The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-09


OF suburban cottages In South Jersey.
has charge OF the carpenter shop OF the
school. and Is making some handy col
ored carpenters, but he Is badly handi-
capped for room and also for tools. tho
boys being obliged to wait In line for the
use OF tools. The negro OF Intelligence
takes kindly to carpentry and TO farming
and the statistics of that institution show
that Most OF the girls keep scrapbooks
OF the published menu. and there is q
rivalry In cooking and fancy goods, and
some tendency to music.
These are the conditions at the present
time. but the proposition that engages
the members Of the state board OF edu-
cation Is how TO secure and carry out the
up-to-date idea for the education OF the
negro OF New Jersey.
There can be only a slight difference
among the Intelligent negroes OF the
South. In conference with the members
OF the state board OF education some facts
In regard TO the school were obtained. The
location OF the school IL In doubt. The
Ironside property, as IL Is now. Ia not
able, but there Is some doubt as 10 the
possibility OF extension when the time
comes
The state OF New Jersey owns several
large farms which II acquired because OF
foreclosure for the state sinking fund,
and are far from paying any percentage
of interest for the amount involved, and
there ia an inherent policy for the state
TO appropriate these farms as far as pos
sible for It's new Institutions. There Is
a possibility that one OF these farms may
be applied 10 this purpose. but the negroes
OF New Jersey are UP In arms and want
their pet institution to stay at Old Iron
side. and they are preparing to organize
on this expressed sentiment and to make
a move against any change.
The state board of education states
that they will adopt as far as possible the
Tuskegee methods, even IL possible TO the
establishment of the wage system for all
the work OF the students with the hope
that the benevolent and religious element
OF the negro population will gradually
endow or assist IN securing the needed
advantages OF education.
The new school will have double the
capacity of the present institution. The
basis OF admission Is now regulated by
law there being a representation from
each assembly district, according to the
capacity Of the school. Ii can be made
by appointment, which Is supposed TO be
based upon educational ability. The
buildings will be modern, the farm i'm
plements UP 10 date. the curriculum prac-
tical. and the teachers as good as can be
obtained. The state will each year ex-
tend its original plant, and within few
years New Jersey will have Its Tuskegee
which institution has inspired national
admiration.
The state has been generous with It's
colored population in the matter OF edu-
cation Its percentage OF literacy as
against illiteracy among the male popu-
lation Is shown to be above the average,
and out of the total male population over
q years OF age 1t is found that there care
l5,5S negroes VINO can read anu "riee,
and many of them do much more, and
T. $50 who cannot read or write. The
standard has always been good, and on
that account the state has created dis
tinctive colored schools In cities ana
towns and secured the best colored IN
structors available. and the averages or
these negro pupils have been amazingly
strong and the state thinks that II has
made a good investment. In recent years
every graduating class OF the State Nor
NAL school at Trenton, where teachers
are made, has had one or two young ne
gro women who have prepared for teach
ing I'm some of the scattered negro puo-
lie schools.
The negro population OF New Jersey
can be specially considered with some
interest. The beginning of this element
o the the SSgsHf' Says Of colonial slavery in the
Concession and agreement of the Lords
Proprietors Berkeley and Sarteret as as iaa
duty on slaves brought into the syate:
The Quaker spirit which prevailed m
New Jersey was against slavery, anu an
i7Ss the Friends In their various meetings
abolished slavery and began TO clitlvate
the abolition sentiment. In bV4 tne
sIsSSua a1oyssd assGa tSat every cnd born Of
a slave should be free. remaining SER
want until OF age: a. ,oroo
adopted in ls44, declared all men are by
nature free and independent This led 20
contests IN the courts for freedom, put IN
1876 slavery was abolished largely IN
New Jersey was the favprite highway
of the Underground railroad: There were
found shelter and the work Of aiding
the escape Of slaves began early IN the
century through organized Efforts Inc
formed the basis OF New Jerseys poPula.;;
ton According TO ''Qordon's Gazetteer
on New Jersey; in l1s7 tnsrn iorr,ns were 'CS ~
shows il 500 slaves. giving New Jersey
larger slave PSpulSSe aSaSe n the a Mason e and
Dixon line. The negro Methodiss EpiscA-
starting among the old negro families OF
The District OF Columbia Is a great
negro centre, but It has only LOO more
negro s centre is Atlantic county. and prin-
numerous hotels. There are $3.50 negroes
IN IN tng ,en pe"YV years OF over aooo Without any
special reason, Camden county has the
largest percentage Of negroes. There be-
ing s5S3 Mercer has the large number
| OF l52, the number being augmented by
the negro population OF Princeton which
when many youths from the South came
10 the college and brought their negro
body servants Many remained and es-
Is s frasSn swS 9s S rF9Hs
| OF 6S3 O4s, has only 44s9 negroes, as
| Ia o5s. has only f2.55e. the. increase being
| 100 per cent. I'm ten years. UP I'm Sussex
| county there are now 100 negroes, four
| teen less than twenty years ago, the old
| slave negroes disappearing, and there
| Is knowledge OF anti-African sentiment In
The negro population Distributed over
| the state is as follows: Atlantic county.
| 600: Bsrren, 26eo: Burlington, 800; Cam
| den Ssa: Cape May So Cumberland.
| asa; Essex. l2.bts: 0loucCster. 25os; Hud-