The evening times., 1900-03-14
EDUCATION In ALABAMA
Lands for a ColOred Agricultural
and Mechanical ,ollege.
The Majority Report of the House
Committee Fayors the Grant as
ity Objects Because the state
Maintains Separate Race schools.

The Committee on Public Land to which
was referred the oil granting lands to the
State of Alabama for the use of the Agri-
cultural and Mechanical College of Alaba-
ma for colored persons, and the State Nor
NAL College at Florence, Ala. has present
ed majority and a minority report The
majority report fayors the passage of the
hill. and that of the minority opposes. The
report CT the majority in part follows:
THE State of Alabama occupies a con-
spicuous place in the matter of public edu-
cation. In the last four years it has near
ly doubled its appropriation for the public
schools of the State. These appropriations
have for years been fairly divided between
the white and negro schools. and the COM
mittee find from the testimony OF the land
commission of Dr. Washingtons school
that in the recent case of a land grant
made by Congress at its last session TO two
schools. one white and the other negro,
that the lands were divided with absolute
fairness between the two, and that none of
these lands have been disposed of. This
State is making an extraordinary effort in
the matter of the education of negroes. Dr..
Washington's great industrial school at
Tuskegee is known throughout the United
States and in Europe. and the Agricultural
and Mechanical College at Huntsville, Ala.
the grantee in this bill. is OF the same
character and degree, and is nearly in
every respect equal TO it, Hliteracy is very
great in Alabama. but its people white aud
black. are doing their best to overcome it,
and the committee recommends that they
shall be encouraged under these circum-
stances to continue their efforts by the
small appropriations made by this bill
The Lack of Endowment.
schools and colleges and universities i'll
Alabama, unlike those in the Northern and
Western States. have no permanent en-
dowment. In five years in the United
States. from 1893 to 1898, over 5000 000. 600
were given to educational and bene violent
institutions; of this amount il is said that
hardly $4,000, Geo went TO the Southern
States.
The effect OF education In Alabama has
been felt and shown in public conventions.
both Of the whites and the negroes, which
have discussed problems affecting both
races. ana have endeavored TO elevate both
races. One result is that Alabama has
been remarkably free from race conflicts
and riots.
The Alabama State Normal College. at
Florence. WAS established by an act OF
the Legislature of Alabama and has been
maintained as a first-class institute and
college. where pupils may acquire a thor
ough normal-schoOl education. 1t has now
an attendance of 500 students which. with
the requested assistance, could be in
creased to between 500 and l.0ee.
The college has been the means of edu-
| eating hundreds Of young persons. who
have not only been benefited themselves
1 by this opportunity for their education. but
are deyoting themselves to the profess ion
Of teaching and assisting in promoting and
/ improving the efficiency Of the schools of
| the State. These skilled teachers are
working not only in Alabama. but In Ten
nessee. Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, ard
other States. The curri ,ulum is OF a very
high grade. The establishment and main
! tenance by the State of a college OF this
character Is deserving of the highest
/ commendation. and where a grant, as
here requested, that does not require the
appropriation OF any money. nor of any
thing that will avail to produce money
for the Treasury. will contribute so muc h
to encourage as well as materially benefit
the institution. it ought to be made
The Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege, for negroes at Normal. Aa. is edu-
eating the colored people Of Alabama and
adjoining States in the mechanical and
agricultural arts. and preparing them to
be efficient teachers.
The passage Of this bill will enable
them 10 take lands which have been offered
10 the public for seventy years without
purchasers, and by their energy they will
bring them into the market and be ena-
bled to double the number of scholars and
usefulness Of this school
Teaches All the Trades
This institution furnishes not only a
good literary education and the thorough