Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-03-26

what extent shall the higher education
Dc attempted! We answer, only to that
extent that shall give opportunity to
all those who are thoroughly equipped
IN the preparatory schools and have the
ambition and the c. pacity for the higher
training chance to unfold the best
and divinest that is in them. Say not
to any man or set of men. nor to any
race: This or that kind OF education is
good enough for thee and thine. This
Is unphilosophlcal. unjust. I'M American.
Let the gates TO largest knowledge and
culture be thrown wide open. Let each
man for himself enter. Set no limits
Let each man by his active brain and
aspiring soul, set his own limits
-
"For many years to come, TIE first
educational task among the colcred peo.
pie Will be to supply competent teachers
for public. industrial aud elementary
schools. Hence, more of the resources
OF the numerous institutions already in
operation should be devoted TO first
class normal and academic work. 1t is
also the part of wisdom TO give a large
place TO industrial training. We're /
speaking upon this phase of education. |
shouid be just as strong and insistent IN
my advocacy of the training of the hand.
as essential TO the wise and rounded de.
velopment of the race. We need more
industrial schools, rather than less. The
best future of millions of the Negro race
Is bound mp with the industrial train ng
Oh the tens of ,hous ands who may be thus
prepared Tor directing the energies OF
their people to wise ends. -
The above is broad ground on which
rests broader platform.
His plea against race prejudice is I'm
questionably one of the strongest points
of his address.
He said:
land further, let us not forget tina,
this h.. er ducation of the exceptional
Negro, Tor which we plead, is a slow
process 1t is only through generations
of discipline and patient education of
the people through such teachers, that the
masses will be lifted into the larger and
higher fellowship of the intellectual
life. We have too often made the mis-
take of confounding the education of
the individual with the mental and
moral equipment of race The teach
ing of sociology is that, while we NAV
the intellectual and moral equipment of
a race is a question of generations, and
it may be of CENTURIES
And again:
ut is the educated leaders-minds of
large native capacity, the elect spirits.
deioped, sharpened and polished by the
higher education-who are TO overcome
the race prejudice and civil inequalities
against the Negro, and gain for him his
rights as man and as a citizen. Even
the contest against race prejudice is nos
hopeless. Said James Russell Lowell
wears ago: we can remember when
the prejudice against the Irish was ms
strong III many of the free States as
that against the African could ever be
III the South, This pr JUDGE near V
gave new direction TO politics of the
country Who, i may ask, overcame
the Intolerant spirit of cruel race preJu
dice of feacoD Street, won civil recog.
milton, and seat, d an Irishman as Nav or
in the City Hall of Boston ? Mark Won.
it was not Paddy O'Flari Y, the skilled
brickmason, or DENNIS O'Leary, the
boss carpenter, or Tim O'Shaughnessy,
the skilled master of the latest ideas OF
Observation-Disclosures these who de.
manded and gained recognition for
their race from proud old Boston /,
was the Irishman who had measured
brains with the Yankee in Harvard COL
lege, and who had taken honors in the
Boston University School of Law. Ele-
mentary and industrial training of the
masses is efficient, but the education of
the exceptional men of the race is alone
sufficient for people if it is to gain and
hold a self Prospecting footing among
men. WHAT the Negro asks is not social
equality, but simply equality of oppor.
tunity in the business and struggle Of
life"
This then is the position of the Negro
To say that trained educated leaders
Injuries the Negro is to belle history
and wage a warfare upon education
Itself. To the doubling Thomases of the
race and the Negro-haters of the South
land, we have but to exclaim: Look at
the Japanese and see what wonders the
higher education of people has
wrought.