The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-18
THE CALL OF THE NEGRO.
College for Colored Race Appeals to
Catholic America in the Cause OF
Christian Education-Ten Million
Souls to Be Won to Christ.


Souls to Be Won to Christ.
Reverend Charles F. Hannigan,
writing in THE Josephite," of the new
college for colored students at Rich
mond, Va, says in part:
after a struggle of twenty-seven
years an effort has at last been made
to provide Catholic college for the
higher education of negro youth at
Richmond, Va. 1t is called the Van
de Vyer College. This institution is
the only negro Catholic college in
America that combines higher acad-
emic studies for both sexes with do
nestle science, commerce, music and
industrial pursuits. 1t is now estab-
ished one year, and the remarkable
importing of students from the day of
it's opening up to the present time has
amply justified it's claims for exist
ence. For five hours the superinten-
dent and his aides labored registering
those DESTROYS of taking up one or the
other of the studies. The college rec
ords show an application list of 46
for the automobile department, 106 for
domestic science, 81 for instrumental
music, 4S for vocal training, 81 for
business, 271 for academic studies and
20 DESTROYS of special preparation for
civil service, pharmacy or a profess
sional career. We feel that this read
ing will be the silver lining of a dark
cloud that seemed to many to hang
like an immovable pail over their
hopes for the winning of those 10000
900 soul to Christ.
Is the Work to Go On?
And yet we have but launched
our enterprise. Is the work to go
on? Or is this giant infant to starve
to death and be pointed to as a
wonder that lifted it's head above the
earth for a while and for lack of nour-
ishment persisted? The Josephite
Fathers have erected this college with
simple trust in the Providence of God,
and with confidence in the charity of
American Catholics, who have never
failed to cooperate in the building Of
Gods Kingdom among men when once
they were made to understand the
need. In order to provide an oppor-
tunity to those anxious to aid in the
evangelization of the negro race, we
are anxious to obtain the cooperation
of 100 benefactors toward the found
ing of 100 burses. These burses cost
$1,000 apiece, and will for all time
assist our Catholic youth throughout
the South in securing the advantages
of higher Catholic education. Among
our other needs are $4,000 for a good,
up-to-date college library for the dis
semination of Catholic literature and
the housing of the best Catholic
authors.
Specific Needs.
"Our Automobile Instruction Depart
ment, which aims to turn out thorough
ly equipped mechanics, is already in
need of larger quarters, and the erec-
ton of machinery necessary for repair
work. A thousand dollars is urgently
needed for the proper development of
this department.
1.-THE Domestic Science Department,
the courses of which are probably the
most important we teach, is consider
ably hampered in it's development
through lack of an up-to-date cooking
room. Our plans in this department
are to give our students a five years
course in cooking and housekeeping.
The girls entrusted to our care are
anxious to be instructed in the tradi-
tions of BODYBUILDING. Home eco
Monies, so necessary for domestic life,
are unfortunately unknown among
vast numbers of our colored people.
If the colored people are to be an asset
in our country and factor in its hap
piness and development, much will de
pend on the thrift, domesticity and
virtue Of the mothers of the race. In
order to complete the equipment of
this important department, $1,000 is
needed badly.
Opportunities Slipping BY.
among the many plans for the flu
ture development of our college are the
establishment of technical and indus
trial branches. Inquiries are pouring
in upon us thick and fast concerning
these courses. 1t is painful for us to
be continually saying, No; we do not
teach that course. And yet for $1O,-
900 we could begin five such industrial
courses that would for all time draw
under our influence the chosen youth
of the race. May God move the hearts
of the readers of this article to con-
tribute toward the conquest of the
100000 who are separated from His
Church, not because they deny, but
because they do not understand"
Donations for this college may be
sent to the president, Reverend Chas
F. Hannigan, TOO N. 1st ST., Richmond
Va, or to this paper