Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-17
CLOSING EXERCISES
Three District Colored Public
Schools Unite.
BOOKER WASHINGTON
MAKES ADDRESS TO STUDENTS AT
CONVENTION HALL.
Graduates Seated on an Immense Plat
form The Program Of
Great Interest.

Great Interest.
The union of the common cement exer-
cises OF the three leading colored schools
under the District school board. the WASH
ington Normal School, No. 2; NJ Street
High School and the Armstrong Manual
Training School, and the presence of the
great leader of the colored race. Booker
T. Washington, served to fill the immense
auditorium of Convention Hall TO the doors
last evening, even standing room being at
a premium. 1t was estimated that between
1900 and 5,tSJ persons were II the hall.
In the middle of the east side of the audi
forum was erected a large platform, upon
which sat the graduates of the three
schools, school having one of the three
sections. After the graduates hal marched
into the hall and taken their seats on .hc
platform, fl presented a nanisome SIGHT.
The girls, numbering about i35, were all
dressed in white and many OF them carried
bouquets of flowers and the boys wore
dress suits or uniforms of their military
organization Over the platform was a huge
canopy of green and back of each section
were the emblems of the respective schools.
The platform was also decorated with
palms and flowers The hall was well deco
rated with bunting and with American
flags, which took away the usual baroness
of the place.
When TIE graduates had marched to the
platform, prayer was offered by Rev. VIII
liam " funnel. The meeting was pre-
sided over by Mr.. H. B. F. Mact:.rIard,
president OF the board of Commissioners of
the District. 1t for Mr.. Macfa:land, In
his opening remarks, to state to the large
audience of almost exclusively colored per-
sons and to the colored graduates, the con-
gratulatfonS to the race from the while race
on the showing made of the progress of
the fortV-Vaar-old DeODle a eVilp0,red nv
the number OF graduates this year. While
here in the national capital" he said 1--WE
have many examples of what your r,ce can
do, no others have greater respect than
those in the public schools
Cordial Greeting.
DR.. Washington was introduced, after
musical selection. and his coming to the
front of the platform was the sisa for
loud applause. During his long speech, ne
was frequently interrupted by applause and
cheers. His speech took the line of his well
known ideas for the betterment OF the col
ored race. He said:
The influence of the colored man who
resides in the District of Columbia is far
from local as far as concerns our race; it
is national; is, in the words of another,
continental, almost imperial. Perhaps it is
true that there cannot be found any group
of ninety thousand colored people anywhere
In the world whose general average OF in
telligence is so high is true of those to
be found here Nowhere else in this, or
any other country, can you find a group
equal in size whose educational advantages
in the way of physical equipment and per-
sonnet of teachers are complete just
here. Nowhere else, in or out of this coun-
try, is there city where so much is ex-
pended, whole or per capital, on a
similar group of black people. If you
would realize more fully what this state
ment involves let me say: For the school
year of 1909 and 1901 there was expended
ha f1titi a of f.lli lray1
S213.00O. or u per capita of $13.73 This was
10000 more than expended for the
tuition of the 2S7,o 600 negro children in one
of our southern states where the per capita
was less than 81.
In order that this difference may be jus
tilted, l would urge with al 1.-The earnestness
l can command that you of the District of
Columbia appreciate the opportunity that is
before you-realze how the race is looking
to you from every part of the country for
example for guidance, for hope and in
spiration. A mistake made here Is not local
but national success achieved here is
not a local success. but national success
Frankness and Courage Needed.
"In any proper system of education no
country can overlook the fact that If slavery
or false teaching have made people regard
labor with the hand as a sign of disgrace,
or If custom or prejudice have confined a
large mass of people to certain lines of
tHpIOymcUl, the tOuCdIlOndl DOllCY that
would help such a people must be charac-
terized by frankness and courage at least
to the extent that such condition shall not
be CLOSED over but directly met.
I'VE need just now not so much men
who can become clerks as we need creators
of positions for clerks The graduates of
your schools who have the courage, the
skill and the ability to go ten miles into the
country and begin life as dairymen, may
not have the immediate opportunity of be-
coming salaried clerk, but If they are wise
and persistent in a dozen years they will
become what is greater than a mere clerk
the employer of half dozen clerks.
Supreme End of Education.
For our race, for any race, all education
whether given through the medium of the
trowel, the Ratchet, the study of Caesar the
Bible, in the class room, the laboratory,
should have for it's supreme end the perfec-
ton of character and service to ones fell
lows and to God.
IF In the application of these principles I
may add special word to the graduating
class, let me admonish, far as may,
that the world into which you are going
will demand that you be ready to use all the
courage that you can command, not so
much the courage that manifests itself in
much talk, in idle boasting often one will
be called upon to exhibit more of courage
by silence than by speech.
DO not be ashamed of your parents If
heir life is a lowly one, cast your lot with
theirs and show them that you can help
them to a higher and more useful llfe
BE what you arei No one is so unfortu-
nate as the individual who is continuously
trying to deceive the world 1t Is hard
work for one to live in hundred-dollar style
on fifty-dollar salary. If you are poor,
do not pretend to be rich All things come
TO the man who lives a straightforward,
honest, simple life.
Amy man, whether educated or not, Is
pauper II he consumes more than he pro.
duces Educated men should seek not so
much to be supported by the government
as to become supporters of the govern
ment."
Award of Scholarships.
The award of scholarships to the grad
yates next announced by DR.. w. S.
Montgomery, assistant superintendent OF
public schools in the District. These were
given to the graduates of the NJ Street High
School, as follows -
John B. Hunter has been, granted a
scholarship by Amherst College.
Ia T. hoe