Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-06-14
WORK OF nEGRO SCHOOL
PROVES SOUTH IS the PLACE
ouARTo.cENTENNiAL OF WATERS
NORMAL INSTITUTE At WIN
TON, n. c, ATTENDED BY
THOUSANDS. Erg

TON, n. c, ATTENDED BY
THOUSANDS.
(By GEO. r. kiNo.)
Winton, N. C.-(Special.)-The re-
cent qrarto-centennial celebration OF
Waters Normal Institute, this town,
was an event that forcefully portrayed
the fact that the south and especially
the rural district IL the place for the
masses of Negroes. Thousands OF rep
resentative farmers and number OF
business men Of the race from every
section of the state and parts Of Vir.
ginia contiguous to Winton were pres
ent The history of the institution Is
interesting and is an encouraging evil
dence of the Afro.American progress
in the right direction. The central fig.
ure of the occasion was man who is
silently doing work that rightly
places him In the galaxy, OF true lead
ers. During the summer the year OF
1884. the late DR.. Upper. founder and
president Of Shaw University. Raleigh,
N. c.. exhibited his great characters
tics by becoming profoundly interested
in Negroes In Eastern North Carolina
to the extent that he gave $4,000 to the
Rev. DR.. C. s Brown, who had just
graduated from that university and
asked him to come to this town to be-
gin a work that later proved whole
some factor in the lives of thousands.
He came and begun his work in the
woods and among large number Of
the race who we're cursed by whisky.
At this notable rural gathering hun
dreds of graduates Of this energizing
institution OF learning. progressive far
mers and other successful men and
women who have become construc-
tive force in their respective communf-
ties because of the training received
at this school and the helpful and far
reaching influence terminated by
building a thrifty settlement around
the school revealed in concrete man
ner what the honest, energetic and
we'll trained Negro can accomplish In
the south.
Located in a strictly rural center
where nature deals bountifully to those
who persistently and intelligently vex
the soil, the growth Of the school has
undoubtedly been remarkable. Start
ing only with $4,000 DR.. Brown today
has established a plant worth $4,000
and its stimulating propaganda is felt
in every section of the state. 1t has
created a new life here and dethroned
superstitions and many other evils so
woefully affecting the Negro in many
other sections. The white people In
Eastern Carolina highly praised its
worth and the leading people Of that
race say that its influence upon the
community is hard to estimate by
monetary standard. This they claim
is due to the sane leadership and char
acter of DR.. Brown, its founder and
principal and prominent in many
movements for the uplift of the Negro.
A commenda BILE feature of the work IS
that the hundreds of graduates and
thousands of undergra duates Of same
are imbued with the mission Of the in
stitution and they are at work In va
rious sections of the south carrying
the terminating idea of its founder
and reaching those Of the race who
needs instruction. A distinguishing
feature Is that its first graduate has
spent years working in Africa to help
redeem Africa.
Thousands of farmers made the cele-
bration an educational source of good
for them, and the exhibits of the stu
dents inspired them. Contributing to
the success OF the week was the Cho-
wan Educational association that con-
vened here. This was largely attend
ed. The presence Of DR.. Chas. S.
Meserve gave impetus and hundreds
gave him an ovation during his ad-
dress to them Many phases Of the Ne
gro's activities were strongly touched
upon and he gave undeniable facts
showing why the Negro should remain
in the south. He narrated many strik.
ing examples of many dangers affect
ing the race by entirely too large a
number of same leaving the country
and crowding the cities. The address
to the graduating class by Hon. John
c. Scarborough, superintendent Of
education for this county, was prac-
tical and wholesome.
A splendid revelation of what the
school is doing in causing the farmers
to increase their property holdings
and saving accounts was brought out
in the statistics Of DR.. Brown in max
ing his annual report to the trustee
board, composed of leading farmers,
business men and number Of preach
ers OF Negroid descent. He aroused
enthusiasm as he pointed
out the way that the farmer of color
could enhance his opportunities by
sticking to the soil. The report show
ed the school to be in an excellent
condition. The farmers raised several
thousand dollars in their rally for the
school,
.iLLITERAcY DECREASING IN
GEORGIA.. f..
M. l.. Britain, state superintendent
of schools for Georgia, Is authority