The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-28
M 7z4i4,1xl
A NEGRo's VIEW,
r.r>-h.a
4 President t. III. Johnston

TO your query, "IIas education i'm.
proved the negro race? r. answer with.
out any reservation, yes, materially, mcn-
tally morally and spiritually. am not
sunlnindfu OF the fact that this cannot
be said OF every individual or every COM
munity OF negroes There are thousands
of exceptions. But considering that when
freed he not only lacked the forty acres
and a mule, but that his reasoning pow
ers were those OF n child, his moral ma
tu,re undeveloped and his religious wor-
ship largely q form, one can arrive at no
other conclusion after an investigation of
the facts.
Now what are some Of these facts sus-
tanned by the most reliable statistics?
AS soon as the war between the States
closed thousands of conscientious. faith
Fful teachers came to the South and soon
these were augmented by thousands OF
faithful southern white teachers support
cd BY local State appropriation who at
once set to work to develop the newly
made citizen. There was no trouble to
get hiniainto school. Mothers. fathers and
children all went until they nwolse to tho
realization of the painful fact that some
must earn bread while others were going
to school,. The mothers and fathers there
fore soon loft and the children were glvon
the right of way. Since that time colored
schools have been generally crowded.
This has gone on TIL negro illiteracy in
the South has been reduced to 4i.b per
cent In Spain the illteracy Is GS per.
cent, in Italy IS per cent. This compar-
son speaks we'll not only for the goodness
of heart Of tho whites OF this country,
but for the teachableness of tho negro.
This process of education has gone on
till now We have In round numbers 800
teachers, 200 DOCTORS 200 lawyers, go
graduates Of theological semlnaries. 2.40O
graduates from colleges, to say nothing
of tho tens OF thousands who have gone
out from our normal and high schools
and entered all the avenues OF Industry
opened tonegroes. These have doubtless,
had much to do with the publication OF
500 books and 800 newspapers, and the TAX
ing out Of 400 patents by negroes. IT Is
natural, too, to suppose that the 10000
country and city homes owned by neg
roes. Will, but $4,000 mortgaged are large
ly In the hands OF those who have been
10 school, It Is hardly presumption to
say that tho 1,050,99l negro tenants IN tho
soutl, not only nay the taxes on their
rented farms and lots, but that they have
added greatly to the, financial growtl, OF
tho South as a. result of skllfu training
In our schools. These statements are
strengthened by the knowledge that ~
per cent, Of the negroes are engaged IN
gainful pursuits Gas against 80 per cent,
OF the whites) and that q per cent. OF
all those In prisons are illlterate.
Lot us consider our own State, virginia
where the school system Is considered tho
best and tho people most liberal N en-
pendltures for education, Here the negro
owns l,l43,Gs3 acres of land. or more than
one twcnty-third Of the State, ana is &C.
curing It at tho ratio Of more than lttS
thousand acres n year, Ills real and per-
sonal property was assessed at flh0sOnoJ
in 1902 or an Increase OF S65S,OOO over lyol
It is hardly an accident that In Stale
where is TO be found the best cdpcatlona!
system In the South, and the most liberai
treatment of the negro population, ne
should possess the most taxable property;
In Richmond the negro takes the lead
OF other cities In enterprise and owner
ship of property. due, no doubt, 70 me
fact that from lie very beginning ms cau-
cational advantages have been liberia
From the Virginia Normal ana lnaus-
trial Institute, OF which ! am president,
we have sent 6l2 graduates not one OF
whom, has ever been convicted or crlme'
Two-tlrts of them are teaching, ana the
othors are faithful wives. farmers, me-
chanIcs, lawyers doctors, preachers. e'c'
They are earning thousands Of dollars ~
these various occupations, ana pay laSes
On considerable property. We are PROUD
Of them and don't thinks any =, olher se ,H
| nan boast II better record THOUSANDS OF
others have attended both summer ana
rer,,lar sessions, and dropped out before
anishina. The greater portion OF these
hnvo Increased their productive aplilly
ana their POWER for usefulness as = reF
suIf OF their educati olt q NJ u n Il! B.
'SFlI,lut6 1ntt only do NC find him sUWuluS