The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-02-15
PAID A VISIT
TO PRESIDENT
At WHITE HOUSE

Washington. Feb. 15.-The students OF
the Manassas Industrial school. a negro
institution in Virginia, were received by
President Roosevelt yesterday. They
were accompanied by DR.. Edward Everett
Hale and Booker II. Washington, tho
negro educator. The president made tho
following address to the students in the
east room
"Mr. Hale Ladies and Gentlemen-It Is
peculiar pleasure to me to greet you
today; and no body OF our fellow citizens
can have greater claim to being re-
ceved at the White House than a body
like this. which stands for the funda-
mental duty OF American citizenship, the
duty OF self f-education. l am, OF course,
as We all must be, peculiarly interested
In the kind OF development OF which, am
glad 10 say. / think we can accept this
school as typical not as exceptional, but
as typical.
There are a great many very. very
excellent charitable people I'm the country,
but some OF them tend 10 forget at times
that the only charity that does permanent
good is that kind OF charity that Is not
charity at all, that teaches someone how
TO help himself or herself
our citizens OF no matter what color, can
be permanently benefited is by teaching
them TO pull their own weight, to do their
duty 10 their neighbors, their duty 10
the state at large. / have felt about the
schools OF which this Is a type, just for
instance as / feel about Mr.. Washingtons
school at Tuskegee. that one OF the rea-
sons they are so good is that they
should try 10 develop Just as many for
the white people as for the colored people.
THE white man needs just as much
as the colored man 10 learn that for
the average man the education that fits
him to do work in life Is industrial. Other
things shall be added to IL or ought 10
be added TO II, but that must remain as
the basis.
"Of course. Miss Dean the good that
comes with any such school as this is in
creased tenfold when the school Is found
ed as you founded this and as Mr. Wash
ington founded Tuskegee, by a colored
man or colored woman, to help the coll
-ored boys and colored girls OF today TO
make the best type OF self respecting.
self supporting American citizen OF the
future
II esteem Il an honor to welcome you
here this afternoon. and II is a very fitting
thing that you should be introduced by
the American citizen whom every good
american uellRntS 10 nOnO-tteN, EuNafu
Everett Hale" The students sang a
number Of songs and the president spoke
again as follows:
THE other day a great French literary
man, who was peculiarly interested In
popular songs, in the music developed
by the different peoples OF the Old World.
came here and he happened to inciden-
tally mention TO me that as far as he
could see. there were but two chances for
the development of schools Of American
music, OF American singing. and these
would come. one from the coored people
and one from the vanishing Indian folk,
especially those Of the southwest.
II want all OF you to realize the inn
portance and dignity Of your musical
work OF the development OF music and
song among your students. l feel that
there Is a very strong chance that grad
ually, out OF the capacity for melody that
your race has. we shall develop some
school Of American music. II is going to
come through you originally"