The Colorado statesman., 1911-12-23
Or. GRAHAM TAYLOR'S
ADDRESS AT TUSKEGEE
NOTED CHICAGO EDUCATOR
SPOKE TO FACULTY AND
STUDENTS AT COL
ORED INSTITUTE.

wald to Tuskegee institute recently
One OF the most helpful talks made
to the students and teachers during
the visit OF Mr.. Rosenwald and others
to the scohol was that made by Dr
Taylor.
DR.. Taylor has been connected with
of Chicago lives in the Hull House
district. and was a member of the re-
cent Chicago vice commission. whose
report stirred the country. because OF
its exposure OF social conditions in
Chicago He spoke as follows:
You would not expect one OF my
age, speaking in public on the stage.
to be the instructor OF some OF these
venerable teachers of yours-the chap
lain and pastor OF this great congre-
cation, Mr.. Whitaker; the man who
has charge OF your library. Mr.. Wood,
and the man who is sizing up your
work and your social relations, Mr..
Work, but | am not ashamed of these
three men or to have had something
to do with their valuation, though
must confess that all of my students
have taught me quite as much as
have ever taught them.
81 want to congratulate you, not
only on having such a principal as
has been described here by Mr. Rosen-
wald, DR.. Hirsch, Mr.. Cooley and
others, and | would even add to the
description, If | had the time and the
tongue, but | would like also to con-
graduate you upon having this stan
of instructors. These men and women.
who are like the cabinet of the presi-
dent of the United States, who are
like the staff OF the general OF an
army. for general is not much good
after all without an army and without
a staff in between him and the rank
and file, so am not going to take
anything from Mr. Washington, not
bit, but | think he will rather agree
with me, as a teacher, that his col
leagues help to make the institution,
and that without them and the grad
ual accumulation OF training and dis
cipline and study. neither Tuskegee
nor any other institution would be
possible, so ! congratulate all OF you
students on the men and women who,
are teaching you, and they with you,
will congratulate themselves and your
selves upon the splendid leadership OF
the man who is leading you, not only
you, however, but who is leading
whole lot of us all over this land into
a larger vision and into higher life.
You need not think that all the
race problem is down here. You can
not even have a monopoly OF that,
even if you want to. | come out from
as fierce a race struggle as any or
you are in. | live in one OF these
great cosmopolitan wards of Chicago
-25 different nationalities are around
me in that great apartment house. all
speaking different languages, per-
feet Babel, and | wish to assure you
that there is quite as deep race feel
ing between the Irish and the Italian,
or the Pole and the Greek as you will
find between,-well, will not men,
ton wnom,-this side OF DiXie-land.
There was an immigrant who met in
our parlor one evening with lot or
men to the manor born, that is. they
thought they were. and he said;
You men here seem to think that
and my race are problem. he
further said, 1 deny that we are
problem at all We are a solution OF
the problem. You seem to think you
have given us work. We have not
only created the industry by which
we live, but by which a whole lot OF
you fellows live besides
Il shall never forget the tremen-
dous and direct confusion that fol-
lowed that charge by that Russian
Jewish neighbor OF mine. 1t was
quite true that his race had really Gre
ated this great industry, and can
never fail to feel the thrill OF graft
tude and appreciation when creators
OF Industries. and better still. pos
SCISSORS OF spirit such as you and your
race have always shown against prov
ocation that has sometimes seemed to
me intolerable. Yet through all that
terrible upheaval OF the war. through
all that dreadful reconstruction pc
riod, this race OF yours never raised
hand OF disloyalty. though they
might have had much against that
flag waved over their heads, though
they might have had cause for deep
and active resentment Their pa
tience was inexhaustible. have
never stood more like Moses at the
burning bush with head bare as in the
presence OF Almighty God, as | have
before the divine patience OF your
race. You have taught US and all
other races how to be patient as God
is patient.
LAS DR.. Hirsch was speaking OF
Gods great creative work, | thought
of that Galileean who said: My father
worked and | work, and so work is
one of the common denominators OF
the race problem or any other prob
lem in civilization; but more than
work is the right spirit toward God
and fellowman. the spirit of patience.
the spirit of forgiveness. The spirit