Evening star., 1909-04-27

teachers in trades schools, 255; home
keepers (married women), 1870; agricul-
tural teachers. 55; superintendent OF
schools, 36.
l might give you additional statistics
from other institutions, which would be,
however, nothing more than repetltion
OF these. The graduates of Howard Uni
versity run about the same as those OF
Fisk University and are engaged In SIM
liar occupations in about the same pro-
portion. Nearly all of the woman gradu-
ates become teachers in the southern
states until they marry. The men be-
come preachers and doctors and enter
the other professions In lesser numbers.
II is clearly demonstrated by these per-
sonal records that the institutions for
the higher education of the colored race
are performing their natural and neces-
sary function by supplying the greatest
need of the colored population or the
south, which is educated preachers and
competent teachers.
Every superintendent of education
have talked with in the south explains the
lack of schools for colored children and
their inferiority to the difficulty OF Sc
curing competent teachers. and everybody
says that compulsory education laws VIII
be passed and enforced as soon as
sufficient number can be procured.
Plantation Preachers Passing.
Everybody tells me, too. that the old
fashioned plantation preachers. with their
fantastic theology and their literal inter-
pretations Of the Scriptures, are rapidly
on to their reward, and that their
pulpits are being filled with young, ear
nest. well educated graduates of the theo-
logical seminaries and colleges main
tanned by mort hern churches In the south
ern states. There is some criticism, espe-
cially from southern clergymen and
others who are interested in religious al
fairs. that this new generation OF shep-
herds do not exercise as much influence
among the sheep. and particularly among
the goats of their fiocks. as their prede-
cessors. There is also a general opinion
that many of them are overeducated,
and that altogether too much attention
is paid to the ancient languages ana TO
doctrinal questions in the theological
to the neglect of more practi-
cal matters.
The clergymen of the Methodist Church
South and the Presbyterian Church South
complain that the boards of the north
ern church do not understand the splr-
itual and educational needs of the negro.
but nevertheless they continue to permit
their northern brethren to have mo-
nopoly of furnishing the money. and, OF
course, they spend 1t in their own way ;.
The old-fashioned manifestations OF
religious feeling are also becoming obso-
lete. Colored camp meetings and revival
meetings are not the spectacles they used
to be- They are being conducted with
less excitement and more decorum, and
the congregations are restraining their
emotions.
Colored Women Practicing Medicine.
The negro doctor is being employed by
his race more generally than he used to
be, and there are many young women
practicing medicine with great success m
the south, besides innumerable trained
nurses. Several colored specialists for
the eyes. ears and throat are making
regulations and deriving good incomes
from practice among their race. There
is growing confidence everywhere
among the people in the colOred members
Of the learned professions. which will un-
doubtedly increase as the latter show
that they can be trusted. Until recent
years the colored people would employ
white doctors, white dentists. white law
yers and white architects If they had
money enough to pay the fees. because
they had greater confidence in the white
men. That preference is gradually dying
out, although 1t still exists to a degree
in favor of white lawyers, because of an
impression that colored lawyer does not
have such good standing in court. But
a change is being gradually noticed even
there, as colored graduates of the law
schools demonstrate their integrity and
ability and earn the respect of the bench
and the bar Unfortunately coIored shy
sters hang about the police stations and
courts, watching for the appearance OF
coiored offenders. but they are not so
numerous as they used to be, and in all
the southern cities there are colored law
yers who have the respect and confidence
of the white members of their profess
sion.
Gradual But Certain Progress.
The negro population of Memphis.
Nashville and Mobile. particularly, and
other cities of the south in lesser de-
gree, are making gradual but certain
progress in material prosperity. In those
cities may be found the most successful
business and professional men of that
rivers Here in Nashville are several
wealthy colored men, large taxpayers,
property owners and tradesmen, who are
doing a profitable business.
The One-Cent Savings Bank in Nash
vile, of which j. c. Napier, a son-in-law
and c. NJ. Langston, a son, is teller. has
about 800 depositors. whose deposits range
from 50 cents to $4,000, including every
class-children. household servants, labor
ers and business men. The stock of the
bank, which has 5000 shares of SIS each,
is widely distributed. and in 1904 it earned
II per cent dividend. Since then the an
nual dividend has been per cent. The
enterprise has been SO profitable that an
other bank has been chartered and will
soon be opened for business.
One of the largest publishing houses in
Nashville is under the care of the African
Methodist Episcopal Sunday School Union.
1t has large modern plant and prints
newspaper. teachers quarterly, a schol-
ars quarterly, Sunday school lessons,
Bibles, Testaments, hymn books and all
kinds of Sunday school literature. The
Baptist Publication Society also has a
large institution here. one of the largest
In the south. and it is managed entirely
by colored men,
Wherever one goes among the sections
of the city where the colored people live
there are evidences of thrift as well as
prosperity.