The Washington times., 1910-09-29
In the Mail Bag
Young Men Need Help

To the Editor OF The Washington Tines
President Tar drew a sharp compari-
son on his return from the South be-
tween the upper and lower classes OF
people OF a certain State-AIabama, I
thtnk-acknOwledgfng the education and
culture Of the upper classes and deplOr-
ing the ignorance Of the lower.
Were every university and college in
the United States to offer free tuition"
only those in sufficiently good circum-
stances to pay from $500 to 500 "A year
could avail themselves of the offer
Who IS willing to support and clothe
those to whom the free tuition is Of
fered? Who is going 10 supply books,
so expensive; stationery, bedding, and
the hundred and one incidentaIs neces-
sary besides actual lectures?
II a military school offers free tuition.
who is 10 furnish the uniform and then
at the close Of the session where IS the
citizen suit to come from?
1t Is easy to say a young man can
work his way through college. The first
year he is not allowed to do so. After
that there is work for only few. I,
deplOring the lack Of education among
the sons of gentlemen, with capacity
FOR acquiring knowledge, a capacity ex-
istirg in -hei~ ancestors for centuries.
wrote to tae members OF a Southern
board Of educst ton I represented the
TACT thai a young mana boy he was
then-had lost his fS-her and had been
at once compelled to 90 to work and aid
In the support OF his mother and the
younger members Of his family, that
taking work beyond his strength had
brought on III health, competing him to
give II Up, but could he be supplied with
the funds enabling him TO take advant-
age OF free tuition offered at a military
school near his home, he could as a
result Of education obtain a better-pay-
ING position and be Of greater assist
ance 10 those dependent upon MS aid,
as well as be saved himself from ignOr-
ance, than which there Is no greater
cuCse nor misfortune to the young men
OF any land, and keen modification 20
a man thus deprived of his birthright,
MS proper sphere.
wrote 10 Mr.. Rockefeller, setting
forth the needs and merits Of the case
The answer was that they took no in
terest in particular or individual cases.
Their work was for general education.
Ihdt young man, now twenty-five
years OF age, worked until he fell into
III health A handsome person, Of fine
mind ne IS now firing a furnace, over
taxing physical strength In work any
stalwart negro can do better. while his
fine intellect is going TO waste
Build your fine colleges: eudow your
univeTsIties- enlarge your magnificent
grounds That Is all right. But do not
wonder that il spite Of so much tuition
offered free our land Is full OF ignorant
young men with stUnted intellect and
exhausted frames.
Could not these men OF wealth es-
(ablish a fund from which young men
anxious to obtain an education. but IN
able 10 support and clOthe themselves
while attending college. could borrow
TO meet these expenses, the Dor
roweTs TO give their promises TO pay q
portion or small per cent annually. re-
ducing the principal as they secure re-
munerativc OccupatiOus2 Would Il not
save the brains. as well as the bodies.
OF those capable OF an education and
longing for it,
I beg those whom find It impossible
20 reach through the mails. my letters
being treated as begging letters, and
thrown IN the waste basket. or other
wise disregarded, to give heed TO what
I say II by chance the young man to
whom I refer could secure a loan OF
500 e would give him a two years
course Five hundred dollars would en-
able him TO complete the course and
graduate, and this one would Be saved
Even less than tbis-One yea-would
uplift and do 50 much.
Heed, ] pray