The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-04
WANTS STATE FUND
PRESIDENT wRIGHT'S HOPE FOR
COLORED COLLEGE.
WILL ASK THE LEGISLATURE
FOR S24, 900 WITHHELD FROM Ed
UCATION OF COLORED PEOPLE.

The Hold Up on Account OF M1sUn-
derStanding Between the LegisIa-
ture and Atlanta University in
1SS7-President Wright Points Out
the Advantages of the College.
SaVannah's Liberal support of the
Institution-The Work 1t Is Ac-
complaining for Negro Youth.
An educational rally in the interest
of the Georgia State Industrial Col
lege was held last night at the First
african Baptist Church on Franklin
ored men of the city were present The
pews in the main auditorium were fill
ed with the patrons and friends of the
school. Rev. A. Cooper made the OPEN
ing prayer after which Prof. r. r
Wright, president of the college, an
nounced that the objects of the meeting
was to set before the colored people of
Savannah the work which is being
done by the college for the promotion
of industrial and literary education
among the colored people.
He was very much gratified, he said,
that Savannah had steadily grown in
its appreciation of the work of the col
lege. In both its contribution to the
enrolment of students and its attend
ance at the commencement and other
exercises, Savannah had done as well
as any other city in the state had done
by its resident college.
At the opening of the college in 1891
there was only one Savannah student.
During the year only nine were en-
rolled This number has now increas-
ed to 1876, and a complete enrolment of
nearly 700, and Savannah at present
sends off more colored students to 9TH
er schools than it has ever done. This
President Wright said, is the strongest
evidence that the college has helped
Savannah both directly and indirectly.
TO BeID Negro Youth.
The purpose of the college has been
to foster industrial and literary educa-
ton. as an evidence of the fact that
it is succeeding along industrial lines
it may be pointed out that there are d
large number of young men from the
school pursuing their trades in Savan-
nah and other cities. Some of these
have been employed as carpenters by
prominent citizens. other graduates
and students of the school have found
ready and regular employment as car
makers in Savannah during the sum-
lner
The college has stimulated among :ts
graduates at least a spirit of good,
honest, hard work. The schools mot
to is: Faithful and efficient service
promptly and righteously rendered sell
dom fails of it's reward" 1t has also
sought to promote the best feeling and
an attitude of kindness between the
races Located as it is near Thunder
bolt and surrounded by many whites
and being compelled to carry many of
its students on the street cars twice a
day, 1t has maintained the best of Or
der and in the ten years of its exist
cnce, it has had no difficulty. The
very best and ablest white and colored
men have, by invitation, addressed its
students each year, and it has now the
good will of the best people of the city
and state.
Want the State Fund.
President Wright said that it is the
hope of the commission and others in
terested in the school, that the next
Legislature would find it convenient
to turn over to it the 900 withheld
from the education of the colored peo-
pie on account of Misunderstanding
between the Atlanta University and
the Georgia Legislature in 1887 If the
it would greatly enlarge it's usefulness.
1t was his understanding that the
three years allowances or $4,000, is
a part OF the adjusted claim of the
colored people for a portion of the gov
eminent land scrip fund. and that this
particular amount withdrawn from the
Atlanta University at the time, be-
cause of an alleged violation of the
legal spirit and intent of the act of
adjustment. setting apart the money
for the education of colored people,
was at least in equity due to the col
ored people now.
Didn't Intend to Hold Up Fund.
President Wright said that at the
time the money was withdrawn, he had
some correspondence with Gov. Cor
don and Representatives Calvin and
Fleming, and he believes it was not
their intention to permanently keep
the money from the education of the
colored people. He thought if the col
lege could get this money it would
make some provision for a dormitory
for the girls, who are now applying to
enter. He said the only drawback the
institution has is the lack of money
The commission, under the direction
of its chairman, has admirably man.
aged its limited finances, and has made
1t do the work which costs other insti-
buttons five or six times the same
amount of money. He thought the
gratitude of the colored people of the
state is due Col. Meldrim Judge Ham
mond Col. P. j. Cline, Col Murrel
and Supt. Otis Ashmore for their
faithful and disinterested services il
connection with the school
Keep Children on the Streets.
President Wright made an earnest
appeal to parents to keep their boys
and girls off the streets, to cease to
spend so much on excursions and
pleasure, so that they could educate
their children. He regretted that it is
a fact that a majority of the lawsuits
which take some of the colored people
before the courts and places them in
the chaingangs originate among them
selves.
On the other hand, he said, it is diff.
cult to find boy or girl who has com.
pleted a course in the public schools
or any other school and especially in
an industrial school like the Georgia
State Industrial College, who has beer
arraigned in the courts or has beer
convicted Of any crime
His visit a few days ago to the peni
tertiary camp at Milledgeville, and al
inquiry as TO the literacy of the coloreC
convicts. brought out the statemen
from those authorities that in the IF
teen camps with nearly 80 per cent. o
the convicts colored so far as could b,
ascertained there was not single ne
gro graduate from any of the institu
tions, a convict. This fact In itself. h,
said. shows that it pays both the par.
90 md aA4sa Il