The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-20

II the matter is followed up IL VIII De
less difficult hereafter to get aid.
There is no doubt Of the fact that the
school is one of the most deserving
in the South. The white people
fully indorse it. Gen. Evans Volun-
tarily sends Prof. Wright the fol-
lowing Endorsements: u am very
much pleased with the publication of
your college work as taken firm the
New York Press. / have never doubt
ed your genuine fidelity to the best in
terests of your race, nor your true con-
ception of the nature of those interests,
nor your wise patriotism which in
cludes all popular welfare, nor your
ability to carry out your views. Wish
ing you Divine Guidance, l am your
friend, Clement \. Evans"
The Morning News takes pleasure in
reproducing the article from the Chris
tian Herald:
Esta blished in 1891, the Georgia State
Industrial College opened with only
eight students. 1t grew rapidly, and
soon had to limit the number of stu
dents, because of lack of accommoda-
tions. At present it has 534 students,
but last year it refused admission to
more than hundred. Notwithstanding
the fact that in this Black Belt the
women outnumber the men, there is no
adequate provision for girls in this in
stitution They We're excluded for many
years, and in the past four years have
been admitted simply as day students.
Instruction is given in car
pentry, Blacksmithing, wheelwright-
ing, painting, sign writing, graz-
ing, bricklayng, plastering. shoe
making, tailoring, dairying, me-
chanical drawing, farming and gar
dening, all for boys. The aim is to ed
ucate the negro to be a good, self-sup
porting citizen, The college has already
sent out a number of mechanics and
farmers throughout Georgia and adj
joining states. Among its graduates
are a Wheelwright and blacksmith at
Albany, a carpenter and contractor in
Savannah, a coach painter in st. Au-
gustine, Fla, a brCklayer in De Witt,
a blacksmith and shoemaker in jack
sonville, Fla, a tailor in Girard, Ala,
and another in Brunswick, Ga. One
graduate teaches painting in the Flor
ida State School, another recently SUI
perintended the construction of brick
building costing $4,000. On the college
campus three residences have been
built by the students themselves, also
an auditorium seating a thousand per-
sons, and a tWo-story industrial build
ing. From all over the district in which
the school is located, work constantly
comes in, giving the students practical
training, and Offering admirable oppor
tunties for self-help. Much work is
done by senior students under personal
contract, and this has extended from
the building of shelves for books to
the erection of a neat village church
and parsonage.
For the limited number of girls who
obtain admission under the present
straitened circumstances, training in
dairying dressmaking and plain sew
ing is given. Every student is eX-
pected to learn a trade. so that he
may he able to support himself, and
thus be of positive use to the COM
munity and the state.
The college now finds the need of
two other industrial departments
cooking and laundering. In the South,
fully nine -tenths of the cooking. and
practically all of the laundering is done
by the negroes. The old Southern
cook became famous many years ago,
and now the complaint is often heard
that as these old mothers or fathers
of ante-bellum training pass away, no
one arises to take their places. 1t is
for this reason that President Wright
is anxious to add these departments.
AS the number of students increases
this demand becomes more impera-
tive.
Besides it's industrial branches, the
Georgia College also has a literary
course, and from its normal department
men and women, who, with few excep-
tions, are now teaching the common
schools of Georgia, striving to uplift
their fellows. Others are in business
and a few are in the pulpit. The whole
tone of the college is religious, but not
sectarian Since it's establishment
there has been but one student to
graduate who was not a Christian.
president r. r. Wright, the head
of the Industrial College, is now in
New York, endeavoring to raise funds
to enlarge and better equip the work.
so that it may in a greater measure
meet the demands of the negroes of
Southeast Georgia. who are practical
ly confined to this one institution.
DIR. Wright is endorsed by many of
the leading men of his own and other
states, including the present and two
former Governors of Georgia, Mr.
George Foster Peabody of New York
and others. beside many prominent ad-
vocates of negro education through
out the country. Any reader of this
journal who desires to aid this most
deserving cause, or to secure further
information on the subject, should ad-
dress President Wright, Georgia State
Industrial College, Savannah. Ga, who
will reply to all inquiries and acknowl-
edge all contributions"