The Colorado statesman., 1912-07-13
A UNITED EFFORT FOR RURAL
BETTERMENT BEING MADE BY
NEGRO COLLEGES OF ATLANTA

sive age of all time These forces are
being utilized among the six big ne
gro colleges at Atlanta in their first
step Of cooperative effort. The or
ganization of the Atlanta Federation
of Schools for the improvement of Ne
gro Country Life" marks new ep
och in the educational affairs Of our
people in Georgia, and has the possi-
bilities of reaching out into every
needy community of the south. Such
a federation has unlimited opportunl-
ties for usefulness.
These six colleges are now engaged
in extension work which cannot be
done as effectively by one as by all
operating together in combination.
The adoption of this idea in educa-
tional centers like Atlanta, Nash
vile, New Orleans, Augusta, and 9th
ers, would spread the movement to
cover the entire south.
Here is a nucleus of cooperation
among the alumni of these colleges in
such communities where two or more
of them reside. Possibly rs per cent.
of colored graduates in Georgia were
educated in Atlanta's six colored col
leges. Get this three-fourths of our
prepared workers INTO a united move
ment for the improvement of negro
rural life, and telling results are sure
of accomplishment.
The undergraduates attending these
schools will also, on their return
home each year, find a mapped-out
plan for mission work that will be
well worth their following. When we
consider that fully four-ffths ypf the
2,750 students enrolled yearly in these
six colleges are from Georgia commu-
mites, it can be seen that there Is a
mass of good working material that
can be utilized in helping the rural
people to increase their efficiency.
raise their standards of living, and be-
come more largely interested in COM
munity life.
Many individuals have gone out
from our Atlanta colleges and have
independently built up efficient organ
izations for giving effective education
al advantages to the masses in those
sections where they have gone. Nota-
bly, among them are: Prof. A. H. Hunt,
principal of the Fort Valley High and
Industrial school, in Houston coun-
ty; Prof j. w. Reddick, principal of
the Americus Institute, in Sumter
county; Mrs. Julia C. Jackson, who
conducts a model country school in
Clark county.
Under the direction of the Atlanta
Federation of Schools for the Improve
ment of. Negro Country Life" every
one with the inclination to be of the
largest possible service to his or her
people. can engage in worthy work
along this line under expert super
vision.
The Federation of Schools will for
the present conflne their efforts to the
promotion of Negro Boys Corn clubs
in Georgia, but their entrance at some
future time into other activities in ex-
tension work will be heartily welcom-
ed by their thousands of patrons and
friends.
Philadthropists and the managers OF
special funds for the promotion of ed
ucation have refrained in the past
from giving to the cause in this Sec
ton because of the multiplicity Of in
dependent institutions here and a
duplication of college work, not resir-
ing to help one to the exclusion of the
Others, and unable to give to ALL But
this federation for extension work
ought to relieve them of further en-
barrassment, for through 1t the extern
sion work of all six colleges will be
promoted and the entire people in
Georgia and the south will ultimately
be benefited.
Much credit is due the heads
of these schools and their assist
ants in eftecting such an organiza
ton. The laudable and we'll known
rivalry between the colleges was
thought by many an insurmountable
obstacle in the way of any such united
effort on their part. That each has
risen above natural clannishness and
has Joined in with all the others to
accomplish the largest possible good
for all the people. is testimonial to
their earnestness and Christian devo-
tion to the larger purpose of uplifting
the negro people.
Ine neld WORK Oh organizing corn
clubs has been delegated to a commit
tee on corn clubs with the following as
members: Professor Towns of At
lanta university. Miss Brill of Spell
man seminary, Professor Harper of
Morris Brown college. Professor Ar
cher of Atlanta Baptist college. Prof.
p. C. Parks, farm director of Clark
university is chairman of this commit
tee With these workers organizing
corn clubs among the constituents of
their several institutions. big results
may be looked for when the corn show
of the Negro Boys Corn clubs is held
in November of this year in Atlanta.
At this early date, twelve counties
are organized with about 500 con-
testants. The federation has appropri-