Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-09
EDUCATION OF THE NEGRO.

AS you SOW, SO shall We also reap"
and II you SOW the wind We shall reap
the whirlwind." Never was a more
forcible Illustration of these two texts
ever given to humanity than is seen
in the treatment of the negroes of the
United States. Today the people Of
the south and indeed of the whole ma
ton are reaping the harvest sown in
slavery days. This is the position ta-
ken by DR.. M. G. B. Mason, head of
the Freedmen's Aid Bureau of the
Methodist Episcopal church, and one
OF the leading men of his race.
Living in slavery days and knowing
from experience of the conditions that
then existed, having by his own in
dustry and efforts raised himself to
the high place he now occupies, DR..
Mason takes this position. He de-
clares that some OF the crimes COM
mitted against society by men of the
colored race and the resultant lynch
ings are but the outgrowth of the glar-
ing immortality that existed in many
places in the southern states during
slavery days. Morality" DR.. Mason
declares, was word unknown to
many OF the slave masters. The ne
groes were treated as chattels, and
the principles of morality were foreign
to them. Now the early history of
the race is asserting itself in the out
RACES, which have in some cases been
done" DR.. Mason, while he deplores
present conditions, does not look upon
them as entirely hopeless or beyond
Improvement
Born in Slavery and never seeing g.
printed word until he was IL years of
age he has by his self culture and in.
dependent courage worked himself
through three different educational in
stitutions. Now as SECRETARY of the
Freedmen's aid work of his church he
has charge OF forty-sevcn different in
stitutions maintained fer the instruc.
lion and culture Of the naetaas of the
south. As a man thoroughly acquaint.
ed with the colored race he is eminent
ly fitted to speak of existing conditions
and the hopes for the uplifting Of the
race and his opinions cannot but be
thoroughly interesting To the people
of the nation.
In word DR.. Mason sums up the
hope of future deliverance OF his race
In education he sees the means OF up
lifting the colorsd man and
enlarging his usefulness, expanding his
capabilities and intoxicating in him a
desire for morality my theories on
the race question" he declares fare
not based on mere abstract thought. l
know what education is doing for my
race in the south and / know what it
has done for me. Education is taking
the colored man of the south from the
wharves and the levees, from the cot
ton fields and tobacco fields, and is
making out of him Moses Of his
race From the graduates of our forty
seven schools for the negroes, the
blacksmiths and lawyers. They are
leaders among their people and by their
lives of helpfulness are sending more
men and women to our schools than
We can teach. The race question will
solve itself. The black boy and girl
are eager for education. Their anbi-
tious are as high as those of Their
white brother and sister and the work
is gradually being accomplished
The desire to emulate the deeds OF
the able men of the colored race is
having most wholesome effect on the
remainder of their brethren. AS the
work of education grows it will natur-
ally spread more rapidly until it's up
lifting influence will have permeated
the entire race. Meanwhile, it is the
duty OF American people and institu-
tions to give all possible encourage
ment to this work and as far as pos
sible seek TO instill the desire for law
observance in the minds OF the colOred
race.