The Colorado statesman., 1913-10-04

Washington and awaited instructions
1t chanced that a donor in the west
had given several hundred dollars to
be used in helping the Macon county
rural schools. A part OF this sum
was placed at the disposal of the
schools representative, with instruc-
tions to return to Magnolia and see
what could be done.
With this definite plan made out,
the teacher returned. Said he to an
audience at Magnolia:
"A friend who is interested in you,
who wants to see you build a school
house and educate your children. has
sent you some money, under certain
conditions. That Is, he will give you
$50 for every $50 you raise until
sufficient sum is collected. Will you
accept?''
A message from paradise could not
have been hailed with greater en-
thusiasm. That some friend was in
terested in them, wanted to see them
get ahead and had sent them some
money personally seemed almost too
good to be true.
In two months time they laid down
$100 to be covered by 800 from the
donor, and work was begun. In six
months from the time the representa-
tive went down from Tuskegee the
school was finished and dedicated
amidst shouts and tears of people
in mass, who had just finished their
first lesson in the history of devising
and constructing a schoolhouse.
One of the main features of this
lesson was that while wonderfully in
structive in itself, it was also a great
model exercise. Adjoining communi-
ties took courage Clintonville,
Brownsville, Rising Star, Notasulga,
one after the other caught the vision
of passing from worm-eaten hut to a
| $500 or $500 building. Each went
through its shoals of faction and mis-
understanding, each got little help
and suggestion, but each played his
part to the end
Another very interesting phase of
this general school building was that
it soldered the white and colored peo-
/ pie closer together and won many a
local white man to faith in negro edu-
cation.
| Some, when the schools were dedi-
! Gated, put their thoughts in writing.
| In a letter directed to G. ]. Galloway,
the director of Tuskegee institute ex-
tension work, the mayor of Notasulga
writes:
TT (the new rural schooD is credit
TO the town, and feel sure that 1t will
be the means of benefiting not only
your race but ours as well. l am truly
| glad to see your people taking SO much
interest in preparing their young for
the duties of citizenship"
| A committee Of white people at
,, Loachapoka, Ala, wrote: I'VE take
pleasure in saying in behalf of the
white citizenship of Loachapoka that
we commend the assistance you have
| given your race in erecting a nice
school building at this place." while
another committee of the rural com
munity of Auburn, Ala, says:
I'VE, the white people of this COM
munity, wash to say to the friend that
is helping the colored people through
Booker T. Washington to build better
schoolhouses and foster education. in
dorse and appreciate the aid given the
colored people of this community.
| And this is the sentiment of all con-
| cerned.'
Thus in his new role the negro OF
Macon county is serving two gallant
ends. He is educating himself in the
larger duties of citizenship and is con-
verting the white folks to faith in edu-
cation of the negroes.