The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-07-29

1oScOe SOuklnB Bruce, the able AS
sistant Superintendent Of the public
schools OF Washington, Is sustaining
himself we'll in the contention touch
Ing his attitude on the education that
should be given to colored students.
In the refutation Of the charge made
by certain critics that he has been
using mis- influence In favor of the
technical high school over the class
1cal high school---that he favored in
dustrial training at the expense OF
higher education-Mr. Bruce makes
the following clear and comprehens-
I've statement Of his position on the
matter.
t"fHThe. Negro peasant Ia wholly I'M
prepared for the complications, the
city, llfe," says Mr.. Bruce, "and little
or: no provision is made to train him
In the arts or industries by which he
might sustain himself. Memphis,
Atlanta, Washington, New Orleans,
Louisville. Baltimore, st. Louis,
Philadelphia and New York, nine
cities in which the Negro population
varies from per cent. of the total,
In New York to 40 per cent In Mem
phts, and from $4,000 in st. Louis
to $1,000 In Washington contains a
total black population of over half
million souls, and in not one of
these cities does. there exist a trade
school for Negroes. even remotely
comparable to the Baron de Hirsch
school In New York City for immi-
grant jews.
at Is certainly to the interest Of
thasa cities to place within the reach
of,their Negro: population, not only.
the usual facilities for good grammar
schools and good high schools, but
ALTO adequate training directly for
economic Independence"
In this connection Mr.. Bruce cites
his own words in the admirable 'aaES
dress delivered. at Convention Halt
at. the EeeSfe W INT 20 % IA ensaEaantaof<
the Nth Faad normal ,bch9ufa of this
city;$ inytheI haaring OF President Taft
in which he said.
Now, no words are -needfuI to en-
force the proposition that great bod
les of: teachers, preachers, physicians,
lawyers, engineers and business men
of really liberal education and" gen.
timely technical training are at once
Indispensable to the progressive we'll
being: OF the Negro people In America
and vital to the security to the Amer
lean institutions. OF these profess
ions that Of the business man and
that, Of the engineer are today not
provided for by any Of the separate
schools for Negroes throughout the
land. To schools, then, like the In
stitute Of Technology In Boston, or
the Harvard Graduate School Of
Business Administration it, Is hoped
some or our young men will 60"
1t will be observed that Mr.. Bruce.
is deep student of the intellectual
and economic needs Of the Negro
people and that he takes high ground
as to the relation that the classical
and the industrial school shall bear
to the training OF the host OF young
colored men and women who are to
go out year by year to solve the
problem of life. In these few words
Washsngton's assistant superintend-
ent furnishes text from which
fruitful discussions may flow among
our people In every section Of the
country.
The daily newspapers of Wash
ington. were ringing with praise last
Monday evening, July 10, over Mr..
J. A. Langford's heroic rescue of his
wife and child from his burning
home early last Monday morning.
The Washington Times had the head
lines. "Coolheaded husband saves
wife and child" and the Evening
Star had the headlines, Husband
rescues wife and child" And Archi-
tect Langford:. has again, demon
strated, as he has always done, that
he is man who can "do things
and rise to meet a great emergency
1t Is worthy Of note that Mr.. Lang
ford's splendid exhibition Of hero
ism has attracted widespread atten-
ton among the leaders Of national
thought and 1t is said that an effort
will be made to have Carnegie
hero medal awarded him in recog-
milton of his bravery in thus saw
ing two lives under the most dan
gerous circumstances.
The facts are these: About three
o'clock. last Monday morning, Mr..
LaDsford was awakened by the
smoke that was entering his room
and by the sound OF cracking tim
Der. He Jumped out of his bed and
went to the front and rear stairways
but walls of dame blocked his path,
He discovered that the lower hall
and staiTways were developed Id
flames and that the fire under the
stairway cut OH the only means OF
escape. Butt despite the danger