The San Francisco call., 1903-01-18

After some hours the teacher told him
to sweep one OF the rooms.
This he felt was TO be his entrance ex-
animation, and be knew he could pass.
for he had been an apt pupil OF YANKEES
housekeeper. Three times the room was
swept, four times busted; and when the
teacher-a Yankee. too-had looked IN all
the corners and rubbed ner handkerchief
on the walls, she told him he would do
to enter the school
BY doing Janitor work he paid his way
through Hampton and returned to Maiden
to teach school A year Of study In
Washington, more teaching at Maiden,
and return to Hampton TO aid In the ex-
pertinent OF training Indians there-and
then Tuskegee. the tiptop OF his hearts
desire.
This man has had two consuming anbi-
tions-to learn and to teach others. How
these two thoughts have dominated his
life is shown by his answer to the ques-
tion OF what stands out in his mind as
the greatest moment Of his life.
The greatest moment Of my life" he
said. was when I received word that
Harvard University had decided to confer
a degree upon me.
Next to this In Importance to me was
President McKinley's consent to visit Tus-
kegee. These two things stand out In my
life as tho greatest events"
To Booker Washington the Harvard de-
gree meant recognition OF what he had
done for himself. and the visit OF the
President Of the United States to Tueske-
gee was recognizition OF what he had
done for others.
His work is his life. Large offers OF
money have failed to turn him from It,
though he Is practically a poor man His
salary Of $500 year is barely enough to
support his family and enable him to en-
tertaIn the distinguished visitors who 60
TO Tuskegee as his guests.
The present Mrs. Washington Il the
third one. and each wife has given her
self wholly to the cause OF educational
work. The family consists Of one daugh-
ter by the first wife and two sons by the
second. What Mr.. Washington counts
his greatest hardship is the necessity OF
lectures are the main source Of revenue
OF the Tuskegee Institute.
My best rest and recreation" he says,
''is evening at home with my wife and
children, or an afternoon In the woods
with them"
Gardening Is also a fa7or1te pastime
and an hour away from his ONCE digging
among the flowers or planting seeds Is a
rare treat. He keeps a number OF pigs
and fowls Of fine breeds. and acknowl-
edges the pig his favorite animal. He Is
not fond Of sports, never saw a game OF
AOOlDdu anu uOtS not KNOW one card from
another. He goes fishing now and then.
but would rather have a game OF marbles
with his two boys than anything else.
He breads speaking In public, suffering
so much from nervousness before speak,
ing that he has many times resolved
never again to make a speech. He likes
best to speak to an audience OF business
men, and next Southern audience. These
are most responsive, he says, and New
England audience is always cold.
He has a deeply religious nature, and
never goes upon the platform without a
prayer. Every day he is at home he
makes practice OF reading a chapter IN
the Bible first thing in the morning. BY
the rite Of having been plunged IN tho
kanawha River when he was about II
years old, he is a Baptist, though his re-
hgion is bigger than any credit is the
religion Of doing good and helping others.
On the subject Of social equality OF
blacks and whites, Booker Washington
says:
'The outcome OF the race problem I
cannot foresee. l do not believe in inter-
marriage It is not practical. The ques-
tion cannot be solved that way
IN all things purely social, we can be
as separate as the fingers, yet one as the
hand in all things essential to mutual
progress"
Booker Washington does not seek social
recognition for himself 1t has come as
spontaneous tribute to him as an indi-
vidual. and only those can understand IL
who have felt the force Of his wonderful
personality BERTHA II. SMITH.