Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1906-08-09
Booker 7. Washington
Addressed $500 People at Atlantic
Chautauqua Tuesday last.
Speech Interesting

BOokerT. Washington lectured be-
fore the Chautauqua at Atlantic Tues
day to thirty-five hundred people.
The speaker commenced his address
by saying that he and his mother
lived in one room hut down in old
Virginia, and the sweetest memories he
had of the old home We're when the
two tablespoonful of molasses that
they each were entitled to on Sabbath
mornings, were distributed. When
the boss would measure his portion out
to him he would increase the amount
by tipping his plate first to the right,
then to the left, then from him, then
toward him, spreading a layer all over
the plate which made it appear to be
more.
He remembered that one day all the
negroes were called to the masters house
and told they were free. His mother
and he then located i'll town near by,
and, as he grew, he began to work and
soon they were laying by some money.
1t seemed to him about this time that
if he could only get an education and
teach his race the way to live, it would
help solve the "color problem"
He heard ofan industrial school sew
eral miles away, and, having told his
mother his purpose, they both worked
to bring about the desired object of his
life. So one day he started out for that
school, to commence his life's work.
He rode OIL the train till his money
was nearly gone, then he would ride
with farmer if he could find one go
ing that way, and if not, he would
walk. He eventually arrived in the
town in which the school was located,
and, being without money and friends,
he strolled along till he saw hole in
the sidewalk. He crawled under the
walk and slept the first night. When
morning came, he saw captain of
ship and applied for work and was en-
|, gagged at fifty cents day which tenn
porarily supplied his wants. He work.
under the walk at night.
Finally applying at the school, he
was ordered to take his place in a line
with others for examination. The
! teacher put him to sweeping out room
, and after he had gone over it three
times, the teacher came in and ex-
pressed satisfaction with his work and
!! then put him at busting the room, and
after Booker had gone over it several
times, the teacher again came in, and,
, after close examination by running a
handkerchief over the benches, seats
and tables, the young man was passed
into the school.
After several years of hard study and
! work he graduated at the head of his
> class. Having formulated his plans
for the betterment of the condition of
his people, he went into the "black
i belt of Alabama where he found a
school and engaged to teach it for
= three months. At the end of that time
he had thirty scholars, and, finding the
] log schoolhouse too small for his in
creasing numbers, he got the use Of q
neighbours hen-house. When he asked
some of the big boys to help him clean
it out, he was asked if he wanted to dc
: it in the daytime.
70 Having put the two huts together
,, he finished up a short term in then
~ and still finding room inadequate ant
$ his people enthusiastic over his work
10 he resolved one day to make brick anC
put up building. So taking spad,
is on his shoulder he went to bank ant
u. after digging for some time, he found {
1t fine quality of brick clay. Interesting
II the boys in that line, he soon hat
moulds made and clay dug, and hav
ing enough on hand to commence thu
:. kiln, they soon had the arch bull
~ when down it went but he being de
L termined to make it a success, the,
nj started it second time and got alons
N nicely when down it went again ant
k with it all his money. And what t
III do he hardly knew but rememberin!
d that he had u watch in his pocket tina
ry had been given him, he resolved to sci
~ it. Accordingly he went to town AM
~ offered it for sale at Il second ham
store and was offered $l1.O0 for it.
surprised him so that he remember
u the incident to this day and is incline
Ne to take off his hat whenever he passes
be second hand store.
i'd He returned to the neighborhood, pu
In 5000 in another kiln and kept two do
i'd lars TO live on, this time he was success
Id full and from that beginning they no
~ gee and $500 acres of land. Their pro-
lrt endowment fund of $1,24G, 900 whic
lly brings their business value to 100000
with no mortgage. The students ha,
grown in numbers from 30 to 1886. The
oh are from thirty-seyen states and fro
~ seven foreign countries.
~ In Tuskagee College they have 1856 il
structors teaching all the trades of IL
ns white man and finishing up their stl
mt dents as they are finished in any COLES
On with the practical parts especially taugl
,th The school now has 5000 studen
his teaching who have graduated with hie
-he honors, and here Booker T. emphasize
wv the fact that not one student or gradua
~ ~ was ever found guilty of crime. III
ist scholars all learn trades and must gra
Try uate before they are allowed to teac
In Tuskagee they own their own tel
phone system and there are 230O blacl
to on the system. They have negro pos
,ck master; savings bank; and own the
,ch railroad one mile from the college.
,n, In the south there are 10 banks nc
~. owned by negroes and they also have
VII. druggists. In Alabama the per capt
at tax for children of school age is ST..
nd, while in Iowa last year it cost SIS p
IN ,,,;to rrhn enaolyo, IN ,,.l,;pr N