The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-13
--------------s.-------- STRONG PLEA FOR
 DETENTION HOME
We'll Known Negro Editor Explains Plan for Reclaiming Young
 Negroes

TO the Editor or The Age-Herald:
 The slogan is s5O,OO0 to build an Industrial Detention Training 1nsti- tute'' for delinquent, depraved, aban- doned and i'll treated juvenile negroes boys and girls-at Mount Vernon, Jefferson county, Alabama
 Having been absent from the state of my nativity for a number of years trying to prepare myself for the work that has been my highest ambition from my youth; born in the city of Mobile, left an orphan at years .l age, and having to fight the battles of life without father or mother, I soon found out that, If I ever became any thing 1t must be by my own effoDts. At years of age I went to work for Mir John L. Rapier of the Mobile Reg ister, l also took the job of clean ing up the offices of Clark & Clark While working for these good men l was allowed to go to school and after completing the normal I matriculated at Talladega college; then I entered the ministry; after four years of hard work in the A. M. E. Zion church with the thought of my youth still burning in my soul for the "farthest negro boy and girl down lfe's path" and the dll iHStitubion III Aidbdlbsi that would be the means of saving them from a life of vice and crime. and making them industrial law abiding men and women, in March, 1909. I re- signed my charge and returned to dear old Alabama, where I first saw the light of nature.
 Instead of going back to the scenes of my boyhood l weighed anchor in Birminghan--the greatest city in all of Dfxip-oraat haC1Isa n9fnra'S Cod has made it great with natural re- sources-great because of It's cosmo- poitan population--grea because of the people in their active endeavor to put things into execution have turned the eyes of the civilized world on Greater Birmingham-great because it has made the greatest strides in com mercial. financial, numerical and ethic life of any other city south of the Ohio river in the last decade.
 Here In this great city, among those energetic, enthusiastic, thorough go- ing people I entered the journalistic arena as a medium by which I might | become acquainted with these grea, Anglo Saxons, and they likewise be- l wanted to do for the farthest negro ! boys and girls down life's path | For the benefit of the public I here | by am presenting the copy of two let ters written by men of standing: | Birmingham, Ala, October, 1910. "P. c. Rameau, Editor of the Birming- | ham Messenger:
 q am asked to write you my opinson | of your newspaper and what good ] | think it Is calculated to accomplish | If any, for your race.
 | q. I have been a reader of your paper since its inception about a year ago I have fouund it's tone moral | instructive and uplifting. Those of your race who follow your lead will mako | social, economic and industrial condi- tions not only better. but progressive | in the truest and highest sense | "2. You have always taken strong and advance stand for the care, the protection of the better training of ths children in the homes of the mothers and fathers of the rising youths o your race.
 g. You have labored necessarily ts induce every lover of your race to lenc a helping hand In saving the way. ward boys and girls of your race Iron i a life of crime; claiming that an ounce of preventive effort Is worth a pound of reformative endeavor. Your papel from my observation deserves the pat ronage and support of every well wish CT of the negro in this community ant the country at large.
 "A. You have been a consistent adyo cate of the harmony of the benevolent or ders and of. good fellowship of th, churches of your race. Very respectfully
 IN. B. FEAGIN.
 Birmingham, Ala, October S. lg10.''
 "Rev. P. Colfax Rameau, Editor Birming ham Messenger:
 Dear Sir: With reference to your papel and the good work that you are doing it gives me pleasure to indorse the worl that you are undertaking and highly rec ommend you to the people of Birming ham. sss
 Your industrial education for the juve
 nile members of your race is big prop osition, and your efforts along this lin, are well directed Wishing you much sue cess, l am, yours very truly,
 CARL H. SEALS"
 have others from ministers, doctors and lawyers. but I feel sure these two