The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-02
HOWARD WORTH.
MILLIONS
HERE
Students and Faculty Spend
$2,2So,oo0 Yearly in City,
Professor Finds.
By DIR. j. STANLEY DURKEE,
President Of Howard University.

By DIR. j. STANLEY DURKEE,
President Of Howard University.
Last year I made a careful
analysis Of the worth OF Howard
University to the city Of Washing
ton from q financial standpoint.
Taking the great body Of profess
sors and students, numbering near
~ 5000, I examined into the spsnd-
ing of this group OF people in
clothing, food, shelter. etc., anc
found by an actual summation that
Howard University Is worth TO the
city of Washington every year
about $2,260, 900. And yet, for our
campaign for the medical school,
the city Of Washington, outside Of
the cooperation Of one or two
noble soulsA gave only about $500.
We made q desperate plea
through the Government for money
for buildings that we might be able
to accommodate the young medical
students who applied for instruc.
ton. The Secretary Of the Interior
gave his heartieSt cooperation. The
President Of the United States
spoke Of the need in his message
to Congress. The bureau Of the
budget permitted the bill to pass,
and yet the Government turns 1t
down, and not only the plea for
the medical work alone. but throws
out the mere pittance of 100000
in an attempt to absolutely crush
the university life-for without
that money the university cannot
go forward.
Record Astounding.
Practically one.ninth of the popu.
lation Of the United States are
colored people. Intellectually this
in q quarter Of a century. Sta
tistics showing the reduction Of
illiteracy since the Emancipation
Proclamation are perfectly astound.
ing. The race now numbers
nearly twelve millions.
The minimum yearly need Of col
ored physicians to actually meet the
public health situation in America
is 500, and this should be kept up
for seven OF eight years. Then it
could be dropped to a lesser mum Der.
The remarkable migration of the
people, causing such violent
change In environment, demands
medical care that, II not given, will
in q very few years cause an alarm
ing situation in the health standing
in this country. The inhuman
oVercrowding Of some Of our North.
ern and Western cities since the
migration produces a problem in
Sanitation. in hygiene, and curative
medicine such as to make one VINO
knnTVA fhA ToRfa oAfIl01lNY utO
and grow afraid. At the same time,
with closed eyes we are rushing
forward as II all were well.
Religious Need Great.
The religious need Is even greater
than the physical. The hungry
minds of these men and women are
being fed, but the souls are being
neglected. For instance, there are
$4,000 colored churches in America.
After most careful analysis dis
cover that 1000 trained leaders
should graduate from schools Of re-
ligton each year in order to keep
the spiritual guidance Of the race.
My inquiries led me to conclude
that less than 100 such men grad
uate from all the schools Of relig-
ion in America, and Of that number
less than a dozen are college bred
men. How shall the intellectually
trained youth Of the race be guided
spiritually, unless there be spiritual
leaders with an equal or superior
training?
have plead with the American
people to furnish means enough 90
that the Medical School at Howard
University might cope with the
health situation, but, alas, the ear IL
dulled. and 1t win not hear.
am giving body and brain and
soul to the task Of the appeal for the
school Of religion. which school can.
not receive one penny Of Govern.
ment appropriation. My wonder Is
IL America will be content to 60
on as she Is, some day to reap the
results Of such inexcusahle indiffer.
0nCA.