Evening star., 1897-02-12
Anniversary Of His Birth Observed
in the Colored Schools.
HIGH TRIBUTE 10 TIE NAN
Presentation of a Portrait and an
Eloquent Reply.
K I n G A NJ O n Ct M E n


ing. the principal event of the day took
place in the large assembly hall of the
colored High School, on NJ street near New
Jersey avenue. which was handsomely deco
rated with flowers, plants and United States
flags, in honor of the occasion.
The exercises were begun at 80 o'clock
in the presence Of an audience which rep
resented the colored people in every part
of the city, and, after some vocal and in
strumental music. Rev. DR.. F. ]. Grimke,
the orator of the day, delivered an address.
which in part was as follows:
There are two things which the city of
Washington has done, one last year, and
the other during the present year, that
am sure are a source of pride and pleasure
to all.
THE first was the action of the Commits
sioners in affixing to one OF our school
buildings the name Douglass, in honor of
the late Frederick Douglass. The second
was the setting apart by the same au-
thority of one day in the year to be known
as Douglass day.
1T is fitting that a school of the charac-
ter the new school is should bear the name
of Frederick Douglass, for. though he stood
pre-eminent above us all. "a peer of princes,
yea. a king as Theodore Tilton has ex-
pressed it, no man was nearer in his SYM
pathias to the masses of our people; no man
desired or labored more earnestly for their
elevation than he. No man struck heavier
blows or performed more herculean labors
when the great struggle for freedom was
IN operation; but when victory came: when
the fiat went forth proclaiming the free
dom of the slave; when the irrepressible
conflict had come to a glorious termina-
ton, and the clans of bell and sound of
gum had proclaimed the knell of slavery.
no man entered more earnestly into the
work of lifting up the race.
1t was not the exceptional few. who
en1Oyed eycpDtiOnal
culture and development. that arrested his
attention. but the great mass of our peo-
pie. ignorant degraded. besotted. the great
unwashed, who were down and who need
ed helping hand in their efforts to rise.
These were the people that he thought
most of and that he desired most to help
He was all the time trying to make
OF opportunities for his people. And that is
Just what our public schools are doing
bringing to the masses the opportunity
which they need the kind of training that
will fit them for life's duties and respon-
sibilities
IF yonder Capitol is never graced with
the majestic power of Frederick Douglass,
what matters 1t so long as the school
house stands which bears his name? That
is more fitting tribute; 1t means more; 1T
represents more of the things that he
loved; that lay nearest his heart while
he lived. and more of the things that he
would have his race treasure up and live
for now that he is no longer with us. No
man loved these schools more than he did;
no man took a deeper interest in the ad-
vancement of the children; no man de-
lighted more to listen to their public ex-
ercises: no man took a greater pride in
their triumphs and successes.
Under ordinary circumstances the prop
osition to the school trustees to set apart
Douglass day would not have been enter
tanned for a moment. but 1t was entertain
ed and without a dissenting voice carried.
That itself is a splendid tribute to Mr..
Douglass. Nothing but his exceptional
aha ocfa nd h m al
such action possible.
There are no jealous rivals to contest
this honor with him. There he stands, by
common consent, the great representative
negro.
But now that the day has been set
apart the thing which most concerns me,
and which l desire especially to empha-
size. Is that we see to 1t that we make the
most of IL.
TT is not enough that this day las been
set apart: 1t Is of the utmost Importance
that the officials of our schools, that all of
our teachers and supervisors In all the
grades, from the highest 10 the lowest
should understand the true significance Of
this day, the purpose for which it has been
Instituted
What is it's significance? Wha: is the
meaning of it? 1t means that once in
every year the children of our public
schools. In the normal. in the high, in all
the grades below. shall be called upon to
think of this man. TO look into and to care
fully study his character and life. And
that means also that the teachers who
have charge of these children shall them
selves make this great character and life
a study. in order that they might intelli-
gently direct the children to a true under
standing of the man.
Here was a man who was a man. God
never made him to be putty in the hands
of any one. He was fashioned out of no
such stuff as lackeys. sycophants and time
servers are made of-men that can be
manipulated. mere tools in the hands Of
others, who stood ready to do the biddings
or their masters. In Frederick Douglass
We behold one who was every inch a man.
before whom We can all uncover our heads
In the consciousness of the fact that there
is something there that is worthy Of re-
spect.
And now ii becomes my very pleasant
duty. In behalf of the two surviving sons.
Messrs. Lewis II. and Charles r. Douglass
to present TO the school authorities this
beautiful crayon portrait of their father,
executed by one of our most gifted artists
Mr.. Gerritt Legnen of Syracuse, N. Y, 1t
Is the desire OF the donors that this picture
be hung In the Douglass building. And
with the picture. they desire me also to
present this life of their father TO be placed
in the library of the school. The one will
enable the children to look upon the out
ward form of the man-the noble face, upon
which We all delighted 10 look; the other
will enable them to penetrate beneath the
mere exterior to the real man, to see him
as he was in the makeup of his soul, and
the power that he was while he lived and
that still give him such a hold upon our
admiration and such warm place In our
hearts.
Portrait Accepted.
Mrs. Mary Church Terrell. a member of
the board Of school trustees, accepted the
portrait In an address, In which she said:
"In the name of the patrons Of our
schools. the citizens of this community,
the teachers. the children Of the present
day and of future generations, l accept
this portrait of Frederick Douglass, our
departed apostle Of freedom and champion
OF right. To the donors of this speaking
likeness of their father, to Messrs. LOWS
and Charles Douglass, we wish first to ex-
press our heartfelt gratitude. 1t Is es-
pecially appropriate that the portrait of
Frederick Douglass should be presented to
the Douglass building on this, our first
regularly appointed Douglass day, by
Lewis and Charles Douglass. the sons of
the man who by his deeds and words has
made the name Douglass respected and
loved wherever 1t is known and heard
Il accept this picture with reverence
with pride and with hope With reverence
because as / look upon this face feel that
stand in the presence of a great and good
man. of a man who set a high standard Of
life and dared to live up 10 it in spite of
opposition, criticism and persecution.
Il accept this picture with pride because