The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-04
EDUCATING POOR WHITES
A SOUTHERN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
NOT VERY WELL KNOWN.
md by n Man who Was Himself
Once Poor, IL Is Accomplishing
a B~enehcent Work.
Helen GRAY. in LssIIe.s weekly.

Helen Gray. in Leslie's Weekly.
In no part Of the world to-day is the
question Of industrial education of more
vital Importance than In the Southern
States OF America. In ante-bellum days
the great masses Of the poor whites, which
numbered. perhaps, several millions of
souls. were. for the most part, in a sur
prising state of illiteracy. Now that the
indications point to the SOuth's becoming
q manufacturing as we'll as an agricultural
section. the necessity for Intelligent labor
has arrived, and schools of industry be-
come a amo demand OF the day.
A few weeks ago it was my privilege TO
visit one Of the most splendid industrial
institutions in the Southern States, the
Miller Manual Labor School for poor white
children. located on a spur of the Ragged
mountains, of Albemarle county, in the
beautiful and healthful Piedmont region of
Virginia. The people who inhabit the hOl-
lows Of these mountains are typical Of
other mountaineer folks. possessing all the
virtues and weaknesses generally attributed
TO them. Many are descendants of the
redemptioner classes of early colonial days,
but the larger portion are OF Hessian de-
scent. claiming for their forebears those
Hessians who, at the close Of the revolu-
tionary war. were turned loose from i'm
p~risonment at Charlottesville. Va, and
sought homes among the Ragged noun
tains, near by. They are. for the most
part. a hard-wOrking people, honest, and
entirely without love for the almighty dol
lar. but their great love of liberty breeds
In them a contempt for educational advan-
tages or steady employment of any kind.
OF THE FIRST FAMILIES"
Seeing them at church on a Sunday MORN
tng. pleasant-IOOking and rapt in their de-
votiOns, il becomes difficult 10 believe that
they can be content 10 return to the
wretched novels which many OF them are
satisfied TO call their homes. OF the stock
In these mountains that preceded the com
Ing Of the Hessians came Samuel Miller,
the founder of the Miller Manual Labor
School OF Albemarle county, which, with
its fine buildings and endowment fund Of
nearly S.5oO.coo, is the grandest and most
fruitful charitable institution in the South
ern States It was no bIue-bIooded vir-
ginian, reared in luxury, that was inspired
10 remember the poor children OF his native
county, but the son OF a poor mountaineer
woman, born IN a log cabin in ablect pow
erty and degradation. From the tower Of
the machine shops. the finest built in the
South for industrial education, is pointed
out the spot. marked by a stone. where
once stood the cabin in which Samuel
Miller was born.
On the grounds now graced by his munif-
cent gift he earned his first money by
gathering wool which stray sheep had left
on the bushes. and some OF the bricks In
the tower he aided In making at the small
remuneration Of 10 cents a day 1t was
from early youth the treasured hope Of
Samuel Miller and his brother John TO
acauir a fortune large enough 10 estab-
lish IN their native county a free educa-
fional Institution for poor children. After
receiving an ordinary education at Bates
Vile. Va. Samuel entered into business
with his brother, who had become a sue
cessful tobacco merchant in Lynchburg.
20 10000. with which sum. and his shrewd
business ability. he accumulated a vast
fortune. dying in 1863 the possessor of an