The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1907-10-01

other institutions will be raised
and thus we will be making
contribution generally to highe
! education.
But not on the academic sid,
only should we place emphasis
this institution was chartered
not only as a College, but an In
dustrial Institute as well.
The opportunity should be af.
/ forded here for a young woman
to take any industrial art that
would prepare her to make her
bread or to adorn a home. This
is practical age, and the siren
uous life is not limited to men
alone; many of our tender born
girls, because of adverse circum-
stances, have to take their places
in the ranks of those who must
work to sustain themselves, and
Oftimes to contribute to the sup
port of those dependent upon
them, 1t is the duty of the
state to furnish the means, and
the solemn obligation of this
school to intelligently use the
means so appropriated by the
state as will give this class of
our worthy girls the very best
possible preparation necessary
to excel in all those lines Of
work that are recognized in this
state as being suitable for women
to pursue The industrial arts
should be taught, not only with
the idea of fitting women for
business, but every woman
should be taught those arts
which will make her a home
builder, hence the wisdom of
requiring every girl who crosses
the threshold of this College to
take some industrial art.
Probably the greatest contri-
button this College has made to
the state has been through the
thousands of young women, who,
with their superior scholarship,
high ideals and exalted inspira-
ton. have gone out as the teach
er Of the children of the state.
Not only have those children,
who have been so fortunate as
to be under TIE tuition of the
teachers sent out from this in
stitutiOn received better instruc-
ton than they would otherwise
have done, but every child in
the state has been blessed be-
cause of the higher educational
standard that these teachers
have erected. On this question
| can speak with authority. How |
much power would have been |
lost to the educational opportun=E
tiles of the thousands of our
white children, if this College
lad remained only dream in
the minds of the noble women, |
who first thought, wrote and |
worked for it's realization.
The one thing that can be ac- I
complished by human agencies
above all else that the state of |
Mississippi needs, is better
schools. Education is the great
Twentieth Century force. To be |
prepared for the complex life |
into which he is born is the |
birthright of every child; to be |
out of joint with the times in
which he lives is slavery.
The original charter of the
Industrial Institute and College
provided that among the pur-
poses Of the institution was to
offer opportunity for the train
ing of the young women of the
state in normal methods and
kindergarten work. For the |
last several years some very eff |
ficient work has been done in |
this department, but because Of |
the lack of funds, the necessary
teaching force could not be pro-
vided. The board of trustees.
on the recommendation of my
distinguished predecessor, has
provided more ample support
for this department, and it af-
fords me pleasure to state that
the session just now opening
will begin with a normal depart
ment, segregated and well equip
ped. This is our broadest field;