Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-31
TRAINED IN INDUSTRY
GRADUATING EXERCISES AT
MANASSAS CoLoRED SCHOOL.
Address Delivered by b. 81. Terrell OF
Washington-Words Of Ad-
vice and Courage.
special dispatch to The Evening star.

| Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
| MANASSAS, Va, May 31.-The COM
| mencement exercises of the Manassas In
| dustrial School for Colored Youth were
| held here yesterday afternoon. More than
| 1000 persons were present, many OF them
coming from New York. Philadelphia and
Washington The morning hours were de-
voted to an inspection of the various in
dustrial departments of the institution.
There were splendid exhibits in the sewing
schools cooking department and carpenter
shops, and of drawing and laundry work.
| The alumni association of the school held
| its first public meeting in the forenoon, and
| in addition to effecting permanent organ
| ization, the members listened to several
| papers on the character and scope of the
work done by the various graduates since
leaving school.
The main interest centered, of course. In
the graduation exercises of the. afternoon
The address to the graduates was delivered
by Robert H. Terrell, justice of the peace
troduced by Prof w. s. Montgomery, also
of Washington, who spoke of him as
successful educator. During his ADDRESS
Mr.. Terrell had the close attention of the
immense audience. He spoke of the ap-
propriateness of holding the commence
ment exercises at Manassas on Memorial
day, and continued:
Address to Graduates.
What wonderful changes have taken
place since the day that the sullen roar
of cannon gave Manassas her place In his
tory! Bondage has given place to free
dom, the slave pen to the school house;
a race has risen from the depths of most
degrading servitude and has won for itself
in the nation a starting point and vantage
ground that give promise OF splendid fu-
ture. And all of this has happened In a
period of less than fifty years"
Mr.. Terrell recited some interesting facts
relative to the schools which have been es-
tablished for colored people since the civil
war. In 1902 there were %, 600 colored pub
lie schools for elementary learning, taught
by 2S,7O0 teachers, and with an enroll
ment of 1851, 800 pupils. In 100 high schools
there were 1873 pupils and 623 teachers
In other secondary schools and higher in
situations there were IS, 1854 pupils and Lab
teachers. In concluding, Mr.. Terrell said
/ Young men and young women, 1t was
wise man who said that books, schools
and education are the scaffolding by means
of which God builds up the human soul.
The Manassas Industrial School has been
endeavoring to make your higher nature
the immortal part of you-all that God
would have 1t. The future will tell how
well you have responded to it's efforts The
education which you have received here is
of the practical sort-the kind that many
now regard the surest basis Of worldly
success; the education that you will need
for the work that is Immediately before
tual training Is always to be priced. But
scholarship itself may be useless as an aid
to development unless 1t can be put to
some practical service. My advice to you is
this, get employment of some kind at once.
Do something. Do not be idle for day II
you can help 1t. Do what your hands find
to do, whether the work be agreeable to
your tastes or not There is no hope for
the idler, and among us, the colored people
of America, there is no place for him..
The Graduating Glass.
The diplomas were presented to the grad
yates by Prof Montgomery, who repre-
scented Nh. Carroll D. Wright, president OF
the institution. The graduates were: Susie
Alice Brown, Thoroughfare, Va; Annie
Brown. Alexandria, Va; Martha Alberta
Brooke, Delaplane, Va; Annie Maud
Chevss, Alexandria, Va; Arrah Chinn,
Agnewville, Va; Mary Elizabeth Haynie,
Lillian P. o. Va; Bertha Fauntleroy JEFF
fries, Markham, Va. Margaret Catharfne
Lindsay, Washington, D. c.; Nellie Blanche
Naylor, Bull Run, Va; Lucy Beverley Rob-
inson, Manassas, Va; Queenetta Adeltha
Wilkerson, Manassas, Va; Charles ]. H.
Walker, Orange c. H, Va; Howard James
Wildly, Avalon, Va.
A number Of interesting essays were read
by members of the class. Directly after
the close of the exercises the annual meet
ing of the board of directors was held. at
which the following officers were elected:
Carroll D. Wright, president; w. S. Mont
gomery, vice president; Rev. H. H. War
ring, treasurer, and Rev. ]. H. Bradford,
secretary. The board also elected the fol-
lowing additional members: Rev. w. ].
Howard of Washington, Miss E. F. Pierce
of Boston and Rev. Mr.. Dobson of Gull