The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-10-20
OBSERVATION ON A TRIP FOR
BARTLETTS CHOOL.


We left Dalton September 7th. As
we reached Higbee a slow, steady rain
was falling. We stopped here. We
found the way to the colored school
and found our old friend, Prof. Green
Thompson, teaching school. He seemed
to have very bright little school.
We next made arrangements for a
mass meeting at the Baptist church.
After securing a lodging place for the
time we were to remain in Higbee
we went back to the school house and
addressed the pupils. That days
work, was done. The next morning
dawned brightly, the rain clouds had
rolled away, the sun shone down with
its beauty and splendor and every
thing looked bright and prosperous to
man. We now set out to call upon
prospectus students for Bartlett school
at Dalton. We succeeded in interest
ing few students, who promised to
be at our school on the opening day.
We observed several Negro homes in
this town, little above. the average
for towns of that size. In the evening
we addressed large and appreciative
audience at the Baptist church. We
made strong appeals for industrial
education such as was being given at
the Bartlett school.
Our next stop was Armstrong. This
is abeautiful little town with a good
population Of colored people. The
churches seemed to be alive. We went
to the residence of our uncle. From
here we started to find prospectus
students and got the promise of sew
eral students who were anxious to get
an industrial education. We observed
that nearly all the colored people
owned their own homes. Some were
doing nicely. We found in this town
two churches and two lodge halls. The
churches seemed to be in spiritual
condition, being presided over by able
divines. Sunday afternoon we ad-
dressed the Epworth League at the
M. E. church. Sunday evening we
preached to large and appreciative
audience at the Baptist church. We
made a strong appeal for Bartlett
school in order that its colors might
float to the breeze!, -., n x ~.
Glasgow was our next. stop. We
made our way to the school house and
found the school in session, under the
leadership of Prof. Perkins. We here
addressed the school, touching on in
dustrial education and encouraging
the young Negro to 60 to Bartlett and
get good industrial education and be
able to enter any part Of the CONNER
cial world. E
We next set out to get prospectus
students and got the promise of sew
eral. Here we met Prof. A. R. Chinn,
who, after spending number Of years
in school work, has retired from the
business.
Slater was our next stop. At Slater
we found our old friend, Prof. Lewis,
teaching good school and having
good success. We found two who
said they were interested in industrial
education and were coming over to our
school. We found Slater to be good
little town for colored people. Sever
al colored men were employed in good
positions. Many owning good homes
and operating good businesses.
Our next stop was the Cow Creek
settlement. In this community we
found that the colored people owned
nearly all the land in the district, that
all the school board was composed of
colored men, who managed all the
school business of the district. There
are three Negroes in this community
who have recently bought automo-
biles Here we called the people to-
gether in mass meeting and made a
strong appeal for the Bartlett Agri-
cultural and Industrial School, the
farm life school of the state now offer
ing the greatest advantages to the
Negro youth of any school of it's kind
in the west, and got two students.
Our next stop was Marshall. We
found Marshall in prosperous condi-
ton. The Negroes are owning some
good property and are advancing rap
idly.
Onr nayt stor, wac Na1son Hora