The Detroit times., 1910-04-15

300 acres of land. 90 buildings. '36 in
oustries. and all having money value
OF about s950.O00. This plant within
Itself has value. hut the greatest value
has come TO the students and TO the
Negro race from the efforts put forth
on the part of the students I'm creating
III, plant Out q this effort has come
training IN skill. training In habits 0f
Industry, training In habits OF appl!-
cation, training In self-Gependence,
self-help and high moral character.
For M race r, gardless of color.
just emerging from u stare of bondage
10 a state of freedom, il is mighty i'm
portant indhe evolution of that race
that II be taught a. soon as possible.
especially while u II getting the eX-
perience i'm It's early life, TO keep rs
feet on the earth--to not yield TO the
temptation to Hy of into artificial at
mosphere. The teaching OF The young
| Negroes In the south To keep their.
! feet on the earth, TO keep IN touch
With the soil. To keep in touch Nth
wood and iron ana the real things Of
life has been reaching and most
helpful in ITS influence. The results
Of this kind OF teaching will show
themselves much more I'm the future
than In the immediate present Then
TOO. for race just coming out OF
| slavery. II was mighty important tina;
al many large ceiters in the south
that the race should have that edu.
cation which should teadh il the dig
Unity OF labor. the same lessons that
, the early settlers % the west learned
a. In, D
TO labor which have made the present
generation Of people who inhabit the
vest strong. powerful and useful cit.
zens. The Negro like any other race.
needs its professional men, needs men
/ with college and university education.
bGf back Of these and around these IL
needs an intelligent. thrifty, skilful.
producing class who look upon all
hinds OF labor as dignified and all
KINDS OF idleness as disgracefu.
Work With Hands Has Mental
Training.
More and mere IN the future than
Ia the pass. in my opinion. the educa-
tional world is going 10 appreciate the
fact that work with the hands has a
mental training or mind value as well
!
the unfolding and strengthening of the
/ hnhd or the student at Tuskegee who
receives systematic hand training
without being convinced OF the men.
tal Value OF this kind OF education. |
WISH YOU could see at Tuskegee oil
commencement day the student on tie
commencement platform before his
parents. friends and students. describ.
ing IN ms commencement Grafton how
ne planted and worked and harvested
an acre OF turnips wish YOU could
see the tprnips themselves as he ex.
| albltS them on the commencement
platform. and hear his intelligent logi-
CO. and interesting description OF what
ne has accomplished. and then | am
sure, that You would agree with me
mat this kind Of education has mental
value; ADD on commencement dav
especially il has the additional value
and additional interest of giving tho
/ student an opportunity TO talk about
something thar Goth he and his audi
ence understand and appreciate. on
our commencemeat platform last Nav
II may have been q little unusual 10
see an actual wagon upOn the stage
out when | tell you that the plan Of
TINS wagon was drawn by the student.
tiat he had created II in it's work in
wood, in iron. in painting and general
finish, and then ado to this his intelli-
gent description of the processes II
creating this wagon. processes do.
handing an accurate knowledge of
mathematics and OF physics, you will
be more impressed. think. and agree
with me that that kind OF training has
mental value.
Most Of all it has a moral value.
NO matte. how much knowledge ore
may have in the head without an eco.
homie foundation. without the abili. y
10 do something which the community
/ in which he lives actually wants done
and is willing 20 pay for. there is
likely to develop moral Weaknesses in
tie case OF the individual. Mere men.
tai training alone increases ones
Nants, Increases his sensitiveness. Il
Il mighty important that along With
mental development there go a train.
| ms which will enable the individual
TO supply his increased wants bv be-.