The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-01

principles, how ne has raised 2e6 bushels
of sweet potatoes on a single acre OF COM
mon land and made a net profit of $121.
The average yield of sweet potatoes In the
section of the south where this experiment
was tried is 81 bushels. This same colored
man is now preparing to make the same
land produce 500 bushels of potatoes. have
watched this experiment with good deal
of interest The thing that has interested
me most regarding this experiment has
been the deep interest which the neighbour
ing white farmers took In 1t. do not be-
lieve that u single one of the dozens OF
white farmers who visited the field to see
this unusual yield of potatoes ever thought
of having any prejudice or feeling against
this colored man because his education
had enabled him to make an unusual sue
cess in the raising of potatoes. On the
other hand, there were evidences of the
deepest respect for the information which
he had furnished.
.'If 1 were to write a volume / do not
think 1 could state the case of the negro
more strongly than this illustration puts
it, No individual or race that makes itself
permanently felt in the building up OF the
country is long left without proper reward
or recognition. The most important prob
lem that is now confronting the negro and
the negro's friends Is the turning OF the
force of the negro's education in the direc-
ton that it will contribute most effectively
to the betterment of the country and the
negro himself Recurring again to the In
stance of the colored man who made his
education felt in the direction of raising
sweet potatoes, 1 would say that, II we
had hundred such men in each county in
the south there would soon be no race
problem to discuss but how are we to get
such men? In the first place, those inter-
ested in the education Of the negro must
begin to look facts and conditions in the
face. Too great a gap has been left be-
tween the negros real condition and the
position which we have tried to fit him for
through the medium of text books
II do not want to be misunderstood. l
favor the higfest and most thorough de-
veiopment of the fegro's mind No race
can accomplish anything until its mind is
awakened But the weak point in the past
has been, in too many cases, that there has
been no connection between the Negroes
educated brain and the opportunity or
manner of earning his daily living. There
has been almost no thought of connecting
the educated brain with the educated hand.
The education of the negro, in too many
cases. has presumed that he has had years
of wealth, culture and even luxury behind
him just is true of the people of New
England. Education of the head increases
wants. Unless the hands are educated at
the same time as to supply these in
creased wants in too many cases you will
find an individual who is of little benefit to
society. The best way for the negro to
contribute toward the building up of the
south and his own welfare is for him to
turn the force of his education during the
next fifty years very largely in the direc-
ton of scientific and Industrial training in
connection with academic, moral and relig-
ious development. 1t is almost a crime. in
many cases, to take young men from the
farm, or from a farming district and edu-
cate them, as is often done, in every sub
ject except agriculture, the one subject
that they should know most about The