The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-02
NORMAL INSTITUTE

Normal, June 1.-(Special.)- forty fourth annual commencement or the Alabama Agricultural and Me chanical College for Negroes closed 1 tonight with a stirring address on the problems and opportunities of the re- | construction period by John h. NC l Conico of the class of '9S. McConlco l has had business lines, but that he philosophizes deeply and breaches 1 sanely on the race question and the
 black mans part here in the south, l no one who heard him fast night could l doubt. The young negroes through : | out the south will do well to take Me- l Conico's advice, for he certainly is an able and far-sighted leader. under standing well the relations between the races and delivering himself most eloquently in his public addresses dealing with this subject. Those who have heard Booker T. Washington at his best and William H. Councill in his palmiest day agree that McConico bids fair to equal these late leaders. McConico urged his people to bestir themselves along the following maln lines: First. to free themselves rem selfishness; second, to be industriods,
 third, not to lose hope; fourth, to bend
 every energy to build up their respec-
 tive communities; fifth, to love their
 race. and sixth, to seek the co-opera-
 tion of the best white people in bring
 ing about better conditions. The
 speaker said. in part:
 "Wherever you cast your lot, join
 hands with the forces that are bat
 ting against sin and oppression. Mob
 violence is so fast destroying the pub
 lie conscience that public sentiment is
 rising in righteous indignation and has determined to stop it. Teach our
 people to respect law and order. Teach
 them to place such a value upon honor
 that the weakest black or white we
 man will be as safe in the wilderness as in the quiet privacy of her home. Have all men understand that when ever any man violates the sacred jewel of womanhood. no matter what his race, we want him hanged upon the gallows of Haman. but we want a judge and jury to send him there Lynchng a human being without trial is anarchy, treason. IS step TO overthrow government by the peorle and for the people and cannot be de- tended in the exalted forum of the human conscience White America, black America, the hour it at hand that the forces of righteousness must form in battle line. march out and strike lynching the final blow.
 McConico had studied the recor1s regarding the graduates of the various departments of the school from the very beginning and he found that from all departments. including academic. agricultural, household economies and mechanical arts. there had been 2266 graduates, of whom today practically one-fifth are teaching school, one-fifth are farming. one-fifth working at trades, one-fifth are keeping house and one-fifth dead and unaccounted for.
 The students who appeared on the programme showed that they had been carefully trained in their respective trades as well as in the books. Joseph 1 Gilchrist. who is finishing the normal school and printing at the same time, | discussed "The Advantages of Teach | ing Printing as Vocational Subject in the County Training Schools for l Negroes.'' Esquire Hawkins of the nigh school. who received a certifi- cate in pants making. gtve a demon- stration in renovating sGit of clothss to fit larger boy and iA making .