Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-30
\V(IfI-.
Copyright. 1907, by Frank G. Carpenter.)
tpecial Correspondence of The Star


KHARTUM.
Away up the Nile valley so far from
he Mediterranean that it takes four days
y steamship and railroad to reach 1t,
within almost a stones throw of where
Fhole tribes are going naked and near
he site of what not long since was one
the slave centers of Africa. the Eng
tsh have built up school which is turn
hg out native teachers and judges, gov
rnment clerks and bookkeepers, me-
names of all sorts. and within certain
limits civil engineers. 1t has already
rected several acres of college buildings
md 1t has large dormitories, well equip
ed class rooms. a library, a museum,
md also one OF the most remarkable re-
earch laboratories OF the world.
/ refer to Gordon College. which was
bundled just after the battle of Omdur-
nan and named in honor of the great
teneral who was killed in sight of where
now stands The suggestion was that
Lord Kitchener, and the money was
Voluntarily contributed by the people o.
England. The amount raised was $780,,
90 and to this has b>en added the
nunificent gift of Mr.. Henry s. Well
ome. an American. who has established
ne famous Wellcome laboratory as a
lart of this institution
II was through a note OF Introduction
rom Sir Francis Reginald Wingate. the
governor general OF the Sudan, to DR..
faines Currie, the president of the col
ssc, that / was taken through it and
wen an insight into its workings and
Possibilities: The institution stands on
he banks of the Blua Nile at the south
Tn end of Khartum, between the British
barracks and the palace OF the sirdar. 1t
handsome structure of dark red brick
u Moorish architecture, running around
SIDES n 10
.acIng the river. At the back are beau
hful gardens and at the rear of them a
tort of experimental plantation where Dr.
surrie is testing whether tea and certain
sther shrubs can be successfully grown.
The college building is of TWO stories
With tower over the center. About the
inside run wide corridors or galleries
which are separated from the gardens by
sreat columns: forming cloisters up and
Gown which the long gowned turbanned
students walk between tn cir hours Of
recitation and study. In the wing at the
eft Of the entrance are the laboratories,
museum and libraries. and in the front
md in the wing at the right are the many
:lassrooms which were filled with
rudents during my stay.
A College of Africans.
After chatting for time with DR.. Cur.
he about the college We took a walk
through IT. visiting the various rooms 1t
has now something over 300 students.
ranging in age from ten to eighteen or
Ter- The students come from all parts
# the Sudan and they are of all colors,
rom faces as white as our own to the
leepest and shinest of stove black Many
If them have their faces scared with
sashes and scars. denoting the tribe to
which they belong, and could we read the
marks We should find that their homes
ire located in all parts of the regions
1Nv- tln.s
Rw some who came from the province of
he Bahr ell GhaZal, away up on the
hge of the Congo Free State. Others
we're from villages in Fashoda. near the
liver Sobat- and others from the borders
II Abyssinia and from the regions along
he Red sea. There were quite a number
Who are the sons of the richer chiefs of
sordofan and Dar-Fur. and not few
rom Dongola and Berber. Some of the
loys were dressed in the fez caps and
rhite turbans and long robes of the peo-
BE of central Africa Among them were
fo2tic and Mohammedan Egyptians, some
ew Bedouins and here and there negro
Many of the students have features like
Nrs. Their noses are straight, their lips
hin and their hair not kinky. although
they are black. Such boys are not
negroes. They are the descendants of
PEOPLE from Arabia. and their ancestors
lad reached a high degree Of civilization
schools and universities were noted over
he world.
The college here is divided into three
departments. The first is for the sons of
,heiks and is devoted to the training of
teachers for the Mohammedan schools
and OF judges and other officials for the
Aohammedan courts. The British are
governing the Sudan as far as possible
through the natives. They respect the
native religions and the native language,
ha in art
81 the college Is altogether in Arabic. The
students are taught the Koran and the
koranic law: they write all their exer-
cises in Arabic, take dictation in Arabic
and are we'll founded in the Mohammedan
religion and especially as it bears upon
the government of the people They are
ine-looking fellows, dressed almost uni
formly in turbans and gowns. and they
have the aristocratic be airing which shows
them to be the sons of chiefs.
After Government Jobs.
The second department Of the college is
Oiled by those who hope to get minor ap-
pointments under the government or by
general education to fit themselves for
business and private citizenship. In this
department both English and Arabic are
taught. Many Of the boys are young. In
one classroom 1 found a score OF brown
and black-taced pupils learning to write
English and none of them was over
twelve years OF age. The most OF the
boys wore fez caps and black gowns
They stood up as 1 entered in company
with the president of the college, and
then. rose to their feet again. as we left
In this college surveying is taught.
was shown some excellent mechanical
drawings, and some plans worked up
from field notes. These were. of course
In the higher classes. The education is
thorough. and a boy can get a training
that will fit him for almost any branch
Of life or for any profession which can be
carried on In the Sudan.
/ was especially interested in the
manual training school. which is well
equipped with blacksmith and carpenter
shops I found score or so of young
Arabs making various things of wrought
iron. They were turning out fences
and ornamental iron gates. In the car