Evening star., 1924-06-07

The progress of the American negro
is one Of the marvels of modern his
tory. President Coolidge declared yester-
| day in a commencement address de-
livered at Howard University. While
the President complimented the race
as a whole, he reminded his hearers
that they have special responsible
ty and it is incumbent upon them to
help their people to maintain the
truest standards of character and un-
selfish purpose.
In this connection President Cool
idge told his auditors that the negro
community of America has already
so far progressed that its members
can be assured that their future is
in their own hands. Racial hostility,
ancient tradition and social prejudice
are not to be eliminated Immediately
or easily. But they will be lessened
as the colored people by their own
efforts and under their own leaders
snaiI prove worthy of the fullest
measure OF opportunity"
me President pointed out how the
colored race had grown in numbers
ana IN prominence. and furnished fig
ureS to show how members of the
race had progressed in business and
agriculture and in various other fields
of usefulness. He praised the colored
man and woman for their devotion to
the high ideals of the country, and in
conclusion declared I'VE cannot go
out from this place and occasion with
newal of confidence that in every
exigency our negro fellow citizens
viii render the best and fullest meas
ure of service whereof they are capa-
ble."
There was frequent applause as the
President delivered his address, which
consumed more than twenty minutes.
Cheering, handclapping and the wav-
ing of handkerchiefs and flags greet
ed the presidential party as it ar
center of the shaded portion Of the
campus where the exercises were
held. With the President were Mrs.
Coolidge, c. Bascom S1emp, his sec
retary, and his military and naval
aides. Hubert Work, Secretary of
the Interior, which department super
vises the university, and Col. Theo-
dore Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of
the Navy, occupied seats on the plat
form and made brief addresses, the
latter awarding the commissions to
infantry officers, Reserve Corps, class
of 1924.
The President sat next to DR.. J.
Stanley Durkee, president of the uni
versity, and during the interval be-
tween the time of his arrival and
the commencement of his address he
asked a number of questions regard
the institution. It was plainly evil
dent that he was impressed and in
terested. This was made more evil
dent from the earnest and serious
manner he uttered certain portions
of his message.
Secretary Works Speaks.
Secretary Work, under whose de-
partment comes the university. told
the graduates that more important
than the kind of ancestors he has is
the kind of ancestors you are going
to be-" He pointed out that there are
students in the university from every
state of the Union, and from twelve
foreign countries.
President Durkee presided and Rev.
secretary of the Association of Bap-
tist Churches, gave the invocation,
and Rev. Sterling N. Brown the bene-
diction.
The text of the Presidents address
follows in full:
"Mr. Durkee. members of the fac
ulty, the student body and graduating
class Of Howard University:
TT has come to be a legend. and 1
believe with more foundation Of fact
than most legends. that Howard Uni-
versity was the outgrowth Of the in
spiration of a prayer meeting. I hope
it is true, and I shall choose to be-
lieve 1t, for it makes of this scene
and this occasion a new testimony
that prayers are answered. Here has
been established a great university, a
sort of educational laboratory for the
production of intellectual and spirit
ual leadership among a people whose
history, If you will examine it as it
deserves. is one of the striking evil
dences Of a soundness of our civiliza-
ton.
"The accomplishments Of the colored
people in tho United States, in the
brief historic period since they were
brought here from the restrictions of