The times., 1899-11-19
Hnmnton,s Gnnd MnrI,.

NTFltldl W ESSttlS rs btSiS2iuR Mil
Hampton's Good Work.
A great deal of praise has been justly
bestowed upon Booker T. Washtngton's plan
of education for the young men and women
Of his race, and, what is more to the point
he mas secured considerable money for his
school at one time or another. But it
should not be forgotten that his is not the
only school in the South which is doing
that sort OF work Hampton began it, and
educated Washington himself; and Hamp-
ton is now calling for money with which
to extend its influence. 1t should seek and
find it in the same way the sage of Tuskegee
has sought and found his
Some fault has been found by various
theorists. because the industrial system has
been so eagerly advocated by Mr.. Wash
ington and others. in connection with the
education of colored men. There are peO-
pie who are inclined to think that the. set
ting aside of the higher branches of edu-
cation and the diversion of money TO in
struction in the trades is something like a
backward step They say that the young
negro can learn to work without going to
school, and that when he goes to school he
should be taught something which he can
not learn outside.
There is some truth in this, but the fact
remains that the average uneducated per-
son does not know how to work to the best
advantage other things being equal the
woman whose fingers and brain have been
trained so that she uses both in her cook
ing viii be the best cook; the man who has
been taught to use his mathematics in the
carpenters shop wifi be eventually the best
carpenter And even if this were not so,
there are other reasons why industrial
training is a particularly good thing for
most girls and boys Before education be-
came general the child OF poor parents
spent certain impressionable years in serv-
ing an apprenticeship to a trade and when
he came to the age of maturity ne was fitted
TO earn his cwn living and usually knew
Of place where he could find work Con-
ditions have changed. and the boy or girl
who comes out of the high school is fire.
quently fitted for nothing in particular. The
highly specialized. and the competition is
so strong, that only those OF decided ability
can hope to succeed in the professions;
but that does not mean that education may
not be very useful even TO the person
without great intellectual strength. Ii he
must be a carpenter or a baker, or a
plumber. he will get more comfort out OF
life for knowing how to read and write, for
being abls to appreciate the things which
refined people enjoy, and for being fitted
for better work than he actually does
There is no reason why artisans should not
know great many things outside their
own line Of work Il VIII make them better
and more intelligent citizens 10 be able TO
meet the educated man half way when they
come in contact with him. and their chill
dren will have a better chance OF develop
ing unusual talent.
But. after all. in the present age, it is
mos. important to be able TO earn ones
bread and butter The workngman should
strive TO fit his children TO earn their Iiv-
ing and to spend their money, when they
have earned it, in the wisest and most
profitable way. If d boy has trade, but
no money, and great desire for higher
education he may. by means OF his trade
earn money for a college course if he is
determined to have one; but if he has no
money. and no trade, and not enough edu-
cation 10 fir him for profession, he is in
sad predicamenr. He is neither FISH flesh.
fowl nor good red herring, and the longer
he remains in that position the worse off he
is. Hampton and Tuskegee are doing all
that they can TO make their graduates use
ful members Of society, to make of them
men and women who viii find places in the
world when they leave school and moi be
mere congIomerations of school text books
in world where there is already plethora
of unused information
Mr. Rice, President OF what is known as
the New Whisky Trust. has much enlight-
ened the authorities on several matters
contained in his evidence before rho In