Evening star., 1909-02-19
Work as Well as Education.

The plan and purpose of Booker Wash
ington's school at Tuskegee, the great in
stitute at Hampton. Va, and several
other industrial schools for negroes in the
south. is to take young colored people off
the plantations, and train them to be
farmers. mechanics. teachers, tradesmen
and to follow other useful occupations,
and then send them back among their
families and neighbors for the uplift of
the race by practice and precept. These
institutions are largely supported by
charitable people in the north.
Mr.. Bensons plan is the reverse. His
idea is to assist the parents so they may
be able to establish and support schools
of their own for the benefit of their chill
dren. Booker Washington begins at the
| bottom, might be said, and William
Benson begins at the top.
Both have been remarkably successful,
although Mr.. Bensons field of labor has
| been limited compared with that of Mr..
Washington. His success is not known
except TO comparatively few people
whose attention has been drawn directly
| to 1t.
Mr. Kelsey, the New York banker has
| been one of the most liberal and loyal
supporters OF Mr.. Benson's business and
school enterprises He probably knows
| more about them than any other northern
man.
He said the other day:
Il consider Mr. Benson the finest speci-
men of his race I have ever met. There
is no question about the simplicity. dis
interestedness and strength of his char
acter or of the firmness of his spirit
He might have taken care of himself
and been prosperous. He has given up his
life to unselfSh work for the benefit of his
people. and in way that was not
planned to advertise himself or exploit
his enterprise.
"His theory Of keeping the negroes at
home away from the cities, and helping
them to do honest, commonplace, every
day work is sound. He has shown such
ability and his industrial undertaking is
now so we'll established that I am con-
vinced that it will accomplish perhaps
the most valuable demonstration that is
| now in prospect Of the best way to han
die the problem at the south.
He is transforming his community 1t
looks now as if his enterprise would be
so successful financially that he can draw
there many more families and turn them
into useful and prosperous citizens.
Business Idea Defended.
Il have thought good deal about this
problem continued Mr. Kelsey. II have
| watched Mr.. Benson and his work care
fully l know that he has been criticised
for mixing business with his school en-
terprises.
Il do not hesitate TO say that his plan
is much sounder than that of those who
criticse it. l do not hesitate to say tina;
Of the two the industrial company !:
| much the more important and Is haviI
results bearing much more directly on |.
problem than the school. II is certain,
saving a generation in accom- plishing re-
suits.
The school takes the children and
| leaves the parents to their fate When
| the school gets through with the children
the great question is what to do with them.
Benson's plan is to put the parents on
their feet. give them good homes. profit
able employment and prosperity, and he
not only takes care of them, but makes
opportunities for the children as fast
they get out of the school.
"The work is there at their hands. They
step right into it. They do not have to
float off from the home to find footing
To my mind. 1t is important to carry this
demonstration to its conclusion.
''1f hundreds OF these communities could
be planted through the south, they would
| work its regeneration among the color
ed people many years earlier than it can
be worked through the schools alone. |
realize that the great question would be
the finding of competent colored men to
run such enterprises, but | am sure that
d few can be found.
Certainly Benson has been found al
ready. He has shown great sagacity in
securing his land before it went up in
price. and the persistence In rallying the
help that was required to support bis
work and good business ability in its
George Burnham. jr.. of Philadelphia:
Oswald Garrison Willard and myself of
New York, as directors of the company
are helping him all We can We believe
in him and his work thoroughly and do
not hesitate to indorse both and commend
them to the thoughtful consideration and
support of all who are interested in the
colored problem iE the south.
Organized Seven Years Ago
The Dixie Industrial Company was
organized about 1901 by William E. Ben
son. He was then the active head of an
industrial school at Kowaliga. Ala. He
came north to see friends interested in
he school and urged them the i'm
portance of cooperating to acquire the
land surrounding the school. establishing
industries on it and allotting small farms
out of it to give occupation to the color
ed families living in the vicinity
at is his idea that it is just as i'm
portant to take care of them and give
them chance to give their children
a chance. and that in the end, if the
company could be made extensive enough
and successful enough. it would solve
the school problem by making the fami-
| lies of the neighborhood self-supporting
and able to pay for the schooling OF their
| own children.
Mr.. Benson urged strongly that the
system of multiplying schools and de-
pending upon charitable contributions for
their support would ultimately break