The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-12
EDUCATION OF NEGROES
ADDRESS BY FORMER PRESIDENT
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA.
He Favors Manual and Industrial
Training Of Blacks i'm Order to
Make Them Useful Citizens.

PHILADELPHIA. Dec 11.-Former Pres
ident Cleveland presided tonight at pub
lie meeting In aid of the Berean Manual
Training School, an institution which aims
to give members of the negro race the
benefits of an industrial education. The
meeting was attended by prominent jurists,
educators and business men. Mr.. Cleve-
land was the principal speaker, and Book
er I. Washington, president of Tuskegee
Institute. also made an address. The in
stitution was established less than two
years ago and has an enrolment of 200
students The colored population of this
city is $4,000 increasing at the rate of TO-
600 year, and this meeting was held for
the purpose of interesting the people of
Philadelphia particularly and people of the
country generally In their education.
Mr.. Cleveland is personally interested IN
the school, and in accepting the invitation
TO attend the meeting he said: II regard
the object which the meeting is called to
promote so beneficent and so important TO
the advancement of a mass of our citizen
ship greatly in need of Improvement and
care that have considered it my duty to
comply with the request to preside at the
meeting
In his address tonight Mr.. Cleveland
said:
1--WE are called together in furtherance
of purposes which are not only of the ut
most beneficence, but which, for every rea
son. are deserving of serious and prompt
consideration. 1t has often occurred to
me that ever since we have become a ma
ton the American people have been almost
constantly confronted with large problems.
more less perplexing. and directly af-
fecting the political, industrial and social
phases of our national welfare. We seem
to have a contented notion that, whatever
dangers press upon us, and whatever OBJ
stacles are to be surmounted. we are able
because we seem to be able and that be-
cause we have thus far escaped threaten
ing perils a happy -go-lucky reliance on con-
tinued good fortune will avail us to the end
of the chapter.
81 am impressed with the Importance of
this occasion. 1t Is absolutely certain that
everywhere in this broad land good people
should be keenly alive to their duty and
interest as related to the colored men.
women, youth and children, who constitute
factor, large or small. in the population
of every community. 1t Is foolish for us
to blind our eyes to the fact that more
should be done to improve the condition OF
our negro populations; and it should be en-
tirely plain to all OF us that the sooner
this is undertaken the sooner will serious
duty be discharged and the more securely
will we guard ourselves against future
trouble and danger. Our colored people
have been supplied with measure Of pub
lie school privileges, even though in this
they have been at disadvantage compared
with their white neghbors. We will not
fail to estimate at its true value what has
thus been Accomplished, nor will We fail
to appreciate the importance of continued
and increasing effort in extending to this
class of our citizens opportunities for Or
binary school education.
mo who has given the subject de-
| liberate thought can doubt that, If We are
to be just and fair towards our colored fell
! low-citizens, and If they are to be made
more completely self-respecting, useful and
| safe members of our body polite, they
must be taught to do something more than
! to hew wood and draw water. The way
must be opened for them TO engage In
| something better than mental service, and
| their interests must be aroused to rewards
| of intelligent occupation and careful thrift.
IT believe the exigency can only be
| adequately met through the instrumental
| ity of well-equipped manual training ana
| industrial schools, conducted either indie
| pendently or in connection with ordinary
educational institutions. l am convinced
| that good citizenship, an orderly content
| ed life, and a proper conception OF civic
virtue and obligations is almost certain
| to grow out OF a fair chance to earn an
honest hopeful livelihood, and salts
| fed sense of secure protection and con-
| siderate treatment.
|
are to learn the details of the work done
| by a manual training and industrial school
| located here in the city of Philadelphia,
| and to extend to it our aid and encourage
| ment. Though still young, the Berean
| Manual Training and Industrial School has
| abundantly justified its existence and dem
| onstrated its power for good. 1t has passed
| so far beyond an experimental stage that
| its usefulness is seriously cramped by a
| lack of means and the want of necessary
| accommodations. Surely, If the liberal cit
| liens of Philadelphia are once satisfied
| that their duty to their less fortunate col
| ored neighbors demand the increased sue
| cess of this institution, it should not be diff
| ficult to induce them to extend to it a
| helping hand. We cannot anticipate that
| its neglect will be chargeable against the
people of this philanthropic and patriotic
| city"