The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-23
ALONG PRACTICAL Lines
Booker 7. Washington's View Of
the Negroes Education.
In an Address before n Local Society
Training for the COlOred Race-The
Incubation of Habits of Thrift
necessary to Higher Development.

| Industrial Education for the Negro
! was the subject OF the address Of Prof
Booker r. Washington last night, under
the auspices Of the Bethel Literary and
Historical Association. 1t was delivered
before large audience in the main audi
torium of the Metropolitan A. NJ. E.
Church in NJ Street, between Fifteenth and
Sixteenth Streets, northwest 1t was a
plea for giving the colored race training in
the practical affairs of life instead OF
doing out to them smattering Of So
called knowledge. Prof. Washington said
in part:
If ever a race needed supreme faith,
calmness, unity, and invincible determine
black race in America at the present time,
when it is passing through a season OF
trial and testing such as has seldom
fallen to the lot OF any race in the history
of the world. But beyond and above all,
we must not lose hope or courage. The
ocean track through which our vessel is
to pass was carefully and safely charted
in holy writ more than eighteen hundred
years ago.
Political history, in our case, points to
no path blazed through the forests. Ours
is task which demands and which should
have the earnest assistance of the wisest
statesmen. investigators. and philanthropy
lists Of both races, in all sections Of the
country.
No settlement will be permanent and
satisfactory that does not command the
confidence and the respect Of the Southern
Uh 70 Il
the negro himself. Further, I am con-
WINGED that nothing can be gained, but
much lost to the cause OF the negro, by
time spent In the mere badinage of words
o. blame and censure between the white
man North and the white man South.
In the same spirit, / would add that the
negro cannot lake stronger his cause by
aiInless ratings against the Southern
white man, neither can the Southern white
man assist much in the solution of the diff
ficuHy which is SO vital to him, by mere
condemnation Of the negro.
THE foundation Of citizenship, it seems
to me, rests upon the intrinsic worth OF
each individual or group OF individuals.
No law can push the individual forward
when he is worthless. no law can hold
him back when he is worthy. The worthy
may be Inconvenience, but never de-
feated.
my own belief is, that the time will
come when the negro in this country Will
secure all the recognition which his merits
entitle him to as man and as a citi
zen, but such. recognition will come
through no process of artificial forcing,
but through the natural law Of evolution.
In a word, we have gotnto pay the irice
for everything that we get, the price that
every civilized race or nation has paid
for its position, that OF beginning gradu-
ally, naturally. at the bottom and working
up toward the highest civilization. What
/ am most anxious about is that the negro
shall be himself, not second or third
rate imitation OF some one else.
''If We are poor, let us be poor and not
attempt in our poverty to initiate the rich
and thus hold ourselves up to the ridicule
OF the world.
For a number of years, have tried TO
advocate the advantages OF industrial train
ing for the negro, because it starts the
race off on a real, sure foundation. and
not upon a false and deceptive one.
When / ask why do you give this man
or this woman training in this or that
industry, the answer came that when these
students come to us. We ask in each case,
what are the prevailing occupations OF the
people in the community where the stu
dent lives. In a word it is found out
what the student can find to do in his
immediate community when he returns
home, not what he ought to fnd TO DO,
not what the instructors might desire Elm
to find to do, but what the economic and
other conditions prevailing in his neigh
borhood will actually permit him to do.
I'm the present condition OF our race II
is a grave error to take negro boy
from farming community and educate
him in about everything in heaven and
earth, educate him into sympathy with
everything that has no bearing upon the |
life OF the community to which he should |
return, and out of sympathy with most
that concerns agricultural life. The re-
suit of this process is that in too many !
cases the boy thus trained fails to return |
to his fathers farm. but takes up his |
abode in the city and falls, in too many |
cases. into the temptation of trying to live |
by his wits, without honest productive
employment.
IF it be suggested that the white boy |
is not always thus dealt with, my answer
is. my friends, the white man is 5000
years ahead of us, and this fact we might
as we'll face now as later, and that at one
stage of his development either in Eu-
rope or America he has gone through |
every stage of development that l now
advocate for our race. No race can be !
lifted till its mind is awakened and |
By the side Of industrial
should always go mental and
moral training. But the mere pushing of
abstract knowledge into the head, If it is
TO end at that. means little.
ION this industrial foundation will grow
habits of thrift. the love of work, economy,
ownership in property, bank account. Out |
If it in future generations will grow clas
ical education, professional education. po-
iitions of public responsibility. Out of it
will grow moral and religious strength.
Out of 1t will grow that wealth which |
,rings leisure and with it opportunity for
he enjoyment of literature and the fine
lrts.
1T is not alone the mere matter Of the
legro learning this or that trade for which
plead, but through the trade. the indus
ry. out from the trade or industry, want
o see evolved the full Pledged. unham-
,ered, unfettered man. l plead for indus
rial development not because want to