Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-09-05

on AT the luske4ee lnsulutt, All s.s,.,.,
The head OF the Institute is Il =. 49,
most man of his race, Mr.. J -. r
man of who - 80
might well be proud. T. - M, 80 ~
Institute from the beg $50 has neon
o give the colored r nonle The Kind of
-. 49, = s 80. scipline that best fits
IT. r,.a - alton in life.
"a school. but it is far
- go .0at. 1t is little world of
~ ~ Sherein the negro may learn
- ,ctical side of life. Mr.. Wash
IN, who was slaye-child, had re-
wed instruction at Hampton lnsti-
cute, another valuable training school
for Southern negroes. In 1881, Alaba-
ma having made a small appropriation
for a negro school TO be located in the
town of Tuskegee in the "Black Belt, +"
Mr.. Washington was selected as its
principal He started with thirty men
and women as pupils in that year, hav-
ing as quarters an old negro church.
From that small beginning has grown,
under the watchful eye and able man
agement and interchangeable efforts of
the principal, the great Tuskegee In
stitute OF today, with over a thousand
students, more than forty buildings.
property worth S35o.000 and an endow-
ment of $3.50, 900. All this in twenty
years 1t is doing a work for the ne
groes Of the South to which nothing
else is comparable.
Tuskegee is the remedy Of an intelli-
gent negro for the needs Of his race
Ii takes the colored race rs il finds il
and bailds on that foundation. 1t in
dulges in no mistaken notions of the
high destiny OF the colored race. 1t
does not assume that each darby is to
be educated to become president OF the
United States. and graduate him a ri
diculous nonentity, untitled for any
station in life that can possibly be his.
II takes the negro from hut and hovel.
gives him the book learning that he is
capable Of using properly. but above
all it teaches him or her to work and
how to work, sending lis students into
the world with a useful trade OF occu-
patton at their command and a dispo-
sition to engage in II. As soon as the
negro has proven his pecuniary worth
to the world, the color OF his skin los
es much Of the prejudice against it.
At Tuskegee, thanks to liberal gins |
from people who have become inter- |
ested in the work, there is now wide I
range Of opportunities to the student
Almost all kinds of industry are car
ried on in practical way for the in
struetion of the pupils. There is a saw |
mill, machine shop. electric lighting |
plant, brick-yard, hospital. kitchen.
Joiner shop, in all Of which the trades |
are taught under competent instruc- |
ton. These buildings were all built by |
the negro students, thus teaching them
another useful occupation. Girls are |
trained in the household arts in the 4
same way. There is no useless filigree
anywhere. The work of the students |
Is so directed as to make il beneficial |
to the school itself. so that il is we'll /
nigh self-supporting. A large farm
is attached which feeds the student
body. being carried on by themselves.
All the while they are learning some
hing from books as well as OF the prac- /
tical world. II is impossible that they
should not 90 forth well fitted for their
probable station. God bless Tuskegee /
Now if Tuskegee is good for the ne
gro, why would not similar institu-
ton be good for certain of the white
race? Many there are-young men
and women-to whom more than
school education is impossible /
because Of the expense and because
they must begin to apply themselves at /
this period in life to some useful occu-
patton. Would ii not be practical TO
adopt the Tuskegee idea to the extent
Of giving them the opportunity that
their necessity demands and at the
same time afford them a chance to con-
tinue their mental training2 They
could be made self-supporting and the
fruits Of their applied labor would 90
some distance toward supporting the
Institute, in turn. With such an OPP
portunity young people would not be
obliged to bind themselves to harsh
toll and abandon their books at the
very period when the thirst for knowl-
edge is strongest. Three or fouryears
Of such association would take the place
Of a college course for young people to