Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-22
EDUCATION OF THE NEGRO
Address by Former Washingtonian Before
the American Missionary Association.
DIR. C. H. Patton's "Reminiscences Of
His Experience ms Student at
Howard University.

At the afternoon session yesterday OF the
American Missionary Association at Min
neapolis Mimi, the Rev. c. H. Patton, D.
D.. Of Duluth. delivered an address relative
to the higher education of the negro. DR..
Patton Is the son of former President Pat
ton of Howard University in this city, and
his address was largely founded upon his
own experience as a student in that insti-
tuition. He gave "reminiscences Of his con-
tact with negroes in the university, and
said:
with me, personally, it is experience
rather than argument which settles the
question of the necessity of higher educa
ton for the negro. When my father was
elected president Of Howard University III
Washington. D. c.. he took the position in
his Inaugural address that the white and
black races should be educated together on
the ground that each needed the other.
The next day he took me aside and said
tEat, having taken this position, he felt he
ought to stand by it In the education of
his own family. and asked me if 1 would
be willing to enter the university. 1 con-
sented to go and on the day following took
my place, the only white boy, among some
4OO colored students. l was not happy in
the prospect, but felt very much as 1 i'm
ag1ne certain young man. named Isaac,
Gid. on celebrated occasion, when he saw
his father sharpening his knife on Mount
Moriah. This. however. soon wore or. 1
completed the course in the preparatory
department. and. although 1 afterward
studied at Amherst and Yale, 1 would not
take any year of schooling that went be-
fore or came after in exchange for that
experience In Howard University.
1T was not that l learned more Latin
and Greek there, but that came into close
fellowship with this abused and stricken
race; came to know their splendid capacity
ap m culture pa. as wei as for work. and, above
all. that l came to enter by sympathy into
that awful, that unutterable cloud of
scorn, of exclusion and persecution that
envelopes the educated colored man or
more favored white brethren. 1 learned
then to say, Put yourself in his place If
you would know how to solve the problem
Of the negro race 1 wish had time to
tell you half of the evidences of rare intel
lectual brightness which 1 discovered in
that institution, of a whole class of young
men who as to the matter of their COM
mencement orations made as good an ap-
pearance as selected speakers in northern
schools OFTEN do. and who in the manner
OF their delivery ana the genuineness of
tnelr oratory surpassed anything l have
heard elsewhere on similar occasions.
Two Prize Winners.
one of these men went to Andover and
came back with $50 gold prize in his
pocket. which he received for excellence in
that institution, which gathers the flower
of our eastern colleges Another entered
the General Theological Seminary of the
p. E. Church, in New York, and captured
the prize of gold watch over all the stu
dents for preaching the best extemporan-
eous sermon. But the recent spectacle at
Harvard of a negro being the valedictorian
of a class CT $50, while another of his race
was elected class orator by his fellow stu
dents. has been conspicuous that further
What is needed is to show that these high
~ educated negroes make good use of their
powers after leaving school, in helping
raise their less fortunate people. l have
watched the whole process from the time
the hombastic young colored boy, fresh
from the common school and proud Of his
new learning, writes for information as to
pursuing higher branches in the university,
to his settlement among his people as a
thoroughly equipped preacher teacher.
l have followed them up in various cases,
SO as to know the quality of their work.
And most interesting process it is to
watch. at every step. and never more so
than in its final stage of practical work on
the field.
The beginning of the process may be
suggested sufficiently by the two following
letters, which once appropriated from my
fathers mail:
The first reads: Dear sir: Through
much humbleness and sincere commenda-
ton now write to you desiderating you to
please send me a catalogue of the Howard
University, of which see in my papers that
you are president. Dear sir, 1 cannot ex-
plicate to you the pleasure 1t would give
me to receive catalogue of that univer-
sity, as 1 am in great anticipation Of en-
tering. For that and for many other rea-
sons humbly request of you, hoping it will
give you competency and elevated pleasure
to please send it directly on to one of deep
anxiety of seeing you personally. l hope
you will not fail to send it, as presume to
enter ''proximo'' if life long exist. Most re-
spectfully yours
There was young man evidently anx-
ious for an education. The second letter is
from father, and reads thus:
Fluv3nna county, Va. To the colored
college of Washington city. Dear sir: You
VIII oblige me to Please in form me Turn
of your School as I have young man
Wood Like to com this Fail. Please Send
me a gate Lodge hope you VIII Please
to ParPary to Preach the Gospel. the other
for Doctor. the other Law. Please Write
Soon your evir truly Respectfully your
elder. John T. Strar. Write to Palmyra Pc
office. Writ Soon This letter is addressed
to the 'Perfasher or Teacher of colored
Universalism, Washington. D. c. 1 wonder
how many white parents with three boys
have a better ambition for them than this
colOred father down south.
Practical Results.
Zone of my fellow-students became a
minister, and settled in Amelia Court
House, Va After five years work he re-
ceived from the prosecuting attorney Of the
county letter, which 1 keep for the pur-
pose of confounding all persons who do not
believe in the higher education for negroes.
In it he states that as a direct result of
this young mans labors crime had almost
disappeared In the county; that whereas
formerly he had numerous cases of felony
to prosecute ct every term Of court, and
the Jail was kept full of cases awaiting
ri al dnrin ha me- fpy nriyr ho1
steadily been diminishing. until 1t is rare
occurrence to have a prisoner in Jail or a
case to prosecute. Similar work is being
done by thousands of others In all parts OF
the south. Can anything speak louder for
the work of our higher schools than the
map which Secretary Woodbury. has pre-
pared showing the hundreds Of places
where our graduates are teaching school.
The south Is dotted over thick with these
centcrs CT life and light.
.Another thing which my student expe-