The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-02-16


their expenses. We are anxious to
enlarge our school, because we have
only room enough by crowding for
200 boys, and we had to turn away
more than 100 last fall for the lack
of room. We are hoping and pray
ing that some generous friend will
give us the money for another dormi-
tory and dining hall, as we are in
great need of both buildings. When
we have the money for a building, it
serves double purpose, because the
boys do the building under a compe-
tent instructor, and in this way learn
by doing practical carpentry. When
they work during vacation time on
these buildings their work is credit
ed for their school expenses the next
year, with enough extra wages allow
ed them to buy their books and
clothes. We had over seventy boys
working here last summer on the
buildings, farm, etc. OF course the
school had to board and take care of
them.
For ten years have been the sole
bread-winner. 1t requires a barrel
and a half of -four to supply our daily
bread for one day. You can readily
see to what proportions we have
grown and what good appetites we
possess. 1t requires $4,000 to fl
nance school year for the two
schools. We have a separate school
for the girls, and there are sixty girls
enrolled this year. This school is
only three years old. We have stu
dents from five different states, name
ly, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama,
North Carolina, Virginia and Florida.
We have several girls from Florida.
Our school has been the model for
schools started all over the south.
The state of Georgia established elev-
en- schools patterned after ours, but
/ am sorry to say they have not been
a success, because they have not the
right spirit and are state institutions
where politics can crowd in. The Ber-
ry school idea has been the inspira-
ton for the starting of schools in Vir-
ginia, Alabama and many other
states. They all come to us for our
plans and methods, which we are glad
to give. Almost daily we have visit
ors from other schools. We run a
free boarding house, but we are so
glad to help in every way that we
can. After many months or year
some of them come again and say
that they don't see how in the world
we get the boys and girls to do all
of the industrial work so cheerfully;
that they have failed, and they have
come to catch the spirit of our work
again. Our school has been built on
love and much sacrifice on the part
of the faithful workers, but we are
all working for the uplift of our own
dear people in the southland, and our
students know that we are not doing
it for the small salaries the teachers
receive Il give my services, and have
never used a dollar which has been
given for the support of the schools)
We have a wonderful business sys-
tenn. Every dollar is accounted for
and every department of the work is
systematized in the most splendid
way. We frequently have men from
large and expensive schools come
here to study our business system.
The school is for the benefit of the
poor boys and girls of the south who
have not had chance to obtain a
practical education, and we see that
everything goes into the boy and girl
for their educational advancement.
There is no graft here. AS stated
above, am the sole person to raise
funds for the school. God has won
derfully blessed our work, and we
are struggling all of the time to en-
list the sympathy and aid of kind and
generous friends everywhere who be-
lieve in giving these deserving Amer
leans a chance. Notwithstanding the
fact that we have been a beacon light
to many struggling schools, we have
had no state aid, or any assured sum
from churches, educational boards,
etc., and we do not know from month
to month where the support of our
work is coming from; but we never
lose courage. If our own southern
people would only lend helping
hand and help me with the hard fl
nancial burden, we could have better
equipment in our school and send our
students all over the southland as ex-
pert workmen, which would dignity
labor for all of our poor white people
in the south. We hope to make our
school training school, and that the
time will come when a Berry school
boy will be uplifting the industrial