The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-05-13
Nominate Theodore Roosevelt and WSomebody Else and Wilson
FROM oYsTERMAN AND FARMER
TO coMMANDANT.
Story Of Allan w. Washington Of
Hampton Institute.


big Boyi" This is the affection
ate nickname which the Hampton In
stitute students have for Allen Wads-
worth Washington, now the associate
commandant of cadets, who is official
ly known as Captain Washington"
and will be the successor of Major
Robert r. Morton, who, in turn, is the
well-known phincipal-elect of Tuskegee
Institute.
Growing boys are keen judges of
character and whom they follow others
do well to understand and appreciate.
Testing Education by Results.
Some years ago it used to be said
that If Hampton had done no more
than train Booker T. Washington, it
would have paid d-for. itself many times
over. Recently the Nation, especially
the South, has been rejoicing that Ma
jor Motion, another distinguished
graduate of Hampton, would soon take
up DIR. Washingtons heavy burden at
Tuskegee. Today the friends of
Hampton and of Negro education are
ASJOANlhS lIllI duOlllCl btil-Ulduc,
Hampton man, Allen Wash
ington, will become the commandant
of cadets at Hampton where he was
graduated in 1891-a product of the
pioneer of Gen. Chapman Armstrong.
Allen Washington came to the
Hampton school on the lower penin-
sula of Virginia from Gloucester coun-
ty-a county well known on account
of the large percentage of Negroes
who own their farms and their homes;
Negroes who are law abiding and
thrifty; Negroes who have won the
respect of the best white people be-
cause of their industry and good char
acter
Starting Work as Student.
Allen Washington entered the Hamp-
ton Institute in September, 1885, and
became what is called a work stu
dent" that is, he worked by day at
manual labor and then went to school
for two hours on five nights of the
week. In 1889 he finished the har-
nessmaker's trade and then spent two
years in the Hampton day school aca.
demic department.
After his graduation, Allen Wash
ington was employed by day in the
harnessmaking shop and by night he
helped in the commandants depart
ment. During the next year he spent
one-half of his day in the harness shop
and one-half in the commandant's Of
flee. Little by little he became more
active in the disciplinary work and
saan found his full stride in handling
boys-handling them with sympathy
and still with firmness.
Negro Leadership.
How does a colored man handle his
own people? To answer this ques-
tion, so far as Captain Washington is
concerned, is to say that here is a
man who is ready to explain to the
boys why it is necessary for them
to obey certain rules; here is friend
and adviser, who, with all his kind
ness, cannot easily be hoodwinked;
here is an administrative officer who
is willing to explain with calmness
what is what and is then prepared to
insist that boys must do their part to
maintain the high standards which
have characterized Hampton for near
ly fifty years.
A Big Brother in Action.
Captain Washington is, indeed, a
big Brother" to the 500 Negro and
Indian boys who are being trained at
Hampton for leadership in school
teaching, farming and mechanical in
dustries. He is friendly but emphatic
in hi administration of discipline. He
is willing to put the facts squarely to
boys and he expects them to do their
best. Even when he has to send away
an occasional boy, he gives the best
kind of advice and has in this way
started many boys on higher path.
Allen Washington's career is typical
of thousands of Negroes who, during
fifty years of freedom, have emerbed
from a very simple life to take their
places as leaders in a complex civiliza-
tion.
Leading and Serving
As an officer of the Hampton School,
Captain Washington has taken part in
many educational and financial meet
ings which have been held to create
new interests in Negro education. He
has travelled far and wide speaking
on behalf of Hampton and the ideas
for which Hampton stands, He knows
the South and conditions which his
people face. He was one of DR.. Wash.
ingtons closest friends and associates
He has taken an active part in the
constructive work of several Negro
organizations which aim to promote
race relations.
Captain Washington is treasurer OF
the Negro Organization Society of Vir
ginia, which is carrying to over 100000
Negroes the message of Better
Health, Better Schools, Better Farms
and Better Homes" and financial sec
retary of the Hampton Institute Alum
nj Association. He is also president
fthe Summer Literary Society which
is composed of colored men and won
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