Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-25
ASKS CHANCE FOR NEGRO
DIR. THIRKIELD WOULD OPEN
DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY.
Believes in Education, Distinguished
From Special Capacity Inherited
by Generations of Civilization.

DR.. w. P. Thirkield, president of How
ard University. made an address before
the Bethel Literary and Historical Asso
citation in the Metropolitan A. NJ. f
Church last night on the subject why
the Negro Should Have Higher Educa
ton
President Thirkield said, in part:
1.-The fundamental question is. why ed
ucate the negro at ALP Because he is q
man. The g.st Of Herbert Spencer
epochal book is that education is teaching
a man how to live completely. So educa
ton. then. is not impracticable idealism
a thing up In the air. 1t is someth ne
human and real and practical for the
best life of man.
Emerson is right: Man is an indigo
nous plant. and grows like the palm. from
within outward; his education, his life
are his unfolding IL God is the autho,
and maker of man. it certainly must be
the natural thing the Christian thing. tc
draw forth, to help unfold all that is
highest and most august in every man
physical. intellectual. moral And this
evolution of the man, this making ready
of the whole man for his best life in how
ever lowly sphere. is what we mean by
the higher education.
The negro is a man. Therefore. edu-
cate him as a man. Do not force educa-
ton upon him. Do not veneer him. Sim
ply open the door to highest opportunity
in the intellectual life. Let him have a
mans chance.
THE capacity of the exceptional negro
for higher education has been settled. We
l,ox Iaoy h0u To 6ictt inc, iSt, no.
tween the intellectual capacity with which
God has endowed all races and the intel
lectual and moral equipment of race
which is the outcome of civilization an6
environment The last education is the
overeducation of the negro. We have
real education is a task of generations.
ION the higher education the very ex
istence of any education depends. The
elementary schools of the south have done
an unparalleled work since emancipation
But that work would have been an impOS
sibility had 1T not been for the teachers
trained in the higher institutions, estab
lished and sustained by Christian benevo
lence.
"In the interest of pure industrialsn
for the negro, this higher training is &
necessity. For his leaders and teachers
in the industries. the discipline of minC
and spirit is imperative. To train the me-
chanics OF race of nine millions is ar
endless task. But 1t Is possible to train
the master mechanics. who may go forth
with thoroughly disciplined minds as the
teachers of mechanics and as the organic
ers and insprers of their people on higher
industrial lines.
LAS a result of personal observation.
over a score of years largely spent in
the south. would affirm that the sanest
and safest leaders and helpers of the
negro race are the men and women who
have come from the colleges and profess
sonal schools. Go into any southern
city where these teachers. preachers and
physicians are engaged in work among
their people. and you will find them. in
most instances. by their conservative at
titude and constructive work. standing
for the best interests of both races.
Furthermore, the awful mortality of
the race calls loudly for physicians pre-
pared by the higher training for the most
careful study of the diseases peculiar to
the negro Physicians who come in close
touch with their own people are needed
for the investigation of their environment
and physical condition. and for the appli-
cation of preventives for the lessening Of
disease and for stopping the frightful
mortality that decimates the race"