The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-08-21
JENKINS PLEADS CAUSE OF
SOUTH CAROLINA ORPHANS.
Sends Ringing Message to Governor
Cole l.. RIease From London.

The Rev. d. ]. jenkins, founder and
for twenty-three years president or the
Jenkins orphanage and reformatory
1T Charleston, s. c., addressed the fol-
lowing letter from London the latter
part of July to Governor Cole l.. Blease
of South Carolina in reference to the
work of the institution which DR.. Jen
kins represents in Charleston:
Hon. Cole l.. Blease, Governor of South
Carolina, Columbia, u. 8. A.:
Honorable Sir:-It Is sympathy and pity
that / have for the little waits and out
casts Of my race that forces me to write
you these few lines in their behalf. You
are the headlight of South Carolina. To
you the humble Negro must look for help
and comfort, and I cannot help but be-
lieve that If you are called upon in the
right spirit you win do your part in his
reform. In your many messages to the
South Carolina legislature and, above ALL
in your Virginia speech before the con-
ference Of governors, when you quoted
the words Of Jesus Christ when he said,
"Inasmuch as We have done it unto one
Of the least Of these, my little ones, we
have done 1t unto me-" this quotation was
made by you in behalf Of the many Grim
inals who were pardoned by your big and
liberal heart.
These expressions have never gone from
me- and as / went through DR.. Barnar-
dos home for orphan and destitute chill
dren, caring for 5000 boys and girls here
in London and vicinity; George Muller's
orphanage in Bristol, caring for more
than ], 800, saying nothing Of the Seamen's
Orphanage in Liverpool with its thou
xIa tpfa ma nj
in their behalf by the leaders Of the
country, my heart was deeply moved,
and I thought of South Carolina and
what II 1t were to back me in the work
to which have given the best labors OF
my life for twenty-three years. What
would be the result? I am troubled In
| my very soul when I see the provision
| made for these many children and think
| Of the hard, single handed struggle have
| had to go through for all these years to
| save the boys and girls Of my race. Be-
| fore day this morning the above quota
] tion made by you rang In my ears, and
thought that II the criminals were worthy
Of this expression from you how much
more are a little boy and girl left on the
cold charity Of the world entitled to your
sympathy!
| The salvation Of the south between the
white and the black man lies in the care
| full training Of the little colored boys and
! girls to become honest, upright and in
| dustrious citizens. 1t was never intended
by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ nor
| by any law Of God that children should
be jailed or put into the penitentiary for
| trivial offenses The schoolroom and rod
are better masters for their training. AS
| went from ward to ward in the institu
| lions and saw how the destitute children
| were provided for and what they are be-
ing taught I looked heavenward with a
| thnr fnr
| In South Carolina. I am interested in the
little boy and girl, because l believe that
| in their being trained we will have peace
| between the races.
Over ten years ago there were 536 juve-
| nile criminals in the state penitentiary,
which Is called a state reformatory SIM
ply because 1t separates the boys from
| the men. Last year I made a visit to the
Lexington penitentiary for little boys.
where there were 331, and / have been
| very much burdened ever. since, because
| I believe every one Of these boys should
| be saved and not be allowed to grow up
| as hardened criminals. I would to God
| that you should have another vision and
| open the door and turn out every juve-
nile criminal send them to the county
| from which they came and let them build
| reform schools and teach those boys to be
| honorable and Industrious citizens instead
Of criminals. If you will do this, sir. you
| will be called blessed by nations born and
| unborn.
Teaching the Negro to read, to write
and to work Is not going to do the white
! man any harm. The Negro who has
| worked harm Is not the one that has been
| taught In head and hand; 1t Is the ignor-
| ant Negro who has not been trained to
| make a living, and 1t is the Negro whose
head has been taught and whose hands
| have been left untaught. I have faith In
| the Napr0 if no ia tanQht n work I
convinced that II within twenty three
years / have been able to train 1000 boys
| and girls and have made something Of
| them much more could be done II / had
| the backing Of the governor and lawmak
| ers Of my state. l can point out boys
| that are good Woodworking citizens whom
| have taken from the lowest dives.
| have my band here with a party of twen-
| ty-eight inmates from my orphanage en-
| ployed by the glo-American Exposition
| company for ten weeks. They We're so
pleased at their musical talent and or
derby conduct that when the ten weeks
| were up they persuaded me to leave them
| until the close Of the exposition that they
would take good care of them and send
| them back to South Carolina.
| They said to me, IL l could not stay, to
| go back to my institution, and they gave
me ticket to South Carolina to carry on
| the good work among my race Nine of
| the councilmen of London called on me
yesterday and congratulated me on the
| work am doing for my race. l feel much
encouraged and believe that If boys taken
| from the depths of the lowest dives can
be taught and trained in such a manner
as to gain the respect of the people Of
| England how much more can be done If
the governor and lawmakers of South
Carolina would simply cooperate with
| me! II have said too much please par
don me- but l write you because I am
inspired and trust you will receive this
letter In the spirit in which | have writ
ten 1t. I remain your obedient servant.
d. j. JENKINS,
President Jenkins Orpha