Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-12-17

OUR Leader uoURuED.
Simple Burial Services--M
Tributes from Distinguished
Citizens
Program CT Services,


At high noon Tuesday the remain
of the distinguished Negro leade
were placed into hearse driven b,
students and escorted from 9Th
Oaks" by Vice Principal Warren Lo
gan and Secretary Emmett J. Scott
and guard of forty-four officers O.
the student battalions to the institut,
chapel, where it lay in state unit
Wednesday. Thousands gazed int,
the casket where the dead chieftair
lay.
At twenty minutes after ten Wed.
nesday morning a procession line
composed of trustees, faculty, alumni
visitors, honorary and active pail
bearers, and students began to move
slowly from ''The Oaks" toward the
chapel. The line was long and moved
to muffled drums; but the procession
ended at last.
Inside, the building was packed to
suffocation. Chaplain John W. Whit
taker and Dean G. l.. line of the
Phelps Hall Bible School, conducted
the exercises.
Softly the choir began singing a
Negro melody: eve Shall Walk
Through the Valley and Shadow of
Death in Peace No songs were so
sweet to DR.. Washington as these
melodie Of his race. Before the sweet
ness of the song had dissolved, the
chaplain was informing the simple
words Of the most simple burial SER
vice and the choir rendered Cardinal
Newman's deathless classic-"Lead
Kindly Light Amid the Encircling
Gloom"
Here prayer was made by DR.. H.
B. Frissell, president of Hampton In
stitute, and one of DR.. Washington's
former teachers. Once more the choir
sang a melody, this time two in num-
Der, ''Tell All My Fathers Children
Don't You Grieve For Me-" and
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and the
tears were falling fast.
"Taps' Are Sounded.
At this point Secretary Scott read
telegram of consolation from Presi-
dent Seth Low of New York, of the
board Of trustees, in which the sup
port of that body was unqualifedly
promised to the school and it's
friends. Trustee VIM. G. Wilcox Of
New York next brought a strong mes
sage of encouragement.
Still, Still With Thee" was next
the benediction pronounced
and the casket and audience moved to
a vault, just outside of the chapel
and specially constructed for the sad
purpose Of the day.
Briefly the last words of the burial
service were said, the institute band
master stood at the head of the vault
and sounded "taps" and a heavy
hearted crowd turned slowly and sad
[y away from the tomb of their
prophet.
An unusual honor was accorded this
leader Of his people by Mayor E. w.
Thompson of the town of Tuskegee.
Mayor Thompson personally carried !
4 petition to all the business houses
If the town and asked them to agree
10 close their stores during the funer-
al services. All were glad to do so.
Throughout the town there was .
general sadness and there were none
who had aught but the kindest words :;
about DR.. Washington's life.
A Pathetic Incident. |
But most pathetic of all was the !
sight of the humble and unlettered
:olored people Of the cotton fields who
literally packed the school grounds.
They had sustained loss which they
lid not know how to voice. You could
zee them looking into every face near
hem for encouragement to say how
much they were hurt and would miss
heir devoted friend.
Unless the visitors Wednesday had
'een with DR.. Washington through a
luaretr Of a century and observed
low much he loved these simple poor
# his race, how anxiously he worked
o help them, he could not understand
low broken-hearted these older COL
red people were. In the past, when
hey have come to Tukegee, DR..
has treated them as if
hey were princes. They were think
ng of this when they gazed for the
asst time upon his silent form.
One old couple, themselves near the
unset of life, walked long, long dis
ance to be here. Piteously, the man
approached one of the instructors and
With trembling lips and eyes that
verAowed asked: "Do you reckon
hey will let US see Booker?" and he
urried to explain: eve have come
o fur jess to see him de las time. Do
ou reckon they will mind us looking
t him." They were especially es-
orted to the casket and given their
carts desire; for DR.. Washington's
owe for them when he was here can
ct be described.
Remarks of Mr.. Scott, Secretary.
AT the funeral the only words spo-
EN-, aside from the officiating minis
ers, We're the following remarks by
IT.. Scott, secretary, prefacing the
eading of Mr.. Lows telegram, and
II. Willcox's message from the board
f trustees.
Mr.. Scott said: