The Monte Vista journal., 1898-12-31
WORK OF TUsKEGEE.
A VERY IMPORTANT INsrlru-
TON.
eeeksr :. Nsss,.sss.'s sohoo, rs.ohe.
CsasesA People How to Th.ak. Work
aAa Live:

President Mckinley: in his recent
visit to thu south, stopped for n day
At Tuskegee. Alabama. In order to
visit the university established and
carried on by Booker 7. Washington.
The President addressed the pupils
from the platform Of beautiful chap
el recently completed-one of the lar.
gest and handsomest CHURCHES In the
south, the plans and specifications for
which were by an architect In the
school. Every brick WAS made and
laid by the, students. Every inch Of
woodwork came from their sawmill
ana carpen&er shop, the heating and
electric light plant were made in the
machine shop. fhe only materials ell
tering into. the construction that had
to be purchased outside were the glass
and hardware, and parts of the latter
were forged ut the blacksmith shop.
No more inspiring audience ever faced
speaker. There are seats for 300
persons. Perhaps 1900 more crowded
In, occupying temporary galleries that
were erected for the occasion. the plat.
form and the aisles. The most of them
were negroes. including 1000 students
on one side of the auditorium.
In that presence In his most earnest
and serious way, the President OF the
United States expressed his approval
Of what he called u unique expert.
ment," conceived and carried out by
Booker L. Washington. and his grntifi-
cation at the grent success which his
genius and perseverance had won
Then he gave the students some good
advice which. might well be inscribed
upon the lintpls. OF every educational
institution. telling them that ''integrity
and Industry are the best possessions
which my man can have and every
man can have them" That sentence
describes what Mr.. Washington is try.
Ing to impress upon his race
Governor johnson. In Introducing the
President. gushed over the institution
and with All air Of patronage and pro.
prietOrship expressed his qualification
md pride In Its success. which pro.
vOked pertinent rctort from Presi-
dent Mckinley. who hoped the govern
or would persuade the Legislature to
Increase the appropriation for Its ben
eht. To understand the Significance of
this repnrtee. IT, must he known that
tine state Of Alabama contributes only
$2.JDO Of the x1U.OO which it costs to
maintain the institution. Ten thousand
dollars comes frDm the Slater and Pea
body educational funds: the remain.
Ing SS7 800 Is furnished by friends OF
Mr.. Washington In the northern states
and upon his personal solicitation. The
institution was sNrted seventeen years
ngo. with one teacher and thirty. pu-
pills. In a rented shanty church. Ac.
cording TO the Inst report of the prin.
cipal the attendance last year wns
1.Oi1 stutlents-T12 boys and 335 girls.
These students came from twcnty-four
states md territories. Nearly the same
number nrc In attendance at this time,
representing the same number OF states
and territories AMI besides Cuba. Porto
Rico. Jamaica. England and Africa.
Nearly all OF the students board and
sleep on the scli,s,l grounds.
Counting teachers and students there
Is upon the school gro, Is u popula.
tion Of Loo persons. The industrial
training is given In twenty-six differ
ehf divisions In connection with tn,
academic and religious training. Three
hundred and sixty.stue students have
received diplomas AMI certificates In
the academic. Industrial and Bill.
schools. The graduates are seeking to
do work similar 10 that Of Tuskeg..s
In twenty-five Of the states Of the
Union. a-t
The Tuskegee method Is TO allow
students to acquire n knowledge of
their several trades while working on
the buildings and fhe farm. With their
work they pay ri'eir hoard and get
their education nj the same time. This
II especially hopeful to those who find
Themselves unable 10 pay any part of
their tuition. liE~, constructing any
building. IN In tle Instance OF III.
chapel. money given for that purpose
provides the material and enables the
students To learn plastering. brick ma
sonry. brickmakink. painting. etc., and
attend school ai rlIc same time. 'Th.
ordinary charge for board. room. iu!-
tion and all the privileges Is - u
month. .r.