The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-11-02


still be may impossible for as to
do the work which needs to be done
TOR the colored people Of Kentucky.
The same spirit which made this
law may make other laws, and more
than that, it can intimidate the indi-
vidual colored families throughout
the State and prevent their children
from attending Berea. And in ad-
dition to this we are confronted by
the fact that a natural race feeling
among the Negroes themselves IS
leading them to desire schools
which are wholly their own.
The question OF Berea's duty to
the colored people under these
conditions was a leading subject
for consideration at the annual
meeting OF the Trustees, and
Berea's supporters will be interest
ed to know the steps which were
there taken. First, it was voted TO
continue our oversight and assist
ance to colored students formerly
at Berea. We will pay their rail-
road fare and otherwise guarantee
them against financial loss by
reason OF their exclusion from
Berea, and follow them with our
advice and aid. In this way we
cared for about sixty students last
year at seven different institutions,
five of them completing courses OF
study.
Secondly, the President was au-
thorized to select twenty promising
young colored people who have
never been students at Berea and
assist them IN securing industrial
and literary education at reputable
schools outside the State, extend
ing financial aid to the amount Of
one hundred dollars in each case.
This number has been somewhat
extended and a very promising
group of young colored persons is
thus started on the way to educa-
ton and usefulness. They are all
young people who have made some
ecord for successful scholarship
already and shown the qualities OF
leadership which are emphasized
by Cecil Rhodes. Moreover they
are young persons who belong in
Kentucky and expect to return
here for their life work. The pro-
gressive ideas and ideals which they
will bring from Fisk, Hampton,
Oberlin and other schools north
and south will be a reinforcement
to the moral and intellectual inhu-
ences among the colored people Of
Kentucky.
And third, the Trustees appoint
ed a committee consisting OF Pres
ident Frost, Rev. A. +. Thomson
of Berea. Or. Bond OF Nashville
and MIR. ]. r. Rogers OF Brooklyn,
n. y, to consider the whole ques-
ton of the desirability OF Berea's
establishing a school especially for
the benefit of the colored people.
This committee is already at work.
Every considerate person must
realize that the claim of the Negro
upon his fellow-citizen for assist
ance in getting a start in the up
ward road is a most valid one.
Slavery taught him some forms of
Industry and some elements of the
Christian religion, but it robbed
him of the power of self-control
and the incentives of family life. In
some ways the slave OF the fourth
generation was farther from Chris
tan manhood and womanhood
than the savage on the Guinea
coast. He had distinct faults bred
OF slavery which can only be efaced
by education, experience and time.
And the special claim which the
Negro has upon Berea College is
one never to be forgotten. During
the war and the reconstruction
period the need of the Negro was
the first thought among Berea's
supporters, and the properties then
accumulated were given largely fer
the benefit Of the colored race. A
somewhat smaller proportion of
more recent gifts to the College
has come definitely for its work for
the colored people. AS faithful
trustees we must use a due proper
ton of these properties for the ben
eft of the colored race as long as
the need continues.
And the present need of the col
ored people of Kentucky is great.
They constitute not quite one
seventh of the population of the
State. Now that Berea is closed
to them there is not single school
of large repute existing for their
benefit in the commonwealth. Be
] roo boc othar dt,fiac Of high cignif Il