Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-03-13
Correspondence New York Evening Post.

Tuskegee as the farmers conference, is
held in an upper room of Porter hall.
1t is necessarily less picturesque tran
the farmers conference, because the
speakers are all teachers and persons
Of some education. The question for
discussion today was, ''How can tire
work of our schools be- made more
useful to both racps?' President
Melden of Clark University thought
that an important thing was to cm-
phasize the fact that what was good
for white mans son would he good
for black mans son. The logic of
this proposition was plain, and became
notably SO if, after both had been
educated, the farm of the white boy
were sold under the shertf's hammer
and the black hoy bought il in.
Miss Schotield Of Aiken, S. c.,
| the white man more with his value
when he ceased to be so indis-
criminatcly good-natured. " The
negro might lie educated to earn
money; but if, rs soon as he has laid
little aside, he good naturedlyn
hands it over to the first shiftless
neighbor who comes to borrow although
his own children may be going without
shoes, it does not raise him in the
esteem and respect of the judicious
white man.
A negro teacher made the point that
the first thing TO do was to prove to
the white people that the negro could
be independent, In Alabama the State
could give a negro school Sl5 year
or 81, 500-just as it chose. If the
negroes are wise, said he, they will
take the 515 when it is offered, and
raise among themselves whatever more
they need to run their school. This
will show their independence better
than anything else they could do, and
the white people respect independence.
Prof. Vernon of Quintard, Kan,
thought that the interests of the races
in education were too closely inter
twined to be separable He recalled
the colloqny between negro and a
Southern white man over the question
OF race feeling. The white man said ::
Il admit that when all the negroes
have learned how to read and write,
half this prejudice will disappear. :"
To which the negro responded: "And
when all the white people have learned
to read and write, the other half will
everybody to help Southern white
education along as we'll as negro educa-
tion.
William j. Edwards of Snow Hill,
| Ala, told simple story of how he had
established an industrial school there
in the very hackwoods. ''At first the
white folks didn t feel very kind toward
us, " said he, ''but we went on trying
to do right, and taking particular
pains not to give them any cause of
/ offence, and in the seven years we have
been running the prejudice has died
out. They now show their liking for
us in all sorts of ways. They patronze
our blacksmith shop instead of going
| elsewhere ana VIXEN we wanted new
! building, 1t while ago, they subscribed
| lumber, and nails, and money. Most
Of them are poor, and cant give much,
| but they give generously what they
| can. One Southern white man gave us
| 40 acres Of land for our school farm
| | believe that rhe way Tor negroes to
get along with the white people around
them is to he patient and polite, bear
with them when they misunderstood
ns, and make it rule to put some
thing valuable into the community
| where We live instead of taking every
thing out -
Another speaker of the same sort
| was N'ttll's -ihdulS Oh huston, I'D.
who is now engaged in building up an
industrial school. "Our school build
ing, said he, ''cost 81, 2G0. All but
$500 is paid-raised among ourselves,
We find the white people very kind and
helpful, They helped us in getting
our charter, and they have shown a
great interest in seeing how we got
along. The local newspaper has spoken
very encouragingly of our school, The
white folks promise to help us good
deal more when we have proved what
we can do. They naturally don't care
to help any one till he has shown that
he is able and willing to help himself. -
Il. l.. Smith, principal of the negro
public school in Oakland, Tex, de
scribed the educative work done by the
Farmers Improvement Society in his
part of the country. lie said that the
whole community recognized it now.
for in the town of Oakland stranger
could not tell, from the looks of them,
what houses are occupied by negroes
and what by whites.
The mention of these last three
names suggests that there is a lot of
interesting biography behind them.
Edwards is, not tiguratively, but
literally, as black as the ace of spades.
There is not hint or shadow of the
Caucasian in his blood and his hair.
which comes down square across his
forehead, is crimped by nature 50
tightly as to dissipate any doubt left
undispelled by his color His hands
are hardened with work. As a sneaker,
he is direct, terse, sober, with a fund
OF sound philosophy to draw upon,
obviously the result of thought and the
study of men. He began life at Snow
Hill, the poorest and most miserable of
little black boys, his mother having
died directly after his birth, his father
deserving him, and his grandmother,
the only other person who cared for
him, dying when he was only u years
old. Ragged and forlorn, his condition
during childhood attracted the pityinp
notice of a leading white citizen of the
neighborhood and stakeholder, Mr..
Il. o. Simpson, who used to toss him
small coin occasionally when they
met in the street. In some way the
existence of Tuskegee Institute became
known to the boy, who was fred with
ambition to get an education. He
wrapped all his worldly possessions in
an old handkerchief, inquired the
general direction of Tuskegee, and set
out. With no money to pay travelling
expenses, he made the entire distance
of 100 miles on foot,
Mr.. Washington was impressed with
his grit, and took him in and put him
10 work. But, though he was able Ia
earn enough to pay for his board. lodg-
ing and tuition, an occasion presently
arose for the purchase of some books
ans other neccssaries. Edwards. who
had meanwhile picked up enough
npTl 'tgr "t writing TO do So. sanf a