Evening star., 1931-04-15
PRESIDENT PRAISES
WORK OF TUSKEGEE
Hoover Delivers Radio Ad-
dress to Alabama Institu-
tion on Anniversary.

The progress of the colored race in
this country with the abolishment OF
slavery has surpassed the most sanguine
hopes Of the most ardent advocates
President Hoover declared late yesterday
in a speech on the occasion of the OBJ
servance of the hftieth anniversary OF
the founding Of Tuskegee Institute, al
TuSkegee, Ala.
Mr.. Hoovers address was spoken into
a microphone on his desk in the White
House and broadcast by radio through
out the land. He spoke briefly but with
unmistakable feeling in praising the
colored people for their rise during their
more than 60 years of citizenship and
freedom, and for their contribution to
the general prosperity and progress OF
the country at large. He eulogized in
the highest terms all that the late DR..
Booker T. washington, founder Of TuS-
kegee, did in the advancement of his
race, and DR.. r. r. Motion, DR.. WASH
ington's successor as head Of Tuskegee.
Made Great Advancement.
In emphasizing the progress of the
colored people Mr.. Hoover pointed out
that no group of people in history ever
and cultural destitution. He then called
attention to what the colored people
have done in their advancement, saying
that within their so years of citizenship
they had multiplied their wealth more
than 130 times, reduced illiteracy from
95 per cent to 20 per cent, reduced their
death rate by one-half, risen to the
ownership of more than 100000 homes,
accumulated property to the value of
billions, developed a far-reaching net
work Of social, religious and economic
organizations for the continued ad-
vancement Of the members Of the race,
and have produced leadership in all
walks of life.
The Presidents address was delivered
as part of the golden jubilee celebration
of the institute at TuSkegee, where
elaborate ceremonies took place.
1t was announced In TuSkegee by DR..
Motion that $760,000 Of the $1,000, 900
f1ftieth anniversary fund for perma-
nent improvements had been raised.
Students Found Busy.
Many visitors poured through the
grounds of the 100000 institution,
which has more than 100 buildings
The entire property has an extent of
10000 acres of public lands.
These visitors inspected the institution
which the students themselves have built
curing the last fifty years. Everywhere
the guests saw the 1900 boys and girls
busily engaged in work. Innumerable
times the spectators commented on the
quiet bearing and attitude of orderly
purpose of these students, most of whom
came to Tuskegee from the cotton fields
OF the South. Tuskegee, they learned,
has fully twice as many applicants as
1t can accommodate, but there Is one
kind of applicant who is never encour-
aged; that is the boy who says he has
money sufficient to pay his way and
wishes to take only the academic course.
Booker T. Washington always held to
the glory of work. and the possession of
money will not exempt a student at
Tuskegee from the useful labor" which
forms part Of the curriculum.
Two Glasses of Pupils.
The student body is divided into "day
school students" and might school stu
dents" The night students work all
day at any kind of task they are called
upon to do. They receive their board,
clothing and home; they pay no tut
ton, but are paid for their labor, the
amount being placed to their credit.
When they have accumulated $50 they
scholars comprise the bulk of the stu
dent body. Each pays $40 a year. AL
Of these students work every other day
at manual labor or at some useful trade.
They make bricks and mortar, attend
to the schools farms, care for the herds
of cattle. build the institutes new
houses, cook and serve the food, make
beds, wash and sweep floors. Tuskegee,
DR.. Motion holds, is "a demonstration of
the Negro'S capacity to maintain a self
sufficient community"
"The popular mind" he declared,
"still persists in associating the Negro
with limited field of activity. 1t re-
mains an indispensable service to con-
vince the Nation that there are within
the race capacities for functioning in all
fields, whether Of economic, industrial,
commercial, financial, professional, ar
tistic or social endeavors."
Students at Tuskegee rise at $50
o'clock in the morning. Literally they
work and study from sun to SUM-" None
the less, they seem contented lot.