Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-07-13
TEACHERS N CONVENTION
Charleston a Warm Place for Ma
tionaI Meeting.
RACE DEVELOPMENT.
The Subject Of an Address to the
Teachers by Booker T. Washington-
He Asks That White People Judge
Colored Folks by Best Specimen. p

C0lored Folks by Best Specimen.
Charleston, S. c., July 13.-Booker
T. Washington spoke Of his views on
race problems in America, his hopes
for the uplifting Of his race, and his
belief in its success, before an audi
ence representative of the schools OF
1.-THE nation. The negro leader made use
of his usual logic and directness in his
handling of his subject. "The negro
can afford to be wronged," he said.
1.-THE white man cannot afford to
wrong the weakest or meanest member
of any race without the proudest and
lbluest blood in the white mans civil
ization being degraded" The part of
his statement Of conditions and facts
applied especially to the audience of
teachers who heard him was that in
which he asked for logical and COM
mon sense principle to be applied to
the education of his race. He said the
great bulk of his people live directly or
Indirectly by work in the soil, and in
the present conditions it was grave
mistake to take colored boy from the
farm and educate him in about every
thing which had no bearing upon the
life in the community to which he
must return. more and more hope
the white men," he said, "of the coun-
try will learn to measure the worth Of
the negro by the best types of the race
and not by the worst. In larger de-
gree we should judge by those in the
schoolrooms, not by those in the pen
itentiary; by those in the shop and
field, not by those in idleness in the
streets; by those who have bought
homes and are taxpayers. not by those
in dens of crime and misery; by those
who have learned the laws of health
and are living, not by those who have
broken health laws and are dying.
Basis Of Judgment Unfair.
keep the searchlight constantly TO-
cused upon the weaker elements of any
race, and who among them will stand
the test that indicates success? You
Judge the white man by those who
have succeeded, not by those who have
failed and are in the gutter.
Zone of the hardest lessons for a,
race, like an individual, to learn, is
that the way to permanent success lies
in the mastering of the little every
day, commonplace opportunities, that
are right about our door, and the US
ing of these so as to form stepping
stones to more important positions.
The race, like the individual, that
learns this lesson may be retarded, but
never defeated. When, in any large
measure, black skin becomes syn
onym for the ownership of property, a
bank account, thrift, intelligence, and
virtue, our problem, in a large degree,
will have been solved. While my race
is patiently, often in the face of much
Encouragement, trying to reach this
position, we shall need the help, the
sympathy, and the forbearance of our
white brother
Many Teachers Play Truant.
There are 5000 teachers in Charles
Ton, according to semi-official reports
of attendance. Where 2,700 of these
teachers have been during the day will
have to be accounted for by the trolley
lines and the transportation compan-
les running to the Isle of Palms and
Fort Sumter. There were 300 Of them
ut the general session of the conven-
ton. The teachers said it was too hot
in the convention hall and there was
too much to see outside.
Miss Elizabeth Root, president OF
the Chicago Teachers club, was
dragged out of the surf at the Isle OF
Palms half drowned. Miss Root had
plunged in beyond her companions,
had swallowed a quantity of salt water
and was helpless and gasping when
her companions saw her danger. 9th
ers Of the 1900 missing teachers can
be accounted for by boats which fol-
lowed the yacht races which the Caro-
lima Yacht club held for the teachers
and by boats running out to Fort Sum-
ter.
Charleston Too Hot In July.
Charleston Is disappointed some
what with the convention and the off,
GERS of the association are not enthu-
siastic. They claim that they have
lost $4,000 by bringing or attempting
to bring the teachers south in July.
Charleston and the association find
cause for their Joint regret in the fact
that the 1000 teachers expected did not
come. Detroit leads in the race for the
next convention. It is probable that
the decision upon the next place OF
meeting will not be reached by the as
sociation in convention, but will be
left to the executive committee not
yet elected.
A delegation of st. Louis teachers
has arrived with demand for the
convention in 1903 at the time of the
set, with thu ovro