The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-09
Will Be the First Booker I. Wash
ington Experiment in The North.
Interesting Statistics of COlOred
Population in the State

Newark, NJ j., July 9-New Jersey IN
the first state above the Mason and Dix
on line 10 apply under state patronage
the plan OF the Tuskegee Institute OF the
general benefit of its large oolored popu-
lation. Many Northern states have ap-
plauded the practical, but thorough bene-
ficience OF Booker Il. Washington. but
New Jersey is going TO use some OF its
large surplus OF negro education.
The states proposition is now interest
ing large number OF the seventy thou
sand negroes that are by the last official
count accredited TO New Jersey. The
negroes OF New Jersey are on the edge
because OF locality. they preferring the
present Old Ironside farm at Bordentown.
which Is now occupied by the Colored IN
dustrial school and utilized under dis
tressing Inconvenience. The negro leaders
OF the state have shown a rather unique
bit OF sentimentality for the place. be-
cause IL was the home OF Commodore
Stewart, "Old Ironside." who died there,
and later the home OF his daughter, Mrs.
Parnell, the mother OF Charles Stewart
Parnell. the agitator OF Irish freedom.
They claim that the spirit OF historic
freedom pervades the old historic site.
that augurs well for a great undertaking.
Il
ed as to locality.
There have been experiments for the
betterment OF the negro In New Jersey
and the states scheme was particularly
brought to prominence during the past
week by the announcement that former
Representative Henry c. White. who was
a negro congressman from North Caro-
lima In the Fifty-hfth and Fifty-sixth
congresses, has purchased, through the
instrumentality OF Congressman Loudens-
lager, of the First New Jersey district. q
tract OF land OF nearly thousand acres
In Cape May county for experimental
farms for the practical advancement of
the southern negro.
This proposition OF Congressman
Whites has a slight suggestion OF altru-
ism. There are to be coy homes. that are
TO be paid for In easy installments, there
are TO be industries for the employment
OF the sons OF these farmers. schools and
all other aggregations of a modern social
community. II Is supposed to be princi-
pally for the benefit OF the negroes OF No.
Carolina who are 10 develop into good
citizens on New Jersey soil, because New
Jersey Is a historic negro promised land.
The late negro millionaire, John Mickey,
OF Philadelphia, had contemplated an In
dustrial experiment at Mickey city, In
upper Atlantic county. but his PROPOSE
tion OF colonization was not favorable to
the negroes OF Philadelphia, and 1t Is now
a real estate speculative scheme.
The state of New Jersey. because Of
some peculiar internal conditions, Is dis
posed to expend money for the improve
ment Of its negroes. II Is historically
negro state, and the surprising fact Is
that IL has a larger percentage OF negro
population to it's total white population
of any state above the Mason and Dixon
line There are In the United States, ac-
cording to recent census bulletins. in pop
ulation $50, 9s9 an increase OF over
million and a quarter In ten years. New
Jersey has 69S44, the increase In ten
years being 22,2O0 and In twenty years
30. e91
New Jerseys negro population stands
I'm strong contrast with that OF the great
state of New York, because New York
has se2s2 negroes. principally located In
one section OF Greater New York, about
one-thrd more than the whole state OF
New Jersey. New Jersey has a uifie less
than the large state of Pennsylvania,
which has within it's confines the negro
capital of the United States. the city Of
Philadelphia, which has 62,6ls
A state that has considerably over one
third OF its population OF the descendants
OF Ham, and so located that II Is bound
TO increase, Is forced TO meet an i'm
portant problem of sociology, and II starts
by a generous appropriation OF $4,000 for
buildings, with prospects of enlarging
them as necessity will demand
New Jersey has now an industrial
school for colored boys and girls which
has been managed under civilian board
OF white and black, and sustained by a
state approprla tion. 1t is now controlled
by the state board OF education. 1t is the
outgrowth OF the work of the late Rev.
w A. Rice OF the A Nj. T.. church, who
established a small school In Morristown,
and by hard and sometimes embarrassing
advocacy, secured the interest OF the phil
anthropic whites and benevolent colored
people, who sustained IL.
The A. NJ r. conference took up the
subject. and through the political activity
OF the leaders OF that church organiza-
ton secured small annual appropria-
ton from the state legislature. The
school was removed 10 Bordentown. so
as 10 get a central position, and as there
Is an Intelligent negro colony there, the
students could be lodged In the absence OF
any fixed building. Later. when the
states support grew To 5000. the famous
historical Ironside property. where the
exIled King Joseph Bonaparte. of Spain
and Sicily. and Commodore Stewart had
many literary conferences. a school was
established where the negro has been
given n general as we'll rs technical
education. Manual training Is the sup
posed principal feature. but the build
ings are not only dilapidated, but badly
arranged for both class and dormitory
purposes, but the one hundred and more
negro boys and girls endure their incon-
venlences I'm their desire 10 get high
grade education. and having hoped for
better things, they are soon TO have those
hopes realized.
The tuition Is free. but the boarding Ia
paid by the pupil. hut II is reduced 20
minimum because the girls do the bouse-
work and the boys do the farming, or
most OF g. so that these students need
only nav one dollar n week for their
keen. which means that full course OF
four years costs an economical student
less than $500. They are surrounded with
pleasant environments. and life Is made
attractive by students band of music
TO lead the cadet corps, which r. reg
ularly uniformed.
There is a corps OF teachers, but the
work OF some OF them is unsatisfactory.
h.cause they work under disadvant IN ges