The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1932-02-11

On Jan. l Negroes throughout the
United States held exercises COM
memorating the sixty-ninth anniver-
sary of Lincoln's Emancipation Pro-
clamation. Speakers predifully re-
ferred to the unparalleled progress
made by the race in religion, edu-
cation, health, citizenship, economics,
literature, journalism, music, art and
the stage. Perhaps the most roman
tic and significant of all is the his
tory of the Negro in education.
In 1860 nine-tenths of the Negro
population was illiterate. Twenty
years later only 80 per cent could
read and write. In 1882 80 per cent
are literate, the illiterate 10 per
cent residing largely in the Southern
states.
In less than the proverbial three
score and ten years more than 10000
Negroes have been graduated from
universities and colleges. The degree
of doctor of philosophy has been
conferred on more than thirty. The
number to receive the degree of mas
ter of arts is increasing yearly High
schools continue to grow in import
ance, numerical strength and at
tendance.
OF the sixty-eight Negro colleges
and universities all but four are un-
der religious denominational control.
The major work of some is yet ele-
mentary and secondary. Some $4,000
Negroes are engaged in the profess
sion of teaching.
To form a proper conception and
estimate of the Negroes onward
march In the realm OF education
since 1853 IL is necessary to indulge
in retrospeetion. The enslaved were
thought to work with their hands.
Most of them were field-hands.
Those who labored in the big house
often assimilated by association with
plantation owner and members of
the family learning and culture.
After emancipation it was the family
Bible with Its engrossing illustra-
tions that excited the interest of the
freedman and served as his first text
book in his historic quest for knowl-
edge.
The Bible and the church were the
pioneers of Negro education. The
Freedman's Aid Society, the Ameri-
can Missionary Association and the
New England Society were foremost
in opening schools and providing
white teachers. with the cooperation
of the churches. to the benighted
masses of the Southland. Howard
University, largest Al Negro insti-
tuition of higher learning. was estab-
lished by the Freedman's Bureau in
1867. Hampton Institute. first of the
country's renowned industrial schools
and mother of the internationally
famous Tuskegee Institute, owes its
inception to the bureau.
At the close of the Civil War the
American Missionary Association
Joined with several denominations to
give the Negro a schooling. The
Congregational Church, through the
society, spent $3O.00O.00O on Negro
education in the South, establishing
twenty-eight institutions. Fisk Uni
versity, Nashville; Atlanta Univer-
sity, Atlanta; Talladega College in
Alabama and Straight College, New
Orleans, are among the best known.
Some Inequalities Still Exist
The Presbyterian Church in 1854
founded Lincoln University, Pennsyl-
vania, oldest Negro institution of
higher education, and brought into
being at Charlotte, N. c., in 1868.
Biddle University. An incomplete list
of universities and colleges estab-
lished by other denominations in the
earlier years follows: Methodist Epis-
copal Church, Walden. Nashville.
1865; Morgan, Baltimore. 1867;
Greensboro, 1873: Baptist, Shaw,
Raleigh, 1865; Virginia Union, Rich
mond. 1865; Morehouse, Atlanta,
1907. D0Uo, XuiIIfor,. Noab,,;1Ia