The age-herald., 1898-12-13
The Brilliant Career of
 Miss Tutwier of Alabama

Isabel C. Barrows in Woman's ournal.
 The New York Evening Post says.
 The University of Alabama is to have woman's annex; and it has been named in honor of Miss Julia Tutwiler, who was mainly instrumental in obtaining the privi- lege of the state institution for girls. The annex is to be a residence set apart for the use of young ladies from distance who wish to take advantage of the oppor- tunity for higher education. There will be a matron under whom they can do light housekeeping.
 Miss Tutwier has had rather a remark able history. Born in the far south, she has proved of what admirable stuff some of the southern women are made. Her father WAS a well known teacher, whose wealth con- sisted largely in his school buildings, home, and slaves. The war freed the latter and destroyed the former. With the oncoming of those terrible times, Miss Tutwiler was sent to France to be out of danger. When she returned to her native country, 1t was to find desolation and poverty With great and accomplishing energy she at once took up her fathers profession, which she has continued ever since.
 When she was a little girl she used to beg to have the little pickaninnies to play with. as sort of animated dolls. This was al- lowed, and her favorite amusement with them was playing school" so that, before the parents knew it, many of the negro children had learned to read, though 1t was against the laws
 Miss Tutwier never lost this interest in the colored race, nor did she forget that they were capable pupils. When the great mines in northern Alabama were about to change proprietors, and a new lease was to be made with the state, Miss Tutwiler was anxious that the convicts who work those mines, chiefly negroes, should have evening schools She went to Montgomery and asked the legislators about it. They told her to have bill drafted and to inter- view the different members, and perhaps the thing could be done. This was new work to her, and the mere idea of It was a little shocking to her southern notions as to what was suitable for women. She had no ambition to be politician. But, with her usual self-forgetfulness, she put every thing else aside and after a short time had the satisfaction of knowing that the men who were to lease the mines were by law compelled to furnish school rooms and see that the convicts attended school every evening. No teachers were provided, but, wholly undaunted, Miss Tutwiler managed that, for some years at least finding de- voted men who were willing for a pittance to do this missionary work. These were the first convict schools in the south.
 In her own school, or college, as it is called, Miss Tutwiler has given inspiration to many young women She has helped many one to get an education who other wise would never have had it. Among other things, she introduced upon the col lege grounds the industry of canning fruit, by which girls without means have been able to secure the schooling they wanted. She wrote to Booker Washington, whose work she admires quite much as do we of the north, suggesting that he, too, sho1 d adopt that as an industry. Whether in re- sponse to that suggestion or some other, the Tuskegee school nov puts up thousands of quarts of fruit
 For>many years Miss Tutwiler has been the Alabama secretary of the National Con- ference of Charities and Correction. and her work has been warmly appreciated by that body.
 In honoring Julia Tutwiler by naming the university annex after her, the state of Aia- bama has honored itself.