The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-05-10
GAVE A GOOD TALK
MILLER CITES SOME FACTS on
THE NEGRO COLLEGE.

MILLER CITES SOME FACTS ON
THE NEGRO COLLEGE.
Reviews History of Institution, its
Hard Fight for Existence and the
Success Attained.
In bidding farewell to Orangeburs
and the State Colored College, We'd
nesday, President Thos. E. Miller,
who has been its efficient President
since it's establishment. reviewed
briefly his connection with the Col
lege, his efforts to secure its estab-
lishment and the struggle he has en-
countered in the administration Of
the presidents Office.
in the course of his address he
cites some facts that will be of gen.
eral interest to the people Of both
races. 1t is recalled that r. S. Wi.
kinson was recently elected to sue
ceed Miller. The full text OF Presi-
dents Miller's address is as follows:
Sixteen years ago the Constitu-
tional Convention met for the pur-
pose of disfranchising the negroes.
It was composed of not less than
one hundred and sixty members, all
of whom save six were of the white
race, Smalls, Whipper, Wigg, Reid.
Anderson and myself were the Re-
publican members. The six Of US
managed. by brave and bold fight
to secure for the negro race this
College.
"About eighteen years previous
two negres, Bruce Williams and Thos.
E. Miller, made it possible, by their
votes and voice, for the South Caro-
lima College and. the grand old Cita-
del to be restored to the white youths
of the State. That was bitter fight
between the Hampton faction and the
other Democratic faction. The op-
position to those two colleges had
majority of two in the State senate.
Il required the votes of Senator
Bruce Williams and myself to make
it tie. The tie was secured, and
that grand commoner, Gen Kennedy,
voted with us; the tie was broken
and these institutions were once
more made the shrine OF learning to
and for the white youths Of the State.
At that time the faction led by Gen.
Hampton promised US this College,
but it was more than eighteen years
before I was able to force the white
people of South Carolina to redeem
that pledge. Some day I will give
the people of our State full history
OF how 1 won this College il the
Constitutional Convention for my
people.
'I had no intention of becoming
president, but I could not have secur-
ed the school for my people without
leaving active political life. l made
the sacrifice: we have had the Col
lege these fifteen years. The past OF
its existence is secure; the verdict
of our people is that We have done
well; we have made good in this
College. We have matriculated more
than 10000 students; we have grad
uated more than 700, and those who
have attended here have gone out in
the world industrious, prudent, sue
cessful citizens. We never left God
out of the equation in the manage
ment of this school. The Colleges
motto is: 1.-The Glory of God and the
Good of Man BY the sweat OF
thy brow thou shalt eat bread is
the command Of God, and our aim
| here has been, and is my fervent
hope ever will be, to inculcate into
every and all of our students moral
rectitude. lofty idea of patriotism,
thrift, obedience, frugality and a
clinging devotion to the Golden Rule
VERY many presidents have only
to look to the government and man.
agement of the College, and their
task should be easy; but mine has
been duplex administration. When
came here some of the white peo.
pie of. the State were against the
higher education Of the negroes. The
negro denominational colleges were
fighting US and the one across the
fence, through it's president, vowed
our annihlation. Hence, it became
my lot to so act and speak as tc
show to the white people OF this
State, that it was, and is their duty tc
plant. support, protect and maintain
this institution for the negro youth
I had to prove to the negro that the
best school in South Carolina is this
school. Then, again. was surround
ed in the beginning by cabal OF
preachers on my faculty, who had
little or no experience as educators
who were against industrial educa,
ton, and they permitted no oppor-
tunity to escape, one and all Of them
in their endeavor to destroy my ad-
ministration and break up this Col.
tlege. If they had been hired by the
people across the fence instead OF
by the State of South Carolina. they
could not have been more persist.
ent in their efforts of the destruc-
ton of my administration and this
! College.
''Those Of us who have been here
for the past ten years, with very few
exceptions, have been faithful to ev,
cry trust, and we have done all tina!
man can do for the good of South
Carolina by instructing, faithfully
instructing, all who have come with
in our gate. Hence, ! leave this in'
stitution with the best wishes and
esteem of all the white people Q:
this town. Words are not mine with
| which to thank them all for the en-