Oakland sunshine., 1915-06-05
PROGRESS. NOTED
AT OLDEST SCHOOL
ChrIstIdnsburg Industrial Instl-
tute Ends Term BrIskly.
GRADUATES NUMBER TWELVE

GRADUATES NUMBER TWELv We
Government Demonstration Agents At
tend Graduation Exercises and Prom
inent Educators Deliver Inspiring
Addresses to observation-disclosures
on plans For Social Bettsrinent.
Chrfstiansburg, Va.--The closing ex-
ercises Of the Christiansburg Industrial
institute will be held beginning May
16, when the annual sermon win be
preached by the Rev. M. l.. H. Barclay
Of Washington. On Wednesday, the
10Th, q conference will be held at the
school uniting In movement for so
cial betterment all sections OF south
west Virginia. At this conference the
president Of the Normal school for
white people and representatives from
the Polytechnic institute will be pres
ent. Representatives Of the United
States government In the persons OF
demonstration agents will also be In
attendance.
The graduating exercises will be held
Thursday, May 20, at which time DR..
r. e. Jones, editor of the Southwest
ern Christian Advocate, New Orleans,
win deliver the annual address to the
graduating class. The class to gradu-
ate numbers twelve persons, eight girls
and four boys, all OF Virginia. All the
girls have been trained In domes-
tic science, needlework and millinery.
Each one will make her own gradua.
ton dress and the hat to match It.
One Of the boys has completed the
course In blacksmithing and one In
carpentry; one will study for the min
istry, and the other one will teach
school All of the graduates will re
teach in the public schools Of Virginia.
The Christiansburg Industrial insti-
tute was founded by Captain Charles
8. Schaeffer as primary school for
colOred children and was one Of the
first schools In the south to offer In
struction to emancipated slaves. With
1t many schools In the south were aid
ed by the Friends Freedmen's asso-
citation Just after the close OF the war.
AS the southern states began to as
sumo the burden of the Negro's edu-
cation the Friends Freedmen's asso-
citation gradually withdrew its support
from the other schools, turning Its
property over to the counties In which
the schools were located and concen-
trating Its efforts on Christiansburg.
The success Of Hampton, followed by
that of Tuskegee, led the management
to believe that Christiansburg should
direct its energies toward the training
of the hands as well as the head Ac-
cordingly the Christiansburg Industrial
institute was provided with the neces-
sary equipment to make it an indus
trial school. The property Of the school
consists Of a farm of 1S5 acres and
eleven buildings. which. with the tools
and equipment, are valued at $4,000.
The present principal Professor e.
A. Long, has been connected with the
institution since 1897. He was treas
urer until 1906, when upon the death
of the former principal, the late
Charles L. Marshall, he was elevated
to the principalship.
Under Professor Long sixty-f1ve per
sons have graduated from the institu-
ton. A state summer school, which
has given instruction to more than 500
Virginia teachers, has been operated.
Since he took hold Of the school $780,
600 has been raised and put into per
manent improvements, an endowment
OF which amount Andrew Carnegie
gave $4,000. Besides this there has
been an average Of $4,000 year rails
ed for expense of maintenance and op-
Grafton, making $4,000 which has
been raised for this school during Mr..
Longs term as principal
The Christiansburg Industrial insti-
tute is fortunate in having as its man
ayers a strong board composed OF
DuSlACoo PAOANCoAoAes'
men Of Philadelphia and vicinity, one
Of whom is DR.. Isaac Sharpless, presi.
dent Of Haverford college. This board
meets once a month during the school
term. AS evidence Of their apprecia'
ton OF the services OF Professor Long
the following resolution was adopted
at one OF its meetings:
Edgar A. Long. who has been asso
ciated with the work at Christians
burg for ten years. has been appointed
principal. Under his efficient guidance
the work Of the school has made graft
flying success. We consider 1t very
fortunate that the school should have
had one at hand who has its interest
90 thoroughly at heart"
On another occasion the following
reference was made In the annual re
port OF the secretary:
FINALLY. but by no means least In
importance, we are fortunate In hay
ing principal who takes broad view
OF Negre education. He Is disciple
OF Booker T. Washington and thor
oughly believes and constantly teach
es that his people. like all other people
can only rise by doing well the tasks