Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-05
DIPLOMAS AWARDED TO TEN
Annual Commencement of the
Howard High School.
EXERCISES HELD LAST WEEK

EXERCISES HELD LAST WEEK
Over One Thousand People In
Attendance.
A Fine Address Was Delivered by Booker
t. Washington, Principal of the Tuske-
gee Institute of Alabama--Prizes Were
Presented to several students.
The eighth annual commencement Of
the Howard High School, at the Grand
Opera House, last night week, was at
tended by more than LOCO people.
many being white. The auditorium Of
the theatre was tastefully decorated,
red and white, In bunting and flowers,
predominating. The stage was orna-
mented with palms and bunting, while
suspended over the centre was the de-
sign :" 100" in red and white electric
lights The members of the graduating
class, Principal Rruse, the other teachers
of the school, President Shortlidge of
the Board of Education, the visiting
committee of the school, Bishop Cole
man. Chief Justice Lore, Prof. Booker
T. Washington, Principal Berlin of the
High School, Samuel F. Belts, DIR. II.
@. Stevens, DIR. S. G. Ebert, Jeffer-
son Coage, the Revs. @. A. Tindley,
O. L. Jefferson, j. r. Brown, b. 7.
Moore, j. c. Brock, j, +. Sargent, j.
II. Winters, NJ. G. Brooks Of this city,
Prof. s. l.. Conwell of the State Col
lege for Colored Students at Dover.
and other invited guests occupied
seats at the front of the stage,
while the students at the school were
seated on graduated platform in the
rear. Members Of the Board of Educa-
ton occupied one of the boxes.
DIR. Shortlidge presided and intro
y duced the speakers. The exercises were
opened with prayer by the Rev. j. X.
Brown, after which the school sang
the Song Of Welcome" in a creditable
manner. Miss Sophie James read an
interesting essay on Whittier" at
the conclusion of which she was ap-
plauded. She was followed by George
Thomas Written, who delivered fine
Grafton. the title of which was Par
allel; Douglas and Lincoln" The
audience manifested its approval b,
liberal applause.
The annual address to the graduate:
was delivered by Prof Booker I. Wash
ipgton, principal of the Tuskegee In
stitute at Tuskegee, Ala. Mr.. Wash
ington congratulated the Board o
Education upon retaining Miss Edwin
B. Kruse as principal of the school
lie thought until recently that she wa
10 leave here and 60 to one of tn
larger institutions in the South. Ii
impressed upon his bearers the fac
that every black man and woman, a
MI ta
has mission to perform in this life
solve itself, as the negro is not dyin
out Some have said the way to soly
I the problem is to place all OF th
negroes to themselves in the far Yves
If that was done it would be necessar
to build q large wall around them
keep them In and two or three walls
keep the whits man out The negro
the only race that ever came to th
country upon most pressing invit,
ton the only race that ever had ]
way paid here. The negro will sta
right here and the race question vi
SETTLE itself. Every white man al
every black man should try to becon
Christian gentleman. 1t is necessa
to give the negro an industrial rs We
as an academic education so that
can make business for himself aft
he gets through. The colored man mu
face the conditions and work out
w them as soon as possible. The neg
should be given all of the mental 9
veopment the pocketbook and oircul
stances will allow. There is questic
however, to what use the mental {
velopment should be put to. Son
times it is difficult to find employing
for young people after they ha
finished their school education. Son
times educated people do not KIN
how to use their education until
~ way is pointed out to them. He ,
vsed the graduates to 90 to WORK n
to help their parents in return for
sacrifices their parents have ma
They should be no more ashamed
wash and iron than to teach scho
With the colored race the emplo,
support the unemployed. 1t is seld
that colored man is seen on the str
asking for charity. As race 81
and dignity must be put into
common walks of life, oil the race
60 to the wall. The negro must le
now to best employ the forces of natr
They must learn how to lift labor
out of drudgery. The black man m
put brains into his work. They N
4 take, hold Of the business of life
whore they find it.
The people should be taught how
live and live right, how to buy la
how to economize; how 10 put mo
in the bank. Parents were advised
see that their children are kept
poyed; at home or elsewhere. |
better to keep the children occur
even il they receive no pay, thai
allow them to remain idle. II
better to Fay employers to keep Their
work and teach them something t
to have to pay $500 or $1,000 to
them out of the penitentiary afterw
1t is no disgrace to be poor, but
disgrace for people to be Eoor
act as II they were rich. He
people should not dress hashy If
cannot afford it. People should not
that which they can do without.
Addressing the white people pres
be said the white people owe dui
the negro that has not been fulfil
He said no person should hate ano
on account Of the color of the skin.
He predicted that the troubles in
South would adjust themselves :
the colored man learns to do thin
well or better than anybody else.
urged the negro to elevate himse
getting into the industrial sphere
scientific knowledge Of business.
negro must be judged by those VIII
in the schools and at work, and M
the iders or those in the penitent
The address was loudly aIpIauded.