Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-15
Booker T. Washington's
Work For Uplift of Race
Comes to End.
PASSES AWAY AT
TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE
Scene Of Successful Efforts to 30 Final
Resting Piaee-Thousands Of Ala
bama Residents to Attend Funeral
Services to Be Held Wednesday,
Washington Born in SIavery-Once
Guest at White House.

Tuskegee, Ala, Nov. 15.-Booker I.
Washington, leader of the negro people
Of America and principal OF Tuskegee
Institute For Negroes, died Sunday. He
was 56 or 81 years old. but none knew
the exact date Of his birth.
Altho he had been in failing health
for several months. Mr.. Washington's
condition became serious only las,
week. when he had a nervous break
down while In New York. He realized
the end was near, but was determined
had said often, Il was born in the
south. have lived there all my life and
expect to die and be buried there.
Accompanied by Mrs. Washington.
his secretary. and physician, DR..
washington left New York for Tuske-
gee Friday afternoon. He reached
home Saturday midnight and died at
4:40 o'clock Sunday morning. The fu-
neral will be held at Tuskegee Institute
Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. DR..
Washington is survived by his widow.
one brother, John II. Washington,
general superintendent Of industries,
three children and four grandchildren.
Born Slave in Virginia.
Booker T. Washington was born on
a plantation near Hale's Ford, Va, in
1858 or 1859. as lave. His father. about
whom little is known, Is believed to
have been slave from a neighboring
plantation. AS he had no last name.
he adopted the name washington"
when he frst went to school.
When the slaves were freed in 1865
Booker went to work In q coal mine to
support his mother and himself. He
beEars work att a In. the morning and
! left at 8 each day for a few, hours
study In the day school before he re-
turned to work.
Hearing two coal miners speak OF
Hampton Institute, Virginia, he walked
the whole distance, 500 miles, and was
| admitted to the classes. He did chores
and janitor work for his living and
worked summers as waiter.
In the late '70s he had few
months schooling in Washington. d.
c., and then was appointed teacher
in Hampton Institute. This was con-
! sdered great triumph for one Of his
; race. :.
Decides on Life Work.
| While in Hampton he conceived the
! idea, which he worked out in Tuske-
gee. of an industrial education for the
negro race.
| The Alabama legislature In 1881 ap-
| propriated funds for an Industrial
school at Tuskegee, and Booker Wash
ington was placed at the head OF the
| undertaking. AS the money appro-
/ priated could be used only for paying
] IL III
| rowed $3.50 to make first payment on
| a small plantation, and cleaned out the
| hen houses to serve as class rooms.
Starting with fifty students. he put
them TO work learning brickmaking,
and brick buildings were built on the
ground by the students. There now
the thousands of pupils and the
schools plant is valued at nearly
s2,OO0Ooo.
Guest at White House.
| An incident Of Washington's career
made him the center Of nation wide
discussion during the administration
| of President Roosevelt. He sat down to
lunch with the president at the White
] House either by formal or informal In
! vitation. There was q storm of protest
| from many quarters and some hostility
| was shown toward the educator aft
| erward.
DIR. Washington was honored by Har-
ward and Dartmouth with honorary
degrees, and was frequently called on
to address educational associates.
I; To Be Buried at institute.
Arrangements are being completed
| today for the funeral Of Booker T.
! Washington, who died here yesterday.
4 Funeral services will be held at the
! institute Wednesday morning followed
| by interment In the institute grounds.
The body Will lie in state al day to-
morrow. Thousands Of Alabamians,
prominent educators and others from
| other parts of the country, are ex-
| pected to attend the funeral.
Messages OF coincidence reached the
! Washington home here today from
thruout the country. While it is Of
ticially announced that the question Of
q successor will not be considered un-
! til after the funeral the names Of En-
met j. Yott, confidential secretary to
DR.. Washington; Warren Logan.
treasurer, and DR.. Ainsworth. business
manager of the institute, are being
l mentioned in that connection.
i