Evening star., 1902-03-29
CIVICS OF EDUCATION.
DR.. Montgomery Before Maryland
Colored Teachers Association.

Before the Maryland Colored Teachers
Association in Baltimore last evening DIR.
w. S. Montgomery of this city gave an in
teresting address 1.-The Civics of Edu-
cation DR.. Montgomery has been promi-
nent in the work of education among the
colored people of Washington for twenty
years, most of which time he has served In
the capacity of supervisor of the schools.
Last year the school system in Washington
was investigated by the United States Sem
ate through a special committee and
changes were made in the school officers.
This resulted in the choice of DR.. Mont
gomery to be at the head of the colored
schools. There are forty-four buildings
for the education of colored children To-
Gated in different sections of the city and
In these are employed 459 teachers for the
13,5S0 children who receive their training
in them.
DR.. Montgomery said that the ultimate
aim of public education is to make
valued citizens. The negro stands
today In the midst of a ready-made civiii-
zation; he in part enjoys the fruits of it,
but does not possess it in its fullness be-
cause he has not consciously put himself
into it.
Il would plead" he said. 'for the best
possible mental development Of our race
for only through the enlightenment of the
masses will the whole community be lifted
to a higher and better level of citizenship.
L have often heard advanced as a plea
against the intellectual training Of the ne
gro that the number of professional and
college-bred members of the race is too
great. To that / enter here and now and
everywhere a demurrer. The fault lies
not In the number of those highly trained.
1t is simply that they are not properly dis
tributed among the 100000 Of our inhab-
itants."
He maintained that, In the renaissance
of education the industrial element should
receive consideration equal at least to that
given the intellectual. Mind and muscle
must be trained together that they may be
made to work in harmony
''The colored mans brain and skill" said
he ARE being recognized in this country
as no where else in the world: and this
fact ought to summons forth all the en-
thusiasm and energy of the race. Having
been reared in America, the greatest and
grandest university for liberalizing the
mind and inculcating the fundamental
principles Of seif-government the negro
must quicken his step and make himself
an Indispensable factor in the community
Il believe that many Of our white fel-
low-citiZens welcome every instrumentality
that tends to make us better men and cit-
zens. They are friends. and stand solid
for decency, order, pure government and
civilization. They are actuated by high
and honorable principles and by becoming
thelr coadJutors we only preserve and SUBJ
serve our own best interests
Race isolation in this country Is not
wanted and it would be foolish to attempt
1t. Each race or nation needs all and all
need each. Separation, isolation for the
colored man, means deterioration and final
annihiation. Again, this is not the time
for the negro to become pessimistic and
dissatisfied with himself. He should re-
member that time is needed to accomplish
the desired result in his development and
he should not grow impatient should not
despise the day of small things
History, literature, society all declare In
unmistakable language that the educated
ana trained nina wins the contest in this
life and world. The man who waits. hut
works while he waits, always wins"