The sun., 1905-09-03
Re4uts AeeorpGshsd by Corneia Bowen,

and helped me without pay. As fast as
any learned to read set them to teaching
the others. 1t was the third year before
l had a regularly paid assistant.
"There had been . public school In the
neighborhood three months In the year,
but the teachers had taken no interest and
so the people had taken no interset, and
had not sent their children. The money
spent In the South on colored schools might
do great deal Of good II they could only
get the right kind Of teachers. But tho
teachers have got to have the missionary
spirit, they have got to be filled with tho
desire to do something for their race, in
order to accomplish anything. As 1t is
a great deal Of public school money 10 prac-
tically thrown away.
Every summer I have travelled and
spoken in the North in the interests Of the
school, till now We have four buildings.
One is dormitory for twenty-five girl
boarders. They bring their own food and
board them selves.
III 4 had another dorm mitory the boys
could do the same. II We had more land
We could teach more farming. We have
only ten acres.
"A number Of my pupils have been teach
ers in the school. One girl taught with me
seven years. Five Of my boys have taken
university courses. In school there is no
difference In ambition between boys and
girls. But more boys than girls take higher
courses, because It is easier for them to
work their way through college.
There are practically only two things
the Southern colored girl can do-work in
the fields or enter domestic service.
encourage my girls to stay at home and
work In the fields. II they 60 away to the
cities as servants the life Is full Of tempta-
tion.
We have graduated twelve classes.
settled on the land near US. Our boys
support their families and our girls keep
their houses and children neat and clean.
There Is great change In the prosperity.
the appearance, the manners and the morals
Of the community. The women don't hang
around the groceries as they used to years
ago. They have developed self-respect and
race pride. There are not nearly 90 many
illegitimate children as there used to be.
"The men are ashamed not to support
their families and not sa We money. They have
made use Of the opportunities offered them,
and that's all you can ask any people to do. :
Miss Bowen is president Of the Alabama
Federation Of Colored Women's Clubs.
This body Is trying to establish reform
school for colored children. There is one
for white children, supported by the State.
They have assurances that II they can get
the land and building oolored juvenile
offenders will be committed there by the
courts. and that probably eventually some
State funds will be forthcoming. Eight
thousand dollars would be sufficient to pur-
! chase q suitable place. or this they have
raised $1,000 among themselves, and Miss
Bowen has come North after the rest.
Miss Bowen is tall. slender mulatto.
cultivated and cosmopolitan. Since she
has been teaching she has won one scholar
ship. which gave her a year at Teachers
College. this city. and another at Queen
Margaret's College, Glasgow, which gave
F, her year abroad.
She was gowned the day the interviewer
saw her in delicate brown voile. with
gloves and hat to match, all in perfect taste