Evening star., 1939-11-14
Need for CoIored
Educational Leaders
Stressed al Par|ey
Morgan College Head
Stresses Point Before
College Presidents

President D. o. w. Holmes Of
Morgan College, Baltimore, Md, to-
day urged upon the 18th annual con-
ference of presidents of Negro land
grant colleges the need for Negro
leaders of education, church and
fraternal organizations to work to
raise the cultural level of the race.
The conference of more than 20
Negro college heads entered its Sec
ond day at Howard University where
it will conclude shortly after / pm.
tomorrow.
Meanwhile a three-day convoca-
ton of the university school of re-
ligion also opened today in Carnegie
Hall on the campus.
DR.. Holmes, formerly of Miner
Teachers College and Howard Uni
versity here, pointed out that with
q majority of the race located in
the South where principles of segre-
cation apply, the avenues for in
creasing the cultural level of the
Negro are extremely limited. The
school, he said, is about the only
source left to provide culture, he
said, and even here the curriculums
have been turning away from cul-
ture to emphasize utilitarian edu-
cation.
Adult Education Is Theme.
Theme of this years meeting re-
wolves around the problem of adult
education.
James A. Atkins, specialist in
Negro education of the w. P. A.
education division, suggested the
formation of adult education CEN
tiers on the campuses of Negro COL
leges. He stressed the need for
good teachers with a flaming en-
thusiasm."
Adult education, he pointed out,
is voluntary, and, therefore, it is
important the teacher should not be
snobbish, dull or drab. A barber
or cook, he said, is often a better
teacher than a highly in
dividual who lacks the flaming en-
thusiasm.
Ralph M. Dunbar of the Federal
Office of Education told the confer
ence the United States is Nation
of sixth-graders in reading speed
and comprehension.
He emphasized the importance of
reading in any adult education pro-
gram and the necessity of correlat-
ing the content of the reading to the
interest Of the reader. Interest must
be stimulated, he said, and then the
materials for reading must be sup
piled.
Level Of Reading Is Low.
The general level of adult reading
in America, he said, is very low.
In survey he made during train
ride recently, he said he found most
OF the adults reading racing charts.
The session opened yesterday with
addresses by several educational
leaders and discussion of the social
and economic trends of significance
for adult education.
AAAAo oAoSAAAOOAA VIC SlOup WAS W
hear OF certain definite projects in
adult education, while at the ban
quet tonight the philosophy of adult
education was to be the topic.
Final discussion was to be tomor-
row, beginning at 10 am, when the
responsibility of the college for i'm
proving the civic and social life of
the community will be discussed.
The 23d convocation Of the school
OF religion opening featured ad-
dresses by DR.. Paul lehman of
Elmhurst, ILL.,, and DR.. Frank T..
Wilson of Lincoln University, Pa.
DR.. Wilson declared that true wor-
shippers reject the pessimism of his
tory"
DR.. Richard H. Bowling of Rich
mond, Va, will address thea group
this afternoon, with sessions re-
suming tomorrow and Thursday.