Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-03-16
"a SUCCESSFUL MEET
ING.
Ninth Annual Negro Confer
enCe Held at TuSkegee,
Alabama.

ence Held at Tuskegee,
Alabama.
This is the ninth annual meeting
ofthe Tuskegee Negro Conference.
Many get the impression that this
conference is simpaly a spontan-
eous gathering of such people as
may be INVITED to attend. He is
a carefully studied and thoroughly,
prepared school tor the masses, for
the fathers and mothers, who have
never been to school; for the gown
sons and daughters who have been
but little and never expect to 60
again. From the first, its methods
and pupose have had Mr. Wash
ington's most earnest thought and
attention. Experience and con-
slant study have been used to i'm
prove it and make it more and
more effective. PORT. T. j. Jacks
son graduate Of Fisk University,
has been the conference agent for
three years. All his time is given
to this work, under the direction
of Mr.. Washington. This one
day in school reaches not only
those who come, but, through their
story carried home, in literature
and by their own lips, the whole
race, in every State, is reached,
and touch of education, or, at
least, of inspiration, enters the
lowliest life. The lessons are such
as ali can learn-home'gett
tax paying, intelligence, God
morals, practical religion, friend
illness between the races and a
love for everything that is good.
Professor Jackson has visited
forty~fve of the sixty six counties
of Alabama, in the interest of the
meeting to-day. He has also
visited many other States. and, by
meetings and literature, has given
help to those interested in organs
ling local conferences all over
the South. He reports $50 local
conferences organized during the
year, and has record of over $50
conference in all. Most of them
meet, regularly, once a month.
These local conferences are very
much like the Farmers Institutes
at the North. Among the subjects
they discussed are; What crops
pay best, the value of diversity
of crops, how to plant a garden,
to raise poultry, pigs, and cattle,
how to begin buying a home, how
the husband and wife can help
each other. how to make the house
and yard attractive, how to live at
home instead of out of the store,
the right kind of minister land
teacher, the Importance of keeping
the children busy, in and out Of
school. Out of these conferences
in many instances, white and COL
ored have exhibited products of
the field and articles from the
shop aud home.
Tuskegee graduates are employ
ed, like Mr.. jackson in other
States, working up the conference
idea. The Tuskegee teachers 60
out through the year covering as
wide an area as possible, in aid of
he work. The chaplain presents
The religious side ofmaterial things
the lady teachers Of life in the
nome, the care of children and the
home surroundings; the industrial
teachers tell of farming, stock and
fruit raising, home building and
the use and care of machinery.
Togeather, they reach and stir up
every phase of the life of the peo>
pie. Members of each senior class
do large work in Macon County
under Mr.. Washington's special
as lessons in practica,
life. They 60 out two by twol
visiting families and spending the
day with them. The reports from
all these parties are full of INTEREST
and hope; The most unpromising