The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-07-11

OGGldlluB Ahdb lhV plOblCbb VI Nv
colored race during the last half-cen-
fury has not been excelled by any
people, Henry B. F. mcfarland, for
mer commissioner of the District of
Columbia, urged the graduates Of M
Street high school, Armstrong Manual
Training and Cardozo and o Street
vocational schools to pledge them
selves to honest endeavors for the fur
Their advancement of their race.
Mr.. mcfarland was the principal
speaker at the joint commencement
exercises of the four schools, which
were held in convention hall at Wash
ington. The big auditorium was
packed with friends and relatives of
the graduates. Henry P. Blair, presi-
dent of the board Of education, pre-
sided, while members of the board
and James F. Oyster, its former presi-
dent, occupied seats on the stage.
In beginning his address former
Commissioner mcfarland referred to
he interest which the nation has in
the public schools of the District, and
declared hat further development of
the schools depends upon the mainte-
nance Of the organic act of 1878, un-
der which the federal government
contributes to the support Of the mu-
nicipality.
Il think the city is to be congratu-
lated upon the services of the men and
women of the board of education who
serve without pay" said Mr.. Macfar-
land. 81 I'm glad to believe that l
simply express the feeling of every
patriotic American the country over
who is intelligent enough to know
about the public schools of the Dis
trict of Columbia. ! have had reason
to believe that in the recent campaign
of education concerning the organic
act that there are all over the country
men and women who feel just as
strongly interested in education in the
District of Columbia as they do in
their W states and cities.
They regard the national capital as
an integral whole, like no other city
and would feel ashamed and disgraced
if the education given here was below
the standard that existed elsewhere
They do not divide the capital into q
national city, made up Of parks, build
ings and things that can be seen, and
a local city made up OF schools, a
health department and municipal serv
ices generally. They look upon this
national capital as one, and they wan
it to be in all respects the finest in the
world.
Fifty years ago FIVE per cent o
the colored race could ~read-now n
per cent. Fifty years ago no archi
tects or engineers or manufacturers O
mine owners were of the colored rae,
now there are thousands. FIT,
years ago there were no negro news
papers, banks, stores or other bus
nesses of similar character-now yo
have 400 newspapers Inc periodical.
"a banks, 100 insurance companies an
10000 grocery stores. Fifty years ag
there were no colored doctors, nurse
or dentists. Now there are so, 900 O
such professions. Fifty years agr
there were no farms owned by tn
members of your race. Now there ar
100000 farms, embracing more thai
10000, 900 acres.
Rejoicing as do at your pride Il
your race, rejoice to speak to 20
tonight as members of that great rae
"a race which is going to be create
in the future than it has ever been i
the past. The unparalleled record {
the negro race in the United State
ought to be to these young men an
women the greatest possible inspire
ton that can be given them"