The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-05-06
FIRST CLASS FINISHES AF-
RICAN SCHOOL.

The first graduating class from the
Central Training School at Old
Umtali, the largest mission station
ana industrial training. school main
sions Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church In the entire continent, is
told by the Reverend e. H. Greeley,
OF that place. Just returned. Mr. Cree
ley has been at Old Umtali School
as a member OF the faculty and al
evangelist in the outlying territory
for the past thirty-three years and
has Witnessed the slow but steady
progress OF the mission Srorlx there.
The Training School at Old JJm-
tall was founded In its more elemen-
tary departments as far back as 1900"
SAID MT Greeley "and was enlarged
the early days the natives about us
were in the rawest stages OF heathen-
ISM, having had hardly any contact
with civilization and possessed Of none
Of the knowledge necessary to earn
ing successful livelihood from the
SOIL. Ihen Is was most rare to see
single Negro wearing even q shirt
In addition TO his loin cloth. These
people, many or them Of high stand
ard Of intelligence by nature. vera
m the grip OF the witch-doctors who
hAa developed set of superstitiouns
passed on fear of disease and the ma
l III ss nancy OF the spirits OF the departed.
Inese men practiced q crude mum1
merry against the spirits and knew
practically nothing Of the SIMPLEST
medicines. They taught that il
child cut its upper teeth first II was
cursed by the spirits and must ia
cast into the Jungle to die, or else
that II was a sign OF maternal perfidv.
that the informities of age were caus-
ed by the malevolence Of the spirits
ana the presence of aged attracted
the hatred OF demons. Old people.
SICK and ailing, were driven into tha
jungle to be eaten by wild beats or
TO perish OF thirst or hunger
Our mission work had to deal
with practically everything funda-
mental in the lives of these folk.
our mission doctor many natives wera
healed OF sickness and Infection In a
way that was marvellous to them.
Gradually the prejudice against us as
newcotuers and the opposition OF the
witch doctors was overcome A few
.of our black neighbors became Chris
tians and we started in to educate
them In better methods OF living, and
IN now to make q better living out OF
the soil. That Is one thing that Is
essential to successful mission work
to take care Of the Christians and
help them advance In material as well
as spiritual things to a standard
where they can surround themselves
with enough necessities to allow them
to control their lives in ways OF
morality and decency.
The school at Old Umtali has be-
come one OF the most potent influ-
ences in the/lfe OF the black native
OF that vicinity for development of his
latent powers OF mind an manage
ment The mission Yves started by the
Reverend DR.. Morris w. Ehnes, then
a new missionarary. now Treasurer
Of tn Committee en- Conservation and
Advance in charge of the $l00,000,000
Centenary movement of this dcnomi-
nation. Bishop Hartler OF Africa OBJ
tained from the British Government
an indefinite tenure of 1000 acres
OF tract land with a dozen small brick
buildings, which had once been the
town of Umtal before II was moved
to the railroad line. This area was
too large to manage then, so all but
1900 acres were turned back to the
Government IN exchange for farms of
that size at Vega, Mutambara, and
smaller plots elsewhere. In this way
the foundation was laid for vast
system of Agricultural schools and
demonstration farms through which
the natives could be taught the means
of earning decent living instead OF
their scanty one from the rich soil.
In the years that have passed liter
ally hundreds and thousands OF black
men and women, young and mature,
have come to these SCI, coils, learned to
read and write their own language
and English, learned to do all the
household things that are 50 simple
to the people OF America and Europy
bur the great mysteries to unciyilizeu
people however bright they might pc.
Mary OF theese people learned fast
And everyone who learned a few
thoings wanted to go back and teach
his people. In this way simple learn
ing Of all ksnds spread rapidly The
use OF the white mans farming inn
plements spread far and wide. Young
men who attended our schools Went
home and built square houses with
windows and doors of sundried brick,
with chimneys ana first-plaee. earn
ed money In various ways ald ssoehso
their homes with dishes and COM
forts Of one kind or another. Ihey
could work as carpenters, as farm
as herdsmen' and other employment
peculiar 70 condition there.
Today Old Umtali ID q great center
of native life and culture. With ABOUT
Twenty-Five white M sslonaries In US
enrolment, It has F.hoois OF younE
men and young women totaiiing ~
Continued on page 81