Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-19
AN HEROIC GIRLS WORK
INTERESTING ADDRESS BY
FOUNDER OF SCHOOL FOR BLACKS

The story OF the progress of the INDUS
trial School for Colored Youth at Manassas,
Va, and the work of the Washington-Ma-
nassas Industrial Association was told yes
serday afternoon at the residence OF Rev.
DIR. Edward Everett Hale, 174S n street
northwest. by Miss Jennie Dean. the fours&A
er of the school The meeting was pre-
sided over by Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey,
president OF the Washington Manassas In
dustrial Association, who stated that the
association had for its one object the rails
ing of funds for the industrial school at
Manassas, Va, and that the members hoped
to gain new members at each of the meet
ings to be held in the city.
I'VE are unique in one thing" said Mrs.
Mussey, land that is that we have no
Office rent or salaries to pay" Mrs. Mussey,
then introduced Dr. Hale. who said he had
invited the guests so that they might have
an opportunity of learning more of the
work that is being done at Manassas.
Interest in the School.
Continuing he said: Il look upon the
school with more than ordinary interest.
In fact. l have more interest in it than in
any other. Recently / have received a
letter from Mr.. Willard, the president of
the school directory, who resides in New
York. and, according to his statements, he
is much pleased with the way the work at
the IHstllutlOH Is progressing. we tell
every one what we have and what pro-
pose to get. The pupils of this institution
are glad to work for their own support and
1t is a pleasure to give to those who are
willing to help themselves. Il wish there
were hundreds of just such schools as that
at Manassas scattered over the states. In
the teaching to be done you have to have
a thoroughly practical school. You must
know that Manassas has one. l know that
you will be glad to hear Miss Dean tell of
her work at the school of which she is the
founder. She does not wear ribbons
medals. but she is doing a great work at
the Schools.
Miss Deans Address.
Miss Dean said in part: Il learned some
time ago that ribbons and badges do not
amount to much. but / have always re-
taned pin which DR.. Hale gave me when
/ first him while l was conducting my
work In Boston some years ago Perhaps
there are some here who may never have
heard of the work. There are others who
have, so they will have again to listen to
recital of what is being done at the present
time. / do not think have ever told that
the first money received for the work in
the Bull Run district was 3 cents 1t came
from little girl after I had been talking
about what could be done at the proposed
school. At first ! did not know what l
would do with the money, but at last / de-
cided to buy Moody and Sankey hymn
book. Then | went back to Manassas and
opened what some would call a Sunday
districts surrounding Bull Run. Later we
started three chapels. and at the present
time we have about 800 young people in
the Bull Run district who are engaged In
church work. They meet every Sunday,
and the district is divided into unions. In
August have two days set apart for
general meeting, when all come together.
We a whole year raising 500 in this
branch of the work.
THE branch is sixteen years old and the
members are most enthusiastic. While the
I'll pa1
and general worker. Many wonder how
We handle these black people. My father
was his masters butler and my mother
was a maid. She trained and could
cut out and plan cloth suit with a tailor's
ease. | was with the family and / proited
Take those who were always at work in the
fields and little of the master and the
household. they could not improve as fast
as the ones who mingled with the house
hold When ! realized the work that was
to be done for the people of the Bull Run
district knew that the best thing was to
start school Then / got the mothers
and fathers together and talked to them
and later taught the girls to sew and cook
and 10 do many other useful things At
night l taght the boys
1000 of School Age.
Some time ago compiler of statistics
told me that in our district there are 23972
colored people and that over II 900 are of a
school age. To help these people properly
we must have school in the Bull Run
district that is up TO the standard The
girls must be taught about household work
and the home and the boys the duties tina:
they should know. We want them all to
have a common English schooling 90 that
they may be enabled to procure good
wages. Little did | realize then that those
five surrounding counties would soon de-
pend upon Manassas for colored public
school teachers. but that is Just what they
doing at the present time I bav In