The Arvada enterprise., 1924-02-21
LETTER FROM FORMER WHEAT.
RIDGE GIRL TELLS OF CONDI.
TlONS IN MISSISIPPI-WRIT-
Err is CONNECTED WITH COL.
ORED INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

"A letteT written ny DoflS JdHes,
former resident of the Wheatridge
community, to her mother, gives To-
cal friends an insight into her work
and the condition prevalent in south
ern states.
Miss James is connected with an
industrial school for colored people
at Braxtun, Miss, the school being
known as Piney Woods Industrial
school. The letter follows:
Piney Woods, Feb. 5, 1924.
Dear Mother:
III write you letter this morning
before I get busy with other things.
Was away from the office yesterday,
so can keep my hands off my work
for few minutes yet, I guess.
Last night just got back from a
very nice trip. We needed some bus
mess done down on the coast, at
Gulfport, and l was chosen for the
trip. It is 100 miles from here to
the gulf, down our own railroad and
all the way the road runs through
timber country. Some of it is clear
ed much more than it is around US
but still there are lots of pines ev-
erywhere and 4 good many live oak.
OF course, part Of it is swampy,
where tangled vines are so thick you
couldn't possibly get through. Other
places, the virgin timber is standing
but that Il not often. There are too
many lumber men in the country to
give much big timber q chance.
But, oh, the houses and the towns;
ne !.r saw such desolation in my
life! The towns are small, $50 in
ka ,itants or such, and nowhere Is
there anything but just that weather.
beaten gray look. The only bright
things on the landscape are the new
boards that the sawmills have just
cut, and the green pines in the back
ground. Really, I passed town after
town that way the whole way down
until it seemed to me I couldn't stand
to look at another one. OF course
the people in the towns are rather
queer looking. Most Of the men wear
broad-brimmed, whitish hats, not SO
big as a cowboy hat but much larger
than those Of fashionable size. And
their faces all have a sort of reddish,
uncouth look. And bright colors,
the negroes wear them some but no
more than the white people. But l
couldn't help but realize as saw one
negro girl appear on a cabin porch
to watch the train go by, clad in an
orange colored dress - well, what
wonder? She had to have beauty
My trip was happy one. was
only in Gulfport a part of one after
noon. but that included a trip out
along the gulf and the waves were
high. l had to wait for car about
fifteen minutes and so l had good
chance to enjoy it. But my trip was
to see some millionaire folks and Of
course enjoyed the inside Of their
house. l guess I'm like the rest of
The folks down here, get kind of
for pretty things, too. Then
did some more travelling, over to a
.own named Laurel. which is one of
he finest towns in the south and is
he outcome of lumber man who
rad dream of big things even after
he timber should have been cut off
md they would cease numbering as IA
business. His dream is about full
illed. There is cotton factory
here, or mill rather. where they spin
otton and there is furniture fac
ory and an incubator factory. The
roublc with the south has always
'een that they preyed on their ma
ural resources and did not bestir
themselves to develop any artificial
mes. Now their natural resources
re about eNhausted-the timber is
'rctty well cut off and there has
'ecn no reforestation, the boil weevil
'as put an end to the listless, easy
way of missing cotton. and the negro,
he cheap laborcr. has taken himself
o more fertile fields. and the south,
he poor south. groans in the grave
hey have made for themselves.
But this town of Laurel. or rather
he people behind it, have been wiser
han the others and today they have
Ill their public buildings in brick.
hey have n good hotel, and really
here Is no comparison of It and most
'ther south Mississippi towns.
got back to Ptney Woods last
light. just in time for supper. Get
ing back to Pincy Woods is always
questionable joy. You love it and
'ou hate 1t. | often wish | could be
III enthusiasm for Pincy Woods but
1t the same time | couldn't and be
.ane. It's like child of your own,
SUPPOSE; You wish you could think
perfect but your common sense
ellis YOU 1t isn't. But there are
ew great souls here in whom one
nay lose themselves. Outside Of
hat IT is much Of it opposition-op-
of primitive minds whom
'ou pity but long to shake. for they
tand in their own way so. SO that
his teacher will not let this other
eacher do something that might be
or the betterInent Of the school, be-
nuse the first teacher stands in au-