The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-02-03
FESSENDEN ACADEMY'S
WORK FLOUR|SH|NG

years of its existence had occasion to |
speak in praise of the work being !
done for the colored youth of Marion
county and the state at Fessenden |
Academy. 1t has praised it because I
it has had good opportunity to OBJ /
serve how it is carried on and much /!
of its results, and is able to testify
that it is Of value not only to the
is of value to the colored people be-
cause it is great help to their boys
and girls to grow up into good men
and women, and of value to the white
people because every negro boy or
girl who becomes an intelligent and
industrious member of the commu-
nifty is just that much more value to
the body polite.
The system of education at Fes-
sender is essentially useful and up
lifting. All Southern people under
stand that the chances for negro boys
and girls to grow up in idleness and
viciousness are even greater than
those that threaten white children,
all exposed to temptation enough to
demand watchful care. Negro child
rem have fewer good homes in pro-
portion, their opportunities for edu-
cation and healthy amusement are
more limited; and so when we find
an institution that earnestly and eff
ficiently tries to counteract the evils
that must result from these defici-
encies, it is good policy as we'll as
justice to support it.
The Board of Public instruction
of Marion County has had the best
OF opportunity to observe the work
at Fessenden, and has shown it's
opinion of the institution by giving
it constant and considerable help.
1t has maintained its position for
years in the middle of a southern
community, not only without fric-
| ton with the people, but with their
approval and often with their as
sistance. 1t has sent out in this time
many useful men and women into the
world, helped the diligent to i'm
| instances counteracted the influence
OF Indifferent and even evil homes; ;
and as the officials of the state can
testify, no graduate of the institu-
ton has ever yet been found in the
criminal dock.
The editor of the Star had the
pleasure of looking over the school
Monday going out in the morning
from Ocala with the principal, Pro
lessor J. L. Wiley, in his auto. 1t
is hardly a depression from the main
text of this article to tell what an
extra careful autoist Professor Wi
| ley is. Obeying every regulation
and always ON the watch, not only
to guard his own machine, but OBJ
serve the rights of the weak and un,
skillful, he showed consideration
that should win him the good will OF
every autoist in the county by stop
ping twice and removing from the
road fragments of bottles cast there
the night before by careless ant
probably intoxicated people. He wa!
in no danger from the fragment
himself, but others might be- 1t ma,
be truly said that Professor Vile!
has observed this policy of consid 2r
alton for others ever since he tool
. charge of the school, and it is one o
. the principal reasons why the schoo
has prospered, and he holds the re
spect and receives the assistance o
SO many white men.
The latest improvement at Fessen
den is the new road across from tn
main highway to the academy gates
I Colonel John NJ. Martin gave! tn
right of way for the road thru hi
land, and the boy students of tn
academy are doing the work. 1t
hard work, too, involving the ggut
bing out large number of stump
and similar operations. 1t will 6
on until a broad, we'll hardeAe
highway runs from the public roa
to the door of the main aca9em
building.
1t was the busiest part of the da
, at the academy-10 O'Clock in tn
morning. The first department c
the school to be visited was tina
given to industrial training. In tn
building devoted to mechanic art
was found a number of the boys har
at work in the carpenter and black
smith shops. They We're making a
sorts of useful articles in wood an
iron. One thing the Star has refer
red to before, but it is we'll to refe
to again, is teaching the pupils i
woodworking to utilize scrap luu
> Der. Many a pretty and useful a.
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