New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-21
WORK AT HAMPTON.
1t Is Helping to Solre The So-Called
NEGRO Problem"
lE,rom speeIal corresnondent Q, - TrLbunel ;

Negro PrOOlcm.
Hampton. Va. April 1S.-The first thing which
strikes a visitor TO Hampton Institute. the old
est normal Industrial institute for negroes and
Indians in this country is the quietly self-re-
liant bearing Of the students. Much has been
said and written about the valuable work
Hampton is doing for the two races, hut no
more conclusive proof OF this can be found than
the visible transformation OF the habitualiy
shiftless and slovenly young negroes into the
neat erect and unpresumng boys and girls.
Hampton believes that much good can be &C
complished through coeducation. or the total
enrolment Of about 300 students 800 Of whom
are boarders. about half are girls. In the din
ing room the presence of the girls at each table
makes the boys more careful IN their manner.
while the large corps OF teachers from such
women's colleges Smith Wellesley and the
Teachers College exert a beneficial influence
over both the boys and girls.
After leaving Hampton the girls usually start
schools IN their home communities. Most 90
them marry and, according 10 the authorities
Hampton IL not infrequentiy occurs that
their husbands Hampton graduates also.
Some Southern people supposed to object
to giving the negro any advanced education. on
the ground that he IS not prepared for Il and
II makes him uuflt TOT any feSliS pidSNANha WI n
Such fault cannot he found with tho course at
Hampton and statistics show that the grad
yates. with scarcely an exception, live up 10 the
training they have received. Every student has
to take a course in either agriculture or one of
the mechanical arts. Labor Is held before HIM
as the only means OF making himself cconom-
cally Independent and allowing him to develop
himself along other lines
II was once tradition that no student should
he allowed 70 look into "A book until he had been
AT Hampton fully three months. in order that
no might not minimize in his own mind the Inn
portance Of hard manual work Experience has
shown. however. that most Of the students do
hetter work in the shops and out in the fields Of
the schools after hey have had somo train
-, =, tho classroom II is only natural that those
Who take UP printing should be required 10 fin
,sb two wears Of academic study before enter
ing the printing shop. But in no case is tho
,.,tal inheritance of the economic usefulness Of
a trade lost sight Of.
one Of the professors who was showing
party of Visitors around the grounds Of the in
stitute was asked il any of the students were
affected with the spirit that they knew every
thing worth knowing.
"Oh. yes he said but it is n large part OF
our work 10 impress upon their minds how very
little they really do know.
The latest DuiullS NHlCu mas Deen put up on
the institute grounds is a large and up-to- date
stable. This built entirely by the students.
and contains stalls for fifty cattle. about as
many horses and all the wagons, carriages and
farm utensils used the grounds II Is an
interesting sight To how spick and span
everything connected with the stable is kept and
how proud the students who work in it are OF
their work.
Nothing speaks better for the Hampton boys
than the way they their excellent library
Naturally, great care IS taken i'm the books the
students are encouraged TO read but even when
left 20 their own resources it has been found
that their choice is usually of the best literature
The library contains 1900 volumes and is In
| charge of one OF the best librarians in the South
The most valuable books II contains are what Is
probably the most complete collection of works
/ on and about the Negro in existence. This col
| lection has only recently been given TO the in
sttute and occupies special room in the IL
| brary building.
| But despite the excellent equipment Hampton
now has, its needs are manifold and each year
| brings demands for larger resources. Last year
| 1000 negroes applied for admission. Of these
| there room for only two hundred OF
| course Hampton is able in this way to draw it's
| students from the pick of the race and yet it's
| influence might be widened two and even three
| fold had II larger buildings and means for a
larger staff OF teachers. Nothing could have
more influence in solving the sO-called negro
problem" than increase of the members OF
race WHO dement, Dy the training Hampton
| affords. 1t is sometimes forgotten that the
other negro schools in the South founded
| by graduates OF Hampton. Booker r. Wash
ingtOn. the founder of Tuskegee of which so
| much Is heard. received his education and in
SEPARATION at Hampton.
| In the coming summer opportunitv IN visit
Hampton VIII be given to large numbers of per
sons by the jamestown exposition. Every one
must know BY this time that the exposition is
not TO be held at jamestown, despite its name
| and the historic event which il celebrates but
AT more accessible spot Hampton Roads
oh,
| Norfolk and Just across from Hampton Insti-
tute. The officers OF the institute have extend
ed cordial Invitation To all those who visit the
exposition to cross the roads and inspect their
school. II Is intended To run boats direct from
the exposition grounds 10 the school wharf, in
order that the excursion may not consume
unnecessary time The school will be in regular
session until June and after October J. but in
| the Tour summer months many Of the depart
| ments Wlll be open. with classes in operation