The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-12-30
EDITORIAL PAGE
PITURE MINIS POINT

When | born in 1SS4,-yes. SO years agony
mother named me Gordon Blaine Hancock The
Gordon" part for some English general OF that
name. and the blaine" part after james G. Blaine
who setting the political woods fire about
that time. During this period IL was customary to
Negro children for great white men and wom-
en-: for had not developed a sustaining pride
today. Negroes OF that period could not be blam
ell for their Nordic worship manifested by naming.
children for members OF the dominant Nordic group
How changed today! Instead OF naming Negro
children Robert f. Lee. George Washington etc. to-
day we have them named for distinguished Negroes
such as Booker 7. Washington Robert Russo Notion
Kelly Miller and all the rest Some years ago even
found in South Carolina young Negro named Cor
dor Blaine Hancock Alexander" II shows growing
pride which must have salutary effect the for
tunes and destiny OF the race.
without doubt Booker T washington's name is
outstanding. 1t is Ia the Negro school room that
see Negroes think or Washington. Within the last
10 years. have been to no schoolroom where Book
er It's picture IS in prominent evidence. liz Ne
gro homes, come across something showing
Booker r. in honorable connection and witha
Booker r. Washington's IS he most familiar house
hold name among the Negro race Jesus up
braided the Pharsees with the charge. that they
spoke OF him and praised him with their lips. but
their heart. far from him. beginning TO
think the thing about the Negroes and Booker
r. Washington.
Why call him great and do not the things which
he commanded? Why call him our greatest Negro
and dsbclieye his fundamental tenets? Why laud
OF our homes and schools and spurn the ideal closest
10 his hcaftg Booker r Washington committed
TO the proposition that Negroes had TO make them
selves manually proficient II they were 10 assure
their economic survival in this country. This prop
osion has never been successfully refutcd.
II has about that the vocational training
the he so faithfully espoused is hardly more than
passing notion quarter OF century after his death
Those who look with reverence upon his picture
spurn his point Negroes still believe that manual
labor IS dseracefal The failure OF our vocational
program is due TO the fact that Negroes do not be-
eve in industrial and vocational education As has
been said In this column hundred times before
young Negroes nv thousands in schools spnrn
vocational training because they taught by teach
ers who spurn IT, No teacher set students
what he docs not himself believe | orce heard
man long since passed on in great address
that make clear 10 another man what
Is not clear 10 himself
This is equally true OF teaching and preaching
No can convince another OF something Of which
he himself is urconvinccd. The younger generations
OF Negroes not ,ocationay minded because their
teachers and principals not. IT makes shud-
der to imagine the suffering II Is going 10 take 10
drive home Washngton's point. The white IS
yocationally awake today and with them this type
OF training IS growing in popularity. White lead
taking hold OF the task with both hands while
we taking hold with only hand. II indeed VIC
take hold at all. Economic woes await group that