Evening star., 1937-08-15

remain in the bill. This passed the
Senate"
Then there WAS the matter OF hav-
Ing the conferees on the bill agree to
this item" Mrs. Murray continues.
Literally with my courage in my mind
and my heart in my mouth, l went
one evening after dinner. without an
appointment. to the home OF the late
Justice Pitney OF the Supreme Court,
who WAS then Representative in
Congress from New Jersey and one
OF the most powerful of the House
conferees. He permitted me TO see
him and. after 1 had stated my
errand, agreed to give 1t his support,
and the appropriation authorizing
$4,000 for colored kindergartens re-
manned part of the bill which was
agreed to by both House and Senate. ;"
This was in 1904. Mrs. Murray had
attained hardwon goal in the course
of 10 years.
Later Senator Allison again agreed
to plea of Mrs Murrays that a
course for training kindergarten
teachers be incorporated as a feature
OF the Miner Normal School, now the
Miner Teachers College, where it has
since continued.
Background UnsuaI.
Mrs. Murray's family background.
immediate and antecedent, is an un-
usual one.
Her youngest brother, the late DR..
Wilson Bruce Evans. was for many
years principal of the Armstrong
Manual Training School here in
Washington and director of the Sum-
mer School at Hampton Institute.
Like herself, he was one Of l3 chill
dren to whom their parents made
possible college education at Oberlin
College.
Her mother was the daughter OF a
French woman, whose mother, in
turn, was born in Guadalupe A
grandfather's mother on the maternal
side was half-bree Indian of the
Croatan Indian tribe, noted for its
friendliness to the white race at the
time Of Virginia Dare. first white
child born in Virginia.
From her father she said there is
a heritage Of courageous conviction,
and from her mother the inculcation
that Education Is a pearl Of great
price by which you will be able to set
yourself free in your environment,
wherever that may be-
The five of her seven children who
yates. Daniel. violinist In New York
City, is a graduate OF Oberlin; George
H. teacher Of commercial subjects
in the Commercial High School, grad
uated from Harvard University with
President Roosevelt. Nathaniel Ellison
is graduate of Cornell University
and teacher Of biology at the Arm
strong Manual Training School. An
other Cornellian is Harold B., product
of the School Of Engineering and the
representative OF the American Mer-
camille Co. in Mexico City. Still q
third Cornell graduate is Paul Evans.
an employe in the Federal Govern
UlcLlI ullil ONci JdAcll ny pOOI lcdltAA
Father Was = Free Man.
Henry Evans, her father, at the
time Of the Nat Turner insurrection
of slaves throughout the South in
1881, was a free colored man, living
with his family in Hillston, N. c.,
where he enjoyed the right Of suf-
frage. After the State constitution
OF 1884 took away this privilege from
all the members Of his race, he started
on horseback in the general direction
OF Terre Haute, Ind. Reaching Ober-
lin, Ohio, he found that the college
which had been founded year before
required the services OF skilled artisans
such as himself, so he made this his
journeys end.
Later Evans wife and family, with
a group OF his former cOlored neigh