The Twin City star., 1915-09-25


Spends Profitable Time In Studies at
Famous New York Observation-Disclosures
Good impression on Both Faculty and
Students at Summer School.
~ JOHN q. BRUCE GRIT"
Professor J. f. K. Aggrey Of Living
stone college, Salisbury, N. O.. who
during tho vacation season was sum-
mer student at Columbia university,
has been giving the faculty and his
fellow students in this great university
some tangible evidences Of the truth OF
DR.. Arthur MacArthur's statement
viz, "The Negro is born to scholar
ship" Professor Aggrey's industry as
a student, his splendid optimism, his
large faith in God and in himself and
his dogged determination to excel In
whatever he undertakes to do have
won for him the respect and admira-
ton Of his professors and his fellow
students, many Of the latter being
southern white men and women who
gladly acclaim the force Of his genius
and scholarship.
In appreciation Of his ability as q
clear thinker and Of his intimate
knowledge Of the habits and customs
Of the people Of the west coast Of
Africa, of whom he himself Is ma
tive son, having been born on the
Gold Coast, which has produced many
able and capable men, such as J. Men
sab Savbah and Casely Hayford, law
yers Of the first rank in the colony.
his instructor in sociology, Professor
r. n. Giddings. selected him during
the recent session of the classes to
submit q thesis for the seminar course
in sociology. He selected as his theme
"Liberia-A Brief Sociological Study"
which was q comprehensive and nlu
minating discussion of the social. re
ligious, Industrial and commercial Gus
toms Of the Liberians.
-. Professor Aggrey cited many In
stances to chow the great humanity Of
character, his respect and reverence
for native law, his keen sense Of JUS
tice, his respect for womanhood., de-
testation of strong drink and his de-
votion to his marital vows. Rape, d.
vorce and lynching are unheard Of on
the west coast save as the news of
these things is brought into Africa by
the American or English papers. An
other thesis submitted by Professor
Aggrey before his class in psychology.
Of which Professor Bisch Is instructor,
was, Course In Educational PsychOlo-
gy and Advanced Course For Super
visors, Principals and Physicians;s also
an intensive study In the diagnosis and
treatment Of exceptional children and
men.
On the study in eugenics the pro-
fessor showed. quite to the satisfac-
ton Of his hearers, that the Africans
have the larger knowledge Of eugenics
"a science as old as their civilization.
He alluded to the work Of the Poro
and Bunda societies, which is scien-
tifcally exact to the smallest detail.
For a thousand years or more the
African people have known and ap-
preciated the value Of eugenics and
have practiced it in the development
Of men and women who are as phys
ically perfect as it Is humanity pos
sible for them to be. There are NO
insane or inebriate asylums, no homes
for the feeble minded children or
adults on the west coast Of Africa be-
cause they are not needed.
Miss Mary Kingsley, who lived
among the Africans and In whose hon.
or the African society Of London was
organized, It Is said, was SO favorably
impressed with the splendid work
which the black women Of the Bunda
society were doing that she sought to
become identified with It. But this
had to be denied her because she was
white. No white man or woman pos
sesses any first hand knowledge of the
methods employed by either Of these
societies to give sound and healthy
bodies to human beings.
John G. Calhoun, who at his birth
was attended by q black midwife and
nursed at the breast Of q black nam.
my, had more brain and more personal
magnetism than q dozen Tom Dixons
or Ex-Governor Bleases. There's q rea.
son, but we won't tell.
1t Is gratifying to know that a men,
Der Of the race has made such an en-
viable record in one Of the greatest uni
versities In this country that not only
his classmates. but his professors. look
upon him as an exceptional man.
painstaking and industrious student. a
modest and refined gentleman. whose
quiet and unassuming manners are In.
1ications Of greatness and mental pow
ers of rare order,
Professor Giddings In a letter to the
writer Of this article. speaking Of Mr.,
Aggrey. says: HE is man Of ability
and ideas. His record at Columbia has
been excellent He should do impor-
tant work for his race. shall be much
disappointed II he does not" I think
I can safely tell this distinguished au-
thor and educator that he will not be
disappointed In this particular young
African II his life be spared, for he has
mapped ont his work. and nothing save
the grim reaper will preyent him from