Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-10-22
COLORED Peoples DAY
At THE TAzEWELL FAIR
Major Motion, of the Hampton
Normal, Made Fine Address.
Was introduced to Large
Crowd by Fair President.

Colored Peoples Day, last Satur-
day, was a success in every way, and
the promoters of this innovation and
experiment, are not only satisfied but
gratified, with the result.
The weather was ideal, the attend
ance was good, and quiet, pleasant
day was had by the colored people,
and quite a number of white people,
who were present. 1t was estimated
that the number of white and color
ed people in attendance was about
equally divided, but this was perhaps
an overestimate of the white atten-
dance.
There were about 700 people present
from Tazewell, Bluefield and the
coal fields, and other points. The
whole fair was opened to them, grand
stand and all. They were we'll
dressed, quiet, orderly crowd. There
was no disturbance SO far as known.
Address of Major Motion.
The event of the day was the ad-
drsss of Major Robert B. Motion, the
Commandant of the Hampton Agri-
cultural and Mechanical Institute,
who was secured by the management
to deliver the grafton of the day.
The speaker spoke in the grand
stand and was introduced by Presi-
dent A. S. Greever, in short, but
very appropriate address. Mr.. Greever
said, among other good things, that
we may divide, roughly, the people
into two general classes, those who
lead and those who are led; those
who Think things and those who do
things. Both classes are necessary,
but we need men who can do as we'll
as plan, and such man is Major
Motion. He dreams dreams and then
makes them realities.
Mr.. Morton made u speech worthy
of the occasion and or himself. 1T
was along educational lines. The
addres urged upon the colored people
industry and morality. He said that
the indolent, dirty, low down negro
did more harm to the race than the
prejudice of the white people. 1t is
this character of negro who should
be looked after and put down.
The address throughout was witty,
eloquent, and uplifting. One citizen
of this town who has heard many fine
speakers pronounced this the finest
he had heard in many years. His
subject was Grace Pride and Efficien-
cy."
Other prominent colored men pres
ent were: Prof. Coleman, principal
of the Bluefield Colored Institute;
Prof. Long, principal of the Chris
tiansburg Industrial School at Chris
tiansburg, and R. E. Clay, of Britsol,
all of whom were introduced by Pres
ident Greever and made appropriate,
short addresses.
Major Motion and Hampton Institute.
A few lines further may be of gen.
eral interest.
Major Morton is 4S years old, a
pure-blood negro, born in Amelia
county. Va, graduated from Hampton
Institute in 1890, taught in the insti-
tuition several years, was elected COM
mandant, which is the same Office as
Dean in the colleges, which position
he holds now He is the chief exec
utive officer of the institution.
Hampton Institute.
Hampton Institute was fopRded in
1868 by General s. C. Armstrong, for
the purpose of giving the colored peo-
pie industrial and agricultural train
ing. 1t is co-educational. The insti-
tute has now 1900 pupils, fifty of
whom are Indians, and an endowment
of two and half million dollars.
This money has been given by indi-
svidual rich men of the North. The
school has military feature, except
that no guns are used. This peculiar
prohibition is due to the ruling of the
Board of Trustees, chief among whom
is Mr.. Carnegie, as well as the late
Mr.. Peabody, both of whom said they
would Withdraw their support if the
school used guns and encouraged war
spirity
Booker T. Washington graduated
here in 1875 and after teaching sew
eral years was sent to Alabama and
established the well known and sue
cessful school there.