The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-25
Answering Criticism of the
Colored A. and M.
A STRONG STATEMENT
If the General Assembly Thinks il can Improve
the Management he Feels Sure The
Trustees Will Resign but Iwnuld
be a Fatal Mistake TO Close
the Collage.
Especial to News and Observer

Trustees of the Agricultural and Me-
chanical College for the colored race,
was absent when the report of the State
Board on Public Institutions was made
to the governor, and did not see the
criticisms upon the management of the
A. and NJ. College here until his return
Friday night Today, in response to a
request from this correspondent he gave
ly disposes of the criticisms made by the
State Board, and was demanded in JUS
tice to the institution and it's Board of
Trustees, who were so unjustly held up
to public censure. He says:
Upon my return to the city yesterday
afternoon, l saw, for the first time the
synopsis of the report of the Board of
Examiners of the State institutions. A
more unjust or uniustifable attack or
one showing a greater ignorance of the
true condition of the affairs Of the A.
and NJ. College for the colored race could
hardly have been made The college is
in better condition in every way, and is
going better work than ever before in its
history, and will, / believe, compare ia
vorably with any similar institution in
the country. 1t is hard to understand
how Captain Patton, for / think it will
be safe to say that he drew that part
of the report referring to the A. and NJ.
College at Greensboro, could have so
badly confused matters, and so injuri-
sously misrepresented the college Before
delivering such a Illumination, it would
seem that a careful examination would
have been instituted, but if the report is
correctly given in the newspapers, the
most glazing mis- statements have been
made, as will be shown later on
in 1899 the General Assembly made
an investigation of the college, which
had for some years been under a Repub-
lican Board of Trustees, and found mat
tiers in such condition that it deemed it
best to change the administration; and
to this end, it appointed Hon. W. r.
Williams. Prof. NJ. G. S. Noble, Prof j.
Y. Joyner, Sheriff j. l.. Currie, NJ. George
IT, Dunlap, myself and others as men,
bers of the Board of Trustees. These
appointments were made without con-
sulting some of the appointees, and the
first information some of u.s. myself in
Guided, had of it was contained in the
papers of the next day. Believing it to
be our patriotic duty, we entered upon
the work, but with many misgivings. We
found the college heavily in debt, its I'M
paid debts amounting to 100000 it's pa
per hawked about the streets and its
credit so impaired that it was with diff
Guilty that purchases could be made ex-
cept at high prices. The board found the
curriculum of the college much too, nigh
for the colored people in their present
state of advancement and much too
theoretical; and that the college was not
reaching the class for whom it was in
tended. The board had nothing to guide
them, as industrial education was large
ly an experiment in the South even
among the white people, and with the
colored people the problem was ten fold
greater. Public sentiment among the
colored people had ever since the war
been in favor of classical schools. the
graduates being doctors, preachers or
teachers, and it was necessary to form /,
sentiment among them in favor of in
dustrial and agricultural pursuits. How
well the board has performed this great
task is shown by the college today,
which will stand on it's own merits.
Every dollar of it's debt has been
paid, $4,000 farm has been bought and
paid for. its bills are paid in thirty
days, its credit has been completely re-
stored; the three highest classes have
been cut off and the curriculum brought
within the reach of the race. While
theory is still taught and every student
is given a good English education, the
whole course is intensely practical and
Industrial, and that the trend of senti-
ment among the race is toward practical
education is evidenced by the fact of
the largely increasing attendance.
The board has tried in every way to
cut down expenses to the requirements
of the college income and to save ex-
pense. it decided to hold meetings of the
lhil board only once a year. An eXecu-
tive committee was appointed, consisting
OF Prof. M. G s. Noble. Prof ]. Y.
Joyner and myself to act for the board
IN the interim. The board and especially
the executive committee have thought
and iabored on this problem for nearly
four years and were concentrating
themselves on the splendid condition of
the college, when a committee of ex-
aminers. after few hours spent at the
college. solemnly critieise and try to tear
down the work of years. 1t is doubtful
if these gentlemen of the committee. and
them, ever gave an hours thought to the
subject of negro Industrial education in
teir lives, and yet they condemn the
work of board. some of whom are ex-
perts in educational matters, with about
the same amount of thought that they
would employ in Ticking the ashes from
their cigars.
And what are the criticisms?
First. That the board excluded the
women, and the committee says: 1T
has unjustly assailed the moral character
of the colored race. The statement is
absurd, but not more so than the posi-
ton of the committee in posing as the
defender of the virtue of the colored
women. and the next moment stabbng
an institution which, in the opinion of
many good men, is destined to do more
good in making the race self supporting
and self-reliant than any other one
agency in North Carolina.
The board had several reasons for