Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1905-11-01
The Presidents Address.

ever.
The President Address.
10 the waite population as we'll as
10 the black, it is of the utmost i'm
portancc that the negro be encour-
aged to make himself citizen of the
highest type of usefulness. 1t is to
the interest OF the white people that
tins policy be conscienttiously pusued,
and 20 the interest Of The colored peo
pie that they clearly realize that thew
nave opportunities for economic de-
Ve!opmen here In the South not now
offered elsewhere Within the last
twenty years the industria! operations
OF the South have increased so tre-
mendously hat there is scarcity of
labor almost everywhere; so that it
is the part of wisdom for all who wish
the prosperity of the South to help
the negro to become in the highest
degree useful to himself, and there
fore to the community in which he
lives. The South has always depend.
ed, and now depends, chiefly upon her
native population for her work.
Therefore Iii view Of the scarcity not
only of common labor. but IF skilled
labor, ii becomes doubly important TO
train every available man to be of the
utmost use, by developing his intelli-
"ence, his skill and his capacity for
conscientious effort. Hence the work
of Tuskcc@cc Normal and Industrial
Institute is matter of the highest
practical Importance to both The white
and the black man, and well worth the
support of both races alike in The
South and III the North. Your fifteen
hundred students are not Only being
educated liz the head and heart. but
also trained to industrial efficiency:
for from the beginning Tuskecgee
has placed especial emphasis upon
the training of men and women in
agriculture, mechanics and house
hold duties. Training in these three
Fundamental! directions does not en-
brace nj that the negro or any other
race needs, but it does cover in very
large degree the field in which the
negro can ut present dc most for him
self and be most helpful TO his white
neighbors. Every black man who
leaves this institute better able to do
mechanical or industrial work, adds
by so much to the wealth Of the
whole community and benefits all peo-
pie III the community. The proies-
sional and mercantile avenues to sue
cess are overcrowded, for the present
the best chance of success awaits the
int liocnt worker at some mechanical
trade or on farm; for this man will
almost certainly achieve industrial in
dependence. j am pleased, but not in
the least surprised to learn that many
anon" the mem and women trai"ed Mt
Tuskecgee find immediate employment
as leaders and workers among their
own people, and that their services are
eagerly sought by white people for
various kinds of indusil ial work, the
demand being much greater than the
supply. Viewed from any angle, ig-
norancc is The costilest crop that can
be raised in any part of this Union
Every dollar PIT into the education of
either white man OF black man, In
head, in hand and in the heart, yields
rich dcvidcndS to the entire commun-
ty. Merely from the economic stand
point II is Of the utmost consequence
To NIL or citizens that institutions
such aS TuskRgce should be Il sue
cess. But th& are other and even
higher reasons that cntitle it to our
support, In the interest of humanity.
of Justice. and Of self protection, ev
cry white man in America. no matter
where he lives, should try to help .hc