Evening star., 1909-04-27
GRADUATES ARE BUSY
Those Who Leave CoIored
Schools Far From Idle.
MAKE USE OF LEARNING
Colleges Keep Record Of Those They
Send Forth.
SHOWING OF FISK UNIVERSITY
Data of Other Educational Institu-
tions-Passing of Plantation
Preachers.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

committed suicide. He explained in a let
ter that he left after him that he had
been educated beyond his sphere. and
had thus been untitled for the station
In which he was born. In this confess
sion, according to the newspapers, he rep
resented that he was a graduate of Yale,
but the catalogue of the alumni Of that
university does not include the name
signed to his letter, and the newspaper
dispatches say that no one at New Haven
recollects such person.
Public sentiment among the native white
people of the south is almost universally
opposed to the higher education of the
negro. 1t Is willing to give him free
school for the elementary branches, sc
that he can read and write and cipher,
but those who claim to know the char
acter of the negro most thoroughly In
sist that he lacks the mental qualities
that are required to appreciate and make
use of any greater degree Of education
This is one reason why no southern man
ever contributes money to negro col
lege. This explains why all Of the edu-
cational institutions for colored people In
the south have been established and are
maintained by northern money: by the
Presbyterans, Methodists. Baptists and
other religious denominations Of the
north without the aid of the members OF
those denominations In the south: for
very seldom. If ever, is a collection taken
up in a white church in the south to aid
in the education of colored children.
Keep Record Of Graduates.
Nearly all of the colored colleges and
institutes for the higher education of col
ored people keep a record of their grad
yates, and know what they have done
and are doing through all the years since
they went out into the world. The regis
trar is usually able, according to my ex-
perence, by reference to an index book to
locate nearly all of the young men and
women who have been students, whether
they are graduates or not.
At the Tuskegee Institute. of which
Booker Washington is president, one
man, and he is a Wisconsin clergyman,
does nothing else but look after the grad
yates: he keeps in touch with them all
the time; he knows where they are and
how they are situated; he visits them as
often as he can: he corresponds with
them regularly, and when they change
their residences or address they notify
him. They apply to him for advice and
assistance, for certificates of character,
for recommendations and for assistance
in obtaining work or business position.
Several years ago l published the results
of his inquiries and statement showing
what occupation every graduate of Tus-
kegee is engaged in.
Showing Of Fisk University.
Dean Wright of Fisk University has
given me similar information concern
ing the graduates of that institution, who
are engaged in the following professions
and occupations:
Teachers, 206; physicians, 81 principals
public schools, 2S: music teachers, "a;
principals high schools, 70; government
clerks, 16; ciergymen, IJ; lawyers, 13;
merchants. II; professors in colleges. 8;
missionaries, Z; editors of papers, g.
principals training schools, 4; dressmak-
ers, 4; principals normal schools, ); den
fists, 3; undertakers, 2; president of col
leges, ,; bookkeepers. ,; real estate deal
ers, 2; manicurists, =; druggists, - prin-
cipal school for blind, L. dean of law de-
partment, l.; printer, 1; dean theological
seminary, /; grocer, 1; surveyor, /; engi-
neer, l; actor, | secretary Y. NJ. {. A.. 1;
settlement work, /; farmer, 1; salesman
l; private secretary, /; proof reader, 1,
stewardess, 1; president state w C. r.
u, 1.
Walden University Data.
/ The registrar of Walden University, the
Methodist institution for coIored people
| here. gives me the following Information
concerning the professions and occupa.
tions of the graduates of that institution
Teachers. 54; clergy 40; lawyers, 3S
schools, 8; professors in universities, 4
professors in medical colleges, B; bishops
in A. NJ. e. Church. 3; managers in pub
fishing house, 2; editor religious news
papers, 2; assistant secretaries to colleges
2, principals of academies, .; BARRIERS, =
government clerks, .; rnilliner, 1; presi
dent of college, !; secretary church league
1.
This does not include the graduates OF
Meharry Medical College in this city, o.
whom 4OS are now practicing physician.
or are keeping drug stores in Tennessee
or other southern states.
Nor do any of these statements include
the women graduates who have married
and are not engaged in any occupation
except in home keeping.
| AS you will notice, a great majority O.
the graduates Of both these institutions
are either preaching or teaching. Ever.
| man in the class Of 1902 in Walden Uni
! versity, eighteen In all, is now the pastor
| of Methodist church in this state, ant
| two of them are presiding elders. Ever,
| one of the twelve graduates in the class
| of 1903 Is pastor of Methodist church
| and one of them is presiding elder
| The same is true of other classes. more OF
| less. In the class of 1880 of Walden Uni
versity are two bishops of the African
| Methodist Church.
Slater Educational Fund.
The trustees of the Slater educationa
fund, which is devoted TO promoting IN
dustrial and agricultural education amons
| the colored race in the south, have KEEP
record of the graduates of the school:
| assisted by them, and the following is {
| list of the occupations in which they art
1 engaged in the state of Alabama alone
1 | have not been able to obtain the rec
| ord for other states: Teachers. 1875; house
| keepers. 191: carpenters, g.; farmers
| 80; dreSsmakers, 81; brickmaSonS, II
| porters (store), 81: blacksmiths, 81; wash
| erwomen, 81, painters. %; seamstresSes
! %; porters (railroadC, 21; students IL
| other schools, n; cooks, II; clerks (rail
| way mail service). Il: walters (hoteD, IL
| milliners, IL: firemen, IL; janitors, IL
doctors, y: shoemakers. 8; nurses (sick), 8
buffers, s.; ministers. 8: tailors, 8; clerk!
post office, 4. clerks tstoreb, Z; garden
| ers, Z; machinists, ); bookkeepers. 4
| bakers, 4; teamsters. 4; carpet layers. 3
| druggists, ): bartenders, =, merchants
2: electricians, =; harnessmakers =; in
surance agents, =; dentists, >: undertake
| ers, l.
| Educated at Hampton.
| A record of 1919 graduates and forme
students of Hampton Institute has beel
kept, and of whom 1903 are negroes ant
$50 are Indians, and the following tabl,
shows their occupations:
Engaged in educational work, 20OO
farmers and tradesmen. 1.753: clerica
work, 800; doctors, lawyers and minis
ters. 80: laborers and servants, $40
/ III. -.