The Indianapolis journal., 1902-08-25
SOME OF THE new BOOKS
A New Work from the Pen of Booker
T.. Washington.


A number of years ago. when the now
famous Tuskegee School was quite small
Professor Booker Washington began the
practice of giving what were called Sun
day evening talks TO the students and
teachers. The addresses were always de-
hvered in a conversational tone. and much
in the manner that the speaker would have
addressed his own children around his fire
side. AS the institution gradually grew
from year to year it was suggested TO Mr..
Washington that the addresses ought to
be preserved and so. for a year past, they
nave been stenographically reported. Af-
ter some revision they are now published
In book form under the title of Character
building The title is well chosen for
the lectures, or talks, all relate to the
formation of character by young colored
people. with special reference TO the prob
lens and questions that confront
them in the South. The volume contains
nearly forty lectures, all of them short,
and embracing such practical topics as
On Influencing by Example" ION Get
ting Home, The Importance of Being
Reliable, "Unimproved Opportunities"
The Cultivation of Stable Habits" Get
character. The subjects are treated in
wise and practical way. and the talks are
full of suggestiveness for all young persons
who desire to make the most and the best
OF themselves They abound also in pas
saSeS OF high thinking Thus, speaking of
the highest education, Mr. Washington
says: What then do we mean by edu-
meant 10 give us an idea Of truth What
ever we get out of the text books whatever
we get out of industry, whatever get
mere and there from any source if we do
not get the idea of truth at the end. we
DO not get education. l do not care how
much you get out of history, or geogra-
phy, or algebra, or literature. l do not
care now much you have got out of all your
text-oooks: unless you have got truth you
nave tailed In your purpose TO be edu-
Gated. Unless you get the idea of truth
SO pure that you cannot be false in any
tnlng, your education is a failure" Again,
speaking of individual responsibility he
says: The world is looking for men and
women VINO can tell on way they can do
this thing or that thing how a certain diffi-
Guilty was surmounted, a certain obstacIe
removed. But the world has little patience
Win the man or woman who takes no real
interest In the performance of a duty, or
VINO runs against snag and gets dis
couraged, and then simply tells why he
dld not do a thing and gives excuses in
a second time, nor do they wait for our
leisure. In a talk on Influencing by
Example, Professor Washington says: "A
large proportion of you are TO go from
here into great cities. Some of you will
go into such cities Montgomery, and
some, perhaps, will go into the cities of
the North-although | hope that the most
OF YOU will see your way clear to remain
In the South. 1 believe that you will do
better TO remain in the country districts
than to go into the cities. 1 believe that
you VIII find it TO your advantage in every
way 10 try TO live In a small town or i'm q
country district, rather than in a city. L
believe that we are best in country life
III agricultural life-and too often at our
worst in city life Now, when you go out
into the world for yourselves. you must re-
member in the first place that you cannot
aold yourselves up unless you keep en-
gagged and out of idleness. No idle person
Is ever safe, whether he be rich or poor
Make up your minds, whether you are going
10 live in the city or in the country that
you are going TO be constantly employed
Wiser counsel than this could not be given
Next to its clear thinking and practical
wisdom the most notable feature of the
book is its pure English Where this
former slave got his style is one of the
mysteries of literature. The book is pub
lished by Doubleday. Page & Co., New
York