The Denver star., 1916-06-24
In up From Slavery Or. Washing

"In the milst Of all the difficulties
which encountered in getting the lit
tie school started. and since then dur
ing period of nineteen years. there
are two men among all the many
friends of the school in Tuskegee upon
whom ! have depended constantly for
advice and guidance. and the success
of the undertaking Is largely due to
these men, from whom l have never
sought anything in vain. l mention
them simply as types. One is white
man and an ex-slaveholder. Mr.. George
w. Campbell; the other is a black man
and an ex-slave, Mr.. Lewis Adams. l
do not know two men whose advice
and Judgment l would feel more like
following in anything that concerns
the life and development of the school
than that Of these two men,"
Needless to say Mr.. Wright W.
Campbell has stood by DR.. Washington
and the school with the same devotion
and sacrifice as did his noble father
might mention also such men as Mr..
Hare and scores of the other white and
colored people in this county and state
" uo Ntl' hiS' Vel hluo, hpdthStN
and generous in those early days of
this school, and I am glad to state that
they are equally SO today.
Seed Of New Corporation Bear Fruit
The experimental seed Of this new
cooperation. which was planted In 1881
by Mr.. Campbell and which during
thirty-four years was wisely, patient
lr nd l.v- ta1lI MIR II rod hv lr Wash.
ington, has grown into a genuine real
ity in racial cooperation and helpful
ness here Mt Tuskegee. 1t has far ex-
ceeded the most sanguine expectations
Of fifty years ago.
This unseltish working together of
the white and colored races was truly
Of very great Importance, but it was of
equal Importance to prove what was al
that time very seriously doubted
whether there could be developed with
in the Negro race any forceful. unemo-
tional, husinesslike, harmonious work
ing together. This was mooted ques-
ton and one about which there was
much real though often kindly sympa-
thetic skepticiSm even among our own
people.
DIR. Washington. believing, as he al
ways did. in the possibilities of this
race, set out to prove that the Negroes
could work together and under Negro
leadership. too. in educational as we'll
as in business organizations. The sue
cess which those who compose the mem.
bership If the National Negro Business
league have had was to him a reward
Of genuine satisfaction for his faith In
his people
Men Who Have Conquered In the Fight
While he always sought the advice,
criticism and help Of the white race. he
drew The color line" when it came to
the actual work of the institution. How
well he succeeded is too self evident
for comment. These grounds and
buildip,S. the consecrated lives and
wortv1fnc men and women wfrom he
gathered about him here are eloquent
and convincing evidence of the wisdom
Of mis- course. think now of such
workers as Mr.. Lewis Adams and Mrs
Adclla II. Logan. who. like our leader,
have conquered in the fight
We have with Us still such faithful
workers as Mr.. Warren Logan and Mr..
John Washington, who were willing,
with DIR. Washington, to bear the bur
den and heat of those early days
these my friends. with many others Of
the pioneer as well us the present days,
because of their service and sacrifice
have made possible the Tuskegee insti
trte OF today. not merely the grounds
and buildings. not even this splendid
body Of students, but transcendingly
more significant and beautiful. they
gave MS the "Tuskegee spirit'-the
spirit of cooperation and conservation.
That spirit was not and it could not
be confined to this campus. 1t is equal
ly as manifest in the lives and work Of
the thousands OF graduates and former
students. such as William ]. Edwards.
W. II. Holtzclaw. Edgar A. Long and
Cornclia Eowcn who are but types Of
hundreds of others. They. like our
great teacher. are working earnestly to
bring about II clearer and better un-
Outstanding between the races, hasten
ing that far OF divine event toward
which the whole creation moves.
Or. Washington as q Prophet and Seer.
Dr. Wnshingtons ideas OF education
appeared so simple, SO unconventional
and even unacademic. so vastly diner-
eut from what had previously been ex-
pectcd of an educational institution.
that he was often misunderstood. His
mcthC DIS and motives In some quarters
were candilly questioned by honest
people. especially by members OF his
own race. This feeling took such form
~ would discourage and hamper an
ordinary man. but with Or. Washing
ton. who was truly Il prophet and 4
real seer, such opposition served only
to spur him on to greater and more per
.iSiput efforts