The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-07
THE SNOW HILL SCHOOL
TENTH ANNUAL COMMENCE.
 SENT EXERCISES.
Work of W. ]. Edwards at His Insti- ute for the Industrial Train ing of the Negro
 Youth.

T Snow Hill. May 5.--tspeciai )--The first decade of the Snow Hill school closed to- oa% ". J. Edwards. its founder and principal, was born on the plantation very near where the school stands. He sraduated at Tuskegee in 1893 and return work among his neighbors and kinsmen. Tn 1894, Mir. R. O. Simpson of Furman, Who had known Professor Edwards, rem child gave forty acres of land with Tuskegee model A charter was obtain ga and the regular work begun in the fall oI issa. There was one small building. one teacher. few children. from the are now fourteen buildings There are 100 acres of land. This year sos students nave attended. 1f5 boys. 163 girls. One hundred and flfty-five have been boarding Florida. Mississippi, South Carolina and Maine. Twenty-two tcachehs havo been employed. twelve of them from Tuske- gee. Including the class that graduated course. Ali are living but one No charge of wrong doing has ever been proyght against one of them. One mar rled the p-iasiaal, one the head teacher. seven are eriployed in responsible posi- tions by the school. Ono of these has taken a special course at Harvard Uni- versity, three have taken courses at Tus- school in Mississippi two have founded schools of their own, one in Tilden, Ala. tho other at Greensboro. Ala. All have remained in the country and most of seven, twenty-seven own their homes. Aside from the graduates, about 800 others have been under the influence of the school for longer or shorter period.
 Many ns Gd,a Sf these are s.a making good records Carpentry, biacksmithtng, wheel wright ing, painting. printing, sawmilling, wood
 working, brick making. brick masonry
 grist milling. sewing. cooking, washing, housekeeping, nursing. farming and dairying. One young man, 22 years old,
 who received his trade certificate from the blacksmith department, today. Is of dered 1,5e per day to work in shop at year, toward this work. The balance, of more than s2U.0o0, is raised by Profess sor Edwards, largely from friends at the North; Last year the General Eduea- John F. Slater Fund appropriated $500
 The work of the school room and shops is only a small part of the good done. An annual fair and Farmers Conference are held. In ten years, patrons of the school have bought 1000 acres of land. Within the last year they have bought 1000 acres. The character of the homes of the people is entirely changed both those they have bought and those fur nished by the land owners. The nner- chants of Snow Hill say their trade has undergone complete change. during the ten years of the school The cheap goods. of some years ago. they do not handle now. They sell better shoes, bet ter clothing. more and better tools, even to hoes and rakes. better harnesses. bet ter stock, more wagons and machinery. less meal and meat and more groceries and the sales of garden seeds are many times increased. The business of the ro5toffiee has undergone complete change. Freight and express business Is much larger and the passenger traffie is more than qusdrupled
 The property of the school Is valued at about s35.0oo and free from debt. A 1.50o planer was added. during the year. also g. very fine grist mill Money is on hand to supply an outfit that will pump a bountiful supply of water to a large tank. for above the highest buildings. Other improvements are planned, for next year, especially in the way of improving tho farm. For this purpose mules, wagons. machinery and cows are needed. library building and chapel are very much needed also a hospital and dormIto- " for boys. The farm produced $50 bushels of corn last year. besides vege- tables. sweet and Irish potatoes and about 5000 pounds of pork and beef. All these things, will be many times multi piled as soon as proper equipment can he had for the farm. The land is the very best.
 The commencement exercises are . great event at Snow HILL White and colored are interested In them. The commencement sermon was preached by Rev. Robert C. Bedford, one of the trustees. The industrial exercises were held Monday night. They were very novel. Essays were given on the vari- ous industries, all of which were illus | trated in a practical way. The girls had various articles of clothing and iaundring, the farmer showed vegetables | of all kinds. the carpenter shop board work and the blacksmith shop, though in | charge of student. made a wonderful | exhibit of horse shoes and wide variety 1 of beautiful forged work. This de- pertinent won both hearty applsuse when 1 at signal upon the aayil four strong 1 looking fellows. with leather aprons on and bare arms, appeared upon the plat form. In a moment a bright fire burst | out from a concealed forge and the audi ence was startled to see white horse ridden down the long aisle of the pavilion clear upon the platform and when his old shoes were removed and new ones fitted l to him. in the presence of the audience, | as in a regular blacksmith shop hearty | applause rang out from every one present, |
 The old uncles and aunties of slavery l days were, overcome bv the sight of the work of their children and with | Frqans and shouts and amens, praised l CAA