The Washington herald., 1909-03-07
PROGRESS OFTIE NEGRO
Leaders of the Race Educating Their People Indus
triaIy, and They Pay Taxes on $45O,OOOOOO

With the rolling around Of the Lin
coin centennial there inevitably comes
discussion Of his master stroke-the eman-
cipation OF the slaves. There is a de-
mand to know now stands the work Of
uplifting the negro, who fOrty-six years
ago was set free, without preparation
or experience. and soon after made a
full-fedged citizen.
hen Lincoln put his name 70 the
emancipation proclamation the negro did
not own the few rags CT clothing that
covered his back. To-day ne pays taxes
throughout the country On S1000900o0
worth OF land. In Georgia alone he owns
far above 100000 acres. He is entering
all lines Of business. setting Up house
for himself in many pursuits where Dis
elimination is strong against him. There
are scattered through the country sixty
three banks organized. chartered. and on
cered by the negro. and most OF them are
doing a fair share OF business. Those who
work in his ranks say that he is making
rapid progress along all essential lines
of development. learning self-resPect,
self-reIiance. and manliness.
When the action which was pOpularly
styled a blUnder was made. several agen-
cies from the North began q movement
for the moral and Intellectual educa-
ton OF the negro, designed 10 ft him for
the duties and responsibilities Cf citizen
ship. One OF the most successful OF
these agencies has been t1e Freedmen's
Aid Society. with headquarters at Cincin-
natl II began forty-three years ago with
a borrowed capital Of S41 To-day Il has
a institutions. with eco teachers and 5000
pupils. with lands and buildings valued
at SI.342. .6SS. These institutions are
planted in important centers IN the sew
eraI black belts Of the South, and are at
the very doors OF the people who must
be helped.
IN such schools three practical lines
are emphasized: the normal department
for the preparation Of teachers. indus
trial education. particularly for the girls.
the latter branch being one that may
eventually solve the servant problem Of
the North
tt IS carefully estimated that more than
1900 young colored men and women have
been prepared as teachers and are nON
at work in al, sections OF the South.
.. nen II IS remembered that there the
public schools fo- the races are separate.
and with few exceptions no white teach
ers are employed In schools for negroes,
the importance Of the negro teacher as
factor IN the uplift OF their people and
the proper solution OF the race problem
can be readily appreciated The late
Bishop Atticus c. Haygood Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church South. who
was a careful student Of the negro Cues-
tion. speaking a IittIe while before his
death Of the importance OF tEe work ac-
cCnpIished by these schools IN the edg-
cation Of Young colcreG men and women.
Sail- These schools really MADE BOSS hie
the common school system among ire
blacks IN the South Millions Of State
funds would have been wasted ~ 90 had
not been for the teachers supplied by
these schools. Il is fortunate for both
races that they went forth with the high
moral ideals and spirit o. sacrifice rep-e-
sented by the white teachers who come
from the North
At Cladin University. Orangeburg. : G,
IS centered the largest Industrial equip
ment. as many as eighteen trades and in
peutry. blacksmithing. masonry. tailoring.
wheelwr,ghting. cabinet making. mechaa-
zeal and electrical engineering. printing.
ana TaintIng Here the Slater manual
training building the largest with one
exception in the South. has been recently
built and IS fully equipped with Up-ro-
date machinery Every building erected
during the last ten years was built by
Z. g-- -E
der the direction a. the superintendent
who is himself a graduate Of The insrit1-
ton.
Other important Industrial centers
are Morristown Industrial C0IleEe at
Morristown. Tenn. where b-oom-making
and foundry work are special features;
Rust University a. Holly Springs. 1iiss-
where mission furniture. horticulture.
and dairyiuE are sQecialtteS- Clark Uni
versity Al Atlanta, Ca, where scientific
farming IS taught. and Gilbert Industrial
College al Baldwin. La, and Wiley Uni
versitv a. Marshall Tex. where farm
ing. electrical engineering. printing.
painting. broOm-making are extensively
carried on.
Special attention IS given 70 Industrial
work for girls Perhaps no work which
the society IS doing IS more important
anu r--t---r as AFS-AtNS NAsf@ta WAS
for no system Of education. industrial
or otherwise. which leaves out the
women is counted complete In a pc
cUliar sense IS this true Of the black
woman OF the South The negro race,
Ike all other races. must be largely az
fected by its women, and the Freed
mems Aid Society is giving special at
tention to instrUcting the home-makers
and home-builders Of the race.
Accord ngly, cooking sewing. milli-
merry. bas1etry. housekeeping. and al lines
Of domestic economy are taught the
/ girls Kitchens are ft-ed witE up--7-
date facilities and the teachers are from
the best cooking schools OF the North.
Everything is done on a scientific basis.
and the examinations are as rigid and