The Colorado statesman., 1912-06-15
TUSKEGEE'S NOTED PRESIDENT 7
BREACHES WHITEWASH AND
PAINT AS SYMBOLS OF
CIVILIZATION
BY ARTHUR M. EVANS.

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French adage that nation is known
by Its soups Is given an application.
The students here are taught that the
paint pot is superior to the soup ket-
tie, that the bathtub outranks the
soup tureen, that the scrubbing brush
is an advance agent of progress, and
that volumes of wisdom and ages of
experience are condensed in the five
words, Cleanliness is next to God
liness." This fine, homely, practical
doctrine goes further. 1t breaches
that material comforts are one index
to mental and moral status, that squa-
lor Is no temple for the soul, that
ethics and gastronomy are not stran-
gers to each other, that improved en-
vironment means higher standards of
thought, that kitchen garden is a
heavenly messenger as well as tenn
poral comfort, and that no civilization
is far advanced that is content to sub
sist on a steady diet>of fat pork and
corn bread the year round. when fresh
vegetables are fairly aching to be
grown.
These ideas are drilled into the stu
dents day and night as accessories
Of the manual training and the class
room work. They are reiterated In
some form or another nearly every
time Booker T. Washington addresses
the student body or speaks to the
colored farmers OF the south. They
are sent out in the form Of extension
leaflets containing excerpts from ad-
dresses to the 1,700 boys and girls at
Tuskegee. Tho paint and whitewash
doctrine of advancement has taken
such hold during the years 1t has
been exploited that nowadays, when
Mr.. Washington prepares to visit a
community, the residents make ready
to demonstrate that they have made
1t part and parcel of their faith. The
Tuskegee Messenger prints many
items like the following:
REV s. Moss and Messrs. 8. w.
White and L. Pollard of Shiloh COM
munity, Notasulga, Ala, are planning
to paint their houses by the time DR..
Washington visits that community.
Others are planning to have their
houses whitewashed by that time.
Miss E. Lamar, the teacher, is having
her schoolhouse repainted."
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significance between their lines, de-
spite the appeal they make to the
risibilities, for they show the spread
of the Tuskegee ideas, which are in
dustry. skill in labor, kindness and
cleanliness, all for the advancement
of standards Of living.
At chapel a few nights ago Mr..
Washington preached to the students
At the morning exercises the insti-
tute chaplain had taken the theme
of Samson and Delilah for his ser
mon, but at the night services Mr..
Washington took as his text white
wash and paint.
"One of the best lessons in civiliza-
ton you can teach anybody" he said,
'is to be uneasy and unhappy when
doorknob is even loose. In spite of
all its antiquated and, in some cases,
almost heathenish methods, it is hard
to free ourselves from the slavery of
the old-time book education. Every
good citizen, whether he be teacher
or is engaged in any other occupa-
ton, has something, should have
something to do with the education
that is going on in his community.
Whenever you get an opportunity to
exert the slightest influence, see to
1t that the house in which the, teach
ers and children are assembled is
made clean-clean inside, clean out
side; floors well swept, everything
thoroughly busted. See to it that ev-
cry piece of furniture is put in the
very best repair see to 1t that, wher-
ever it can be done, the paint brush
or whitewash brush is used on the
inside.
"a great many people are content
to put up house and let 1t stand
without paint, its weather boards
cracking and warping, a symbol of
slovenliness. The whitewash brush
and the paint pot are indexes of civ
ilization. When you leave here, see
to it that your homes and your farm
buildings and your schools are fit to
live in. If you can't afford paint, use
whitewash. When you go into a
school as teacher, take a weeks
time to clean up. See to 1t that the
yard is cleaned up, every piece OF
paper picked up, every paling put
where it should be on the fence; that
the gate hinges are all right, and all
the broken window glasses are put in.
Then begin using the whitewash
brush or the paint brush around the
schoolhouse. on the building, on the
fence, on the gate, everywhere, to
make the schoolroom an inviting,
beautiful place, one that is fit for hui
man beings to live and work in. Teach
your pupils to be unhappy when one
window pane gets little cracked, and
if window pane is out. dismiss the
school If necessary until that window
pane is put in place.
After you go away from here
want to see you keep up this same
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