Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-06-09
negro Miners
SUPPORT School
Corona, Ala. Normal and In
dustriaI Institute Is UNI
x que School.
WHITES ATTEND EXERCISES
~ PROMINENT CITIZENS OF CO.
ROMA, ALABAMA, SEE NEGRO
GRADUATES AWARDED DIPLo-
MAS.

Corona, Ala. Especially A large
number Of prominent white citizens of
this community attended the closing
exercises Of the Corona Normal and
Industrial Institute for Negroes, which
is supported by negro miners by the
payment OF q monthly tax, among
whom was Bolton Gilreath of Birm-
ingham, we'll known as a philanthro-
pist and publicist.
Others present were DR.. D. B. Chill
ton, H. P Gibson, superintendent OF
Corona mines; ]. w. Harkins, superin-
tendent Of the Patton mines; Rev. ].
E. Kilgore, president Of the school
board; ]. T. Savage Of the Corona
mines; A. Carpell, w. F. Files and r.
c. Lollar merchants Of Corona.
Mr.. Gilreath was introduced by l..
B. Musgrove, president and general
manager OF the Corona corporation,
who paid high tribute to the faith
fulness of the negroes of this section
in maintaining the institution for the
education of their children. you
have been faithful in many things" he
said This corporation could not
have been the success it has without
your help. have never had to call
for help of any kind without ready
response, and in my heart appreci.
ate It,"
In the beginning Of his address, MI
Gilreath commented on the infre-
quency of crime in this district as
compared with that of other mining
districts and declared 1t to be due In
large measure to the influence OF
the institution. The work of William
H. Councill who laid the cornerstone
Of the first building here, and whose
graduates for the most part have car
ried on the work, was given high
praise, and the usefulness of the dead
educator to the state OF Alabama and
the south dwelt upon at length. In
the course of his remarks Doctor GIL
feath said:
THE negroes Of this section of Ala
bama have a great opportunity. Two,
thirds OF the ore mining ia done by
them, whereas, when I first came to
Alabama it was done entirely by white
miners. Negroes are learning how to
do things. Mr.. Musgrove In his work
here is a great agent for the people.
He pays you high compliment when
he admits that you are colaborers with
him. God put you here for pur.
pose. He had motive for 1t, for he Is
| III al ~ III a
white people are ahead Of you In any
way, remember they have great re.
probabilities by reason of that fact
that you do not have.
"You have with them, however, the
same chance to read the Bible; the
same chance for development; the
same chance to build character and
after all, it is character that counts.
Your race is doing far more than you
perhaps think; and yet there Is a
great work for you to do. The white
people have the same trouble raising
money for their institutions that you
have, and you have no need to be dis
couraged at all.
THE same God that laid down the
principle that out Of the sweat of the
brow shall man be fed, also laid down
the principle that all men were Gre
ated out of one blood. 1t is not a
} question of color. 1t is question of
what man is doing. You have great
race leaders. Take their advice, emu
late their example, and you will have
no need to be discouraged. You must
learn that to succeed in any work
means to become an artist. A cook Is
an artist; so Is the good mineE the
good farmer. To develop this school
here as you have begun, l want you
to work In harmony with your trus-
tees, with your principal, and above
all, for yourselves, save your money
and buy property"
In closing, Mr. Gilreath paid high
tribute to the efficiency of the work
of the principal, M. H. Griffin. Super
intendent J. w. Harkins declared that
in all his work he heard no complaint
from the miners of the tax they paid
for the support Of the school, and that
In the work of the men he could see
the good influence of the school.