Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-19
A NEGRO NORMAL SCHOOL
II is Flourishlns In Delaware County
Under the Flnsaan system--More
About the Peppers--stephen
c. Fosters Centennial and 1'
the sesqui
by GEORGE NOx MCCAIN
SENAToR A. D. MacDADE conveys t

-
~ information that the Cheyney Training
School for Teachers, near Media, is func-
tioning admirably under the new arrange
ment.
wonder how many people in Pennsyl-
vania, outside the Society of Friends,
select number Of educators and the people
who live in the vicinity Of the school, know
just what the Cheyney Training School
really is7
It is time they we're enlightened.
Particularly, as Pennsylvania is one OF
the Northern States that lead in this system
Of education.
It Is an institution where colored students
may obtain normal school certificate
qualifying them to teach in any State in the
Union.
1t is n miniature Hampton Institute minus
the manual training.
II is normal school for colored students.
Within the last sixty days II has become
part of our State normal school system
and the facts are interesting.
1NHE Society of Friends conducted the
L school for years as private institution:
Today it has an enrolment of 10B colored
students of both sexes.
Its graduates are teaching in colored
schools through the South.
The Cheyney school property is estimated
to be worth between $3.50, 900 and $500, COO.
The State obtained the property for
$4,000.
When 81 was taken over by the State
Board of Education 1t became part OF our
normal school system
j do not know that the colored population
quite appreciates what that means:
1t means this, that the State Of PennMl-
vania, in education, has placed the bright
Young man or woman of the Negro race
in position to acquire the same training
as bright young man or young woman OF
the Caucasian race.
nR. THOMAS e. FINEGAN, whose poll
~ icy has been cloutcd and criticized
lnrgely by those who have not given the sub
lect consideration, Is responsible for this
improvement in the educational facilities Of
the Commonwealth.
1t was made possible by an enabling act
passed by the last Legislature, and it was
sponsored by Senator MacDade, of Delaware
County.
It was a part Of Governor Sprouts policy
to encourage the colored population to i'm
prove from an educational standpoint.
One of the most distinguished educators
of the country. DIR. Leslie Pinckney Hill,
is president Of the new normal school. He
Is graduate of Harvard.
DURD 8. PATTERSON tells me that an
- odd coincidence exists in connection with
our approaching Sesqui Centennial.
Mr.. Patterson Is secretary of the Western
Pennsylvania Historical Society.
He is also secretary Of the State As
sociation Of Historical Societies.
The coincidence lies in the fact that while
we are celebrating the l5Oth anniversary
VT our national Independence in 1925, the
State will have the opportunity of celebrat-
ing the Tooth anniversary Of Americas
greatest song writer Stephen G. Foster.
Stephen Collins Foster vas born on July
4. 1S20 and. MS Mr.. Patterson observes. IL
every other song. that he wrote were lost
to pOStCrity his name would live in Way
Down ON i" SuNan"C River.
Mr.. Patterson Is one OF the most untirlnB
workers on behalf Of our great exposition.
lie was the author Of II resolution unsni-
nOus'y adopted by the Historical Society
Of Western Pennsylvania indorsing the Ses-
quit Centennial and calling on the National
Government 70 aid Philadelphia i'll making
It n success.
As though this were NOT enough the So
clety pledged its aid in making the celebra-
ton in Philadelphia and throughout the
State n success.
Philadelphia needs few Burd Pattersons.
r HAVE received u communication from
l. a member Of the Pepper family, which
says: o..
I'm your article of January 10 on the
Pepper family you have made one error
it was William Plat Pepper who was largely
instrumental in founding the Pennsylvania
Museum and School Of Industrial Art.
''In fact, he was president Of both for
sixteen years until he resigned in favor OF
Mr.. Theodore Search.
1T was he and not DR.. William Pepper
who was officially connected with the CEN
tennial.'
can merely restate what said before,
that It was taken from the autobiography OF
DR.. Pepper published in 1898 by James S.
Mccartney in his Prominent Pennsyl-
vanians of the Nineteenth Century"
say autobiography because, like the Con-
gressional Directory and Smull's Leglsla-
tive Hand Book in which statesmen and near
statesmen write their own autobiographes,
the facts contained in the Mccartney his
tories were furnished by the subjects them
selves.
IL work in question:
: "He (Dr. William Pepper was medical
director Of the Centennial Exposition in
1876, and for his services in connection
herewith was decorated by the King Of
Sweden Knight Commander Of the Order Of
St. Olaf
"Dr. Pepper was largely instrumental in
founding the Pennsylvania Museum and
School of Industrial Arts and Is president
of the Free Library Of Philadelphia, of the
Philadelphia Commercial Museum, the cs-
tablishment and rapid development of which
is largely due to his organizing and admin
istrative ability; the Fouke and Long In
stitute and OF numerous organization con-
nected with the University"
William Platt Pepper, another dstin-
Guished member Of the family, was, during
his life, one Of the prominent citizens and
lending spirits Of Philadelphia.
He was cousin of DR.. William Pepper
1t Is entirely possible that the honor of
aiding in the establishment of the School
Of Industrial Arts was joint affair Of the
two gentlemen and that William Platt Pen
per's contribution to Its later success was
his able administration as president
Information from the family is that both
William Plat Pepper and DR.. William Pep
per were instrumental in founding the
annual charity ball, which has since become
an established institution for good in Phila-
delphia.
Mrs. William Plat Pepper still resides in
this city.
DR. ROBERT n. KEELY surgeon Of the
- school ship Annapolis, is In Paris.
.t,A..