The Colorado statesman., 1916-06-10
AFRO-AMER|CAN CULL|NCS

In an address delivered before the
graduating class of the night colored
nigh school at Houston, Tex, Prof
|. M. Terrell said in part:
The fact that the city of Houston
makes appropriations for the mainte-
nance of colored night school GER
tainiy has a significance which por-
tends good for the future relationship
or the race in this city. 1t further
goes to show that the tendency of
the governing element is toward a
greater and greater care and interest
in all of its citizens. Houston has
learned the lesson that its perma-
nence and growth, like that of any city.
rest in the highest intelligence and de-
Velopment of all it's people. And it
is gratifying to note that it's public
ofncials as well as its press are show
ing such broad spirit in their atti-
tude with respect to it's colored con-
stituency.
1t makes my heart glad to witness
this response which my people are
giving to the opportunities afforded
them in the night school. AS the
Post editorial so magnanimously said
recently, the white people of Houston
can no more get along and do not
want to get along without the Negro
than the Negro without the white peo-
pie.
While this is true, want to warn
you that we are less able to get along
without them than they without us.
And 1t is to our interest to make
ourselves more and more indispensa-
BILE by increasing our usefulness.
Nothing is necessary but what is of
use and value to the development and
progress of world civilization. And
the consciousness of this fact should
serve to inspire us to greater useful
ness both to ourselves and to the pub
lie generally. This graduating class
should be an inspiration to the whole
Negro population not only in Houston
but Texas. These men and women
realized the possible increase of
their value to themselves and to the
city by systematic training of their
minds and hands and they have had
the ambition and will to apply them
selves in order to secure it.
"As constituent of society, in an
economic way, each individual owes
1t to that society to become just as
great an asset as is within his ca
pacity to be. And the man or wom-
an who is unselfish enough to study
his relations and duties to the society
in which he lives, and seeks to ad
just himself Herewith in such way as
will promote the highest good of all,
is the most useful and is bound to Sc
cure the good will and praise of that
society. This statement has a sub
tie meaning and it is for you to
work out that meaning. | might en-
large upon it somewhat by saying that
the individual who would be satisfied
with a thing, whatever it was, upon
the sole condition that it suited him,
without regard to how 1t affected the
rest of humanity. is an unfit and un-
desirable citizen. This applies alike
to all men of all stations, every
where.
Il am glad that we have some among
us. as represented by the % persons
who have come up through the courses
of the night school to the point where
they are permitted to sit before us
to graduate, who have been broad
enough in their vision tc see that their
duty is not to themselves alone; and
that, although they have met with
obstacles and chad difficulties to sur.
mount. they have been willing to make
the sacrifice in order to make of
themselves more useful citizens. And