Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-04
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTHLAND
RESULTS OF DR.. WASHINGTON'S
TOUR OF VIRGINIA.
Means of Strengthening the Bonds
of Friendly Relations Between
the Races Pointed Out

That the educated negro Of today has
no thought Of social equality, but is
simply striving for the salvation Of his
race by education in the broadcast sense
Of the word, was the theme Of DIR.
Booker L. Washington in number of
addresses delivered by him during
recent trip through southern Virginia
and West Virginia. In language as
forceful as it was plain. DIR. Wash
ington pointed out to the people of
the southern Nirginias conditions as
they have existed in the southland be-
tween the white and negro races and AS
they exist today, and he suggested rs
the chief means for strengthening the
bonds OF friendly relations between the
two peoples safe, sane and marketable
education for all.
The trip over the Virginia railway.
which has opened up Il new country, ex-
tending from Norfolk to Deepwater, ".
Va. was made at the request of the
late III. Fl. Rogers, founder and presi-
dent of the road. who has been a quiet
and generous contributor to southern
education for many years.
DIR. Washington was asked to in
vestigate conditions among the negroes
along the line of the railway, and, as
far as possible, to get together the peo-
pie of both races and speak to them
along the lines of industry, thrift and
morality, and to urge them to educate
their children in such practical way
would tend to make them more use
ful In the development of this new
country. The confidence in the judg-
ment Of DR.. Washington by the peo-
pie of both races led him to lay down
many principles for cementing friendly
relations between the races that they
might be mutually helpful.
The death of Mr.. Rogers made no
change in the execution of his plan. and
the tour was begun with IA large mass
meeting of both races in the Academy
of Music at Newport News last Sunday
afternoon. Sunday night the citizens
of the town of Hampton and the teach
ers attending the Summer Normal
School at Hampton Institute were ad-
dressed. Hampton Institute is the
school from which DIR. Washing, ION was
graduated.
At Suffolk a cordial reception was given
the party. which was made up OF prom
inent clergymeD, educators and business
men of Virginia The same night, in
Norfolk, an audience which taxed the ca
pacity of the CRANKY Theater gathered
to hear him.
Inc party llen went INTO an entirely
new country. Stops We're made at Bur
dett. Sebrell Jarratt and Purdy, where
crowds varying from 400 TO 600 had gath
cred. DIR. Washington spoke from the
observation PLATFORM of his private car.
At Dolphin the party left the train and
Lawrencevile Industrial School. Rear
platform addresses We're made at Al
berta tenbridge. Victoria, Meherrin,
Ward. Phoenix. Brookneal and Altivista.
fnrt n 1pf -,
largest meetings of the trip was held.
night meeting in the schooIhouse grove
at Salem brought large crowd from
the surrounding country, and from Ro-
anoke, seven miles distant.
At Shelby. Pembroke, Slab Fork. Les
ter and Pearisburg large crowds gave the
party an enthusiastic reception.
From Yellow Sulphur Springs the party,
with mounted escort of fifty citizens,
drove eight miles to the towns of Cambria
and ChristianDurg, near which is located
the Christianburg Industrial Institute
whose principal, John III. Long. is
graduate of Tuskeeee. Gov. Hose Tyler
drove fifteen miles from his home at
Radford to speak at this meeting. 1t
was here DIR. Washington had just con-
cluded d statement that the southern
white man was not wholly to blame for
the institution of slavery. because his
northern brother first bought the slave
from his African captor and then sold
him to his southern brother, when a
white man interrupted with the inquiry,
would you say that up north:" With
out pausing a moment, DR.. Washington
replied, My friend, 1 have never made
speech in the north that l would not
make in the south l have never made
a speech to my own people which l
would not make to white people or in
any section of the country. ] never have
and ] never Will.
Throughout the trip Dr. Washington
laid emphasis on education getting. home
getting, money-saving. being relia BILE, be-
ing time. the driving out of criminal
and immoral classes, the avoidance of
intoxicants and the cultivation of friend
ly relations with ones neighbors
The details of the tour were in the
hands of Mai. R. r. Moten commandant
Hampton Institute, and the party in
cluded Archdeacon James S. Russell,