The Omaha guide., 1935-06-29
Motion Regime Covers
Years of Constructive
Progress
By G. Lake lines, Secretary Of
Tuskegee Institute For A. N. P.

As the last notes Of the Tuske-
gee Choir, resounded through the
spacious Logan Hall, bringing to
a close the 1934-35 scholastic year
Of TuSkegee Institute. there also
came to a close the second act Of
Americas great educational
drama, entitled "Tuskegee Insti-
tUte" and with it the administra-
ton of Robert R. Motion, its
second President and successor to
the world renowned Booker 7.
Washington.
Behind the retiring President
lay 20 years of constructive ach-
ievement, marked by the rehabi-
litation and enlargement of the
plant to almost twice its previous
size the expansion Of its course
of study from high school to col
lege grade; the increase Of its
endowment to more than four
times its previous volumn; and
the spread of its influence in edu-
cational racial and social develop
ment from its native soil to those
far-flung regions inhabited by
vast populations Of underprivileg-
ed peoples.
Enlarged Plant
DIR. Motion entered upon his
duties as President of Tuskegee
Institute, in December 1915. He
had been in office less than a
year when a disastrous fire COM
pletely destroyed the Boys Trade
Building, which was educational
ly the very center Of Tuskegee's
life, a rambling structure that had
grown by successive additions to
house the latest courses in the
Trade School. In two year time
through the zealouss efforts Of
the new President, on the spot
where the old build stood were
erected five new fire-proof build
ings at a cost of $350,000, with
the best equipment available at
that time for purposes of instruc-
ton. Soon there was pressing
need of a new girls dOrmitOry
and James Hall was erected at a
cost Of 100000; after that a new
dOrmitory for boys was erected to
replace the old wooden barracks,
at a cost of about 100000.
Meanwhile new buildings were
added for the Agricultural De-
partment Of Women's Industries,
from the gift Of George Eastman,
made just before the passing Of
DR.. Washington.
For years the water supply was
an ever-recurring problem at the
Institute until finally new walls
were driven, a new reservoir con
structed and the Institute was
furnished with a water supply
not only adequate for its daily
needs but for emergencies Of fire
and drouth. Following the speci-
al campaign for endowment, per-
manent improvements and operat-
ing expenses, three more new
buildings were added to the
school, a library costing $250,000,
a science building at the same
cost and an auditOrium-gymna-
SUM, which with its equipment
and general l%andscaping cost
nearly 100000. Once more fire
visited the campus, which aside
from minor repairs, made neces-
sary the rebuilding Of a girls
dormitory at a cost of about $780,
600. Altogether DR.. Motions adj
m~inistrtaiOn has seen the addition
to the plant of as many minor
buildings as graced the campus
when he came which, with lesser
additions and improvements has
more than doubled the value of
the material equipment Of the in
StitutiOn.
Curriculum is Raised
All the time progress was be-
inc made in the educational pro-
gram. When the first admins
trauisn closed T~uskegee's work
was on the high school level with
a few students registered for what
was called postgraduate courses.
Eight years ago college courses
were introduced with a view Of
raising the original vocational
work from the high school to the
college level. Today two-thirdS
Of Tuskegee's students are regis
tered in the college and pursuing
courses leading to the bachelor of
science degree whether in agri-
culture, business education, home
economics, nurse training or me-
chanical industries.
Tuskegee keeps her enrolment
for the regular session at some
thing Ike 1900, the limit of her
dOrmitory capacity. Many humid
dreds are turned away, either for
want Of Accommodations or for the
lack Of funds to aid them; but
A. Ior,,,I So +b;- 49, e -