters OF regret were read from
nj President Mckinley, Mr.. Robert G
- Ogden, of the John Wanamaker firm
Mr.. w II, Baldwin, president of tn,
Long Island railroad company, wht
- hascOntributed so literally to the fund
- for the erection of q new $50, 0,0O(
81 Trades building soon to be begun. anC
= the following trustees of the John
Slater Fund: Chief Justice Fuller, Mr.
Morris K Jesu, President d. c. Gil
man, Bishop II. @. Potter, Mr.. William
e Dodge, Bishop o. B Galloway, Elk
Postmaster-General W L. Wilson, Mr.
Schurz and many others OF more, o.
o less prominence.
o. Governor Johnston's address was on
ID of congratulatlon for the state tha
s. practical, scientific agriculture is to b.
le taught the citizens Of Alabama. HI
w expressed the hope that the coloret
OF farmers would receive such inspira
n, tion from this new department tina
st they would make the white farmer
y, ashamed of themselves. He pledges
re his cordial support in every way tha
it could be given.
"a Secretary Wilson's address was
III practical effort, He dwelt upon tn
necessity of having the youth of tn
lr land TO learn q Dit about the root c
plants, as we'll as about the root &
words. He facetiously referred to Iii
erary schools as speaking colleges,
and affirmed his belief that every ma
should know how to do with his hand
~. as well as with his head.
oil He advised diversity Of crops an
m told how worn out soils could be +.
raj generated and reclaimed. EloQueI
M and instructive in every way was tn
lr- address of the Secretary, who was
ed his best.
rat Ex-Governor Northern, School Coz
i've missioner Glenn and DIR. ]. L. NJ. GU
it. ry also made short helpful and hop
su- full addresses.
4