The Colorado statesman., 1912-02-17
HOUSTON'S new
7 INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
PROF. F. w. GROSS is BUILDING
UP SCHOOL AFTER THE TUS-
kEGEE PLAN.

Houston, Tex.-To build up a great
school of agriculture and mechanic
arts, as well as great in literary train
ing, is the dream of Prof. F. w. Gross,
principal of the Houston Literary and
Normal school of this place. 1t is
Professor Gross desire to build up a
school great in effectiveness and ac-
complishment rather than great in size
and the numbeflbf students.
That he is well on the way to attain
ing his desire In so far as the Houston
Literary and Industrial school is con-
cerned is attested by the great sue
cess of the institution within the four
years that he has been at its head.
The institution is located in section
rich in possibilities. The fame Of
Houston is as well earned as 1t is
we'll known. The possibilities for the
future are greater than that of any
other southern city save New Orleans.
With the completion and extension Of
the north and south trunk lines run
ming through Houston from the lakes
to the gulf and the completion of the
Panama canal, Houston's present
greatness will be only scrap of his
tory to be compared with the rapid
strides and tremendous Importance of
the Texas metropolis.
Professor Gross is simply taking
time by the forelock in maintaining
that negroes should be prepared to ac-
cept and appreciate all the good things
that will come to them as pretty big
portion of the population of that rich
To nd h1u oil
that comes to them for these reasons,
it is the purpose of Professor Gross to
train a small number of young men
and women of that section according
to the Tuskegee plan-to train them
to know and to do, and who is there
that will find fault with this plan?
Outlining his own plan, Professor
Gross declares it his intention to have
only a school in the future that can
well accommodate two or three hun
dred students at the time, but to do
such good with them that they will
come out well prepared as teachers
and artisans. He points out the in
Vulnerable opportunities in Texas and
in the vicinity of Houston where in
tensive farming on small scale,
where the raising of chickens, the care
of pigs, the culture of bees and Of
flowers will reap rich rewards for the
young man or woman, who can take
up either of these callings with an eye
single to catering to that immense
and cosmopolitan population.
A visit to Mr.. Gross work in Hous-
ton, situated just beyond the city lin
its of Houston, strikes the observant
at once with the wealth of opportunity
that is before him, and of the bright
future that awaits his institution. Its
growth in the four years of his admin
istratiol bespeaks a more brilliant fu-
ture, and so we'll has the institution
grown that now he can well afford to
pay much attention to the matter Of
efficiency as is his intention, and to
the matter of intensifying the work in
every particular From. three small
buildings to six of various sizes, with
a well equipped trades building and an
academic building well suited to the
needs of the institution, the Houston
Literary and Industrial college can
very well take care of the number Of
students for which 1t only bids and to
which humber it Is satisfied in cater
ing.
The principal has selected his fac
ulty with more than ordinary care and
is to be congratulated in the amount
of work he ie able to get out Of his
teachers. Himself the possessor Of
we'll earned reputation as an educator
and a man of big partA he has in
Texas large number Of supporters.
and is regarded by the negro people OF
the commonwealth as a man Of more
than the usual requisites of leader
ship.
He makes annual visits to a large
number of institutions doing the same
kind of work, particularly the Tuske-
gee Normal and Industrial institute,
and incorporates many Of the ideas
gained during these visits in his own
work in Texas. All things being equal
the Houston Literary and Industrial
college will in the years to come exert
even a greater influence upon the ne
gro life of Texas, due in large meas
ure to the farsightedness and unusual
common sense exhibited by its princi-
nal