The Omaha guide., 1937-03-20

sibilities ofsmAn, founded thesesm
sditutions, based upon the latest
knawledgesand culture for q gener-
alton of slaves whose forebears had
waded3 through the stygian tdarB-
ness of ignorance since creations
dawn. Snchc sublime andaeity the
world has never seen,
- II5IIJ A0I I9IJUO NR
How far has their faith been
jbstified lis the chief query which
this generation of the benefited
race must answer. The work of the
founders is finished. They have
passed from labor to reward. Rey-
holds of Lincoln, Ware of Atlaata,
Platoon of Biddle, Cravath of Fisk,
Upper of Shaw, Armstrong of
Hampton and Howard of Howard
look down from above upon the
works which they planted in faith
and watered with their tears and
allowed with the yearnings of their
soul. Shall we let them live and
die in vain? They were succeeded
by a generation of less faith who
have greater belief in money than
in men. The spiritual degeneration
of the age reflected in the work
which they left behind them. In
situations which they founded have
been greatly magnified in bricks,
mortar and stone. On passing
through these magnificent cam
pusea one is constrained to ex-
claim Master, what stones and
buildings are these?" But, alas,
the voice of caution whispers in
our ears "Unless these structures
shall be c~onsecrated to the pur-
pose of the founders, there shall
not be left one stone upon another,
which shall not be thrown down"
Statistically, the higher education
Of the Negro has more than justi-
fled itself. In grounds and build
ings, libraries, laboratories, student
body and technically equipped IA
culties She progress has far out
swept the fondest dream of the
founders, but has the spirit kept
pace with the material expansion?
The purpose Of. the foundersaof
Howard university and these other
institutions was to develop and lead.
them to the promised land which
they v%isioned lay before them.
Have they kept the faith : Are
they inspired by the fore-glimpse
of triumph, vouchsafed to the
founders? Negro graduates of
Howard, Fisk, Atlanta and Lincoln
hear We these words.
Last June there stood upon the
Commencement platforms two
thousand Negro graduates with
college diplomas in their hands. Of
these Howard university turned
out over three hundred. Have these
graduates the requisite moral and
spiritual energy and intellectual
resourcefulness to command the
spiritual, moral, political, industrial
economic and social estate wrapped
up in the needs and necessities of
twelve million Negroes who look to
them for guidance?
.TIJH rE31 HII2EI sHT
And to you of the present gen.
GRAFTON of teachers and leaders in
to whose hands the tutelage of
these youths is committed:j are you
equipping them with the faith, with
intellectual and moral energy and
inspiring them with audacitya and
courage So requisite to the 5igreat
task? | am unable to say yes, but
unwilling to say no. would give
the advice which HamlebIgave to
his mother: Assume virtue, if you
have it not"
But, you say, this effusion is
but the g~arrility of the septuagen-
alan, who, like the nine old men
on u Supreme Bench, ought to
be relegated DO the limbo of ST.
lence. But as l stand upon the emin-
nee that looks backward yer q
vista of seventy years of Howard
and higher educational endeavor,
cannot hold my peace. At such o
crisis as this in the upper life OF
the Negro race, / am constrained
to feel that if men would hold their
peace, the stones would cry out.
Kelly Miller