Evening star., 1940-06-01
THE EVENING WASHINGTON G, SATURDAY, JUNE
Dr.. Robert R. Motor,
President Emeritus
Of 1uskegee, Dies
Fomous Negro Educator
Was Motive Of AmeIiu
County, Va.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
GLOUCESTER, Va, June 1.-Dr.
Robert r. Motion, Y, president
emeritus Of Tuskegee Institute, died
at his home, in Gloucester County,
last night, exactly five years from
the date of his retirement.
DR.. Motion, born on an Amelia
County Va) plantation, the son Of
a slave, succeeded Booker T. Wash
ington as president of Tuskegee and
became known as one Of the most
famous Negro educators in America.
When DR.. Motion was little more
than a boy he conceived the idea
that he would like to grow up and be
q leader Of his race.
At the time his prospects for
realizing his ambition did not ap-
pear much more. optimistic than
cherishing the idea. He had been a
chore boy around the home of a
Presbyterian minister in Virginia
where one of his particular jobs was
to brush the clothes and shine the
shoes of the minister's son George
BY a strange coincidence, the boys,
who were about the same age
eventually were installed as heads
of the leading educational institu-
tions of their respective races in Ala
bama. George became DR.. George
H. Denny, president Of the Univer-
sity Of Alabama, and Robert, prin-
cipal of Tuskegee Institute, world
famed Negro school.
Not an Easy Path.
DR.. Motions path to the goal he
had dreamed of was not an easy one
After being an errand boy he was
waiter in the big house." then fore
man in lumber camp. In all hi.
activities he displayed a remarkable
faculty for making friends among
white people as well as Negroes.
This was attested when he wa!
urged, although having compare.
lively little schooling. to enter tn.
race for the Legislature from hi!
county. He decided. however. tt
strive for an education rather thar
enter politics
Shortly afterwards Motion en-.
rolled at Hampton Institute ane
worked his way through the school
He continued at the school to in.
struct as commandant of the cade
corps, at the same time moving for
ward in educational and sociological
work in behalf of his people. In all
he spent Is years as an officer a
Hampton.
On December 20, 1915. DR.. Motor
was appointed principal Of Tuskegee
1t was the big opportunity for which
he had hoped and, entering upor
his duties, he determined to devot,
the remainder Of his life to the edu
cation Of the Negroes of the Fal
South.
Directed Rise Of School.
He began with a campaign to in
crease the facilities of the institute
In less than IS years the facult,
was increased from 100 in 1915 t,
268 and the annual budget grew
from $298. 900 to $58O,OO0 Com
mercial and junior college course
Of two years each were added to tn
| curriculum, new dormitories wer
| erected and other buildings wer
added to the school plant.
DR.. Motion was one Of the found
ers of the Commission on Inter
racial Cooperation, recognized espe
cially in the South for bringini
about the better understanding be
tween whites and Negroes. In 1911
President Wilson sent him to Franc,
to make survey among the Negr,
soldiers.
Herbert Hoover, as chairman o
the Presidents Committee on tn,
Mississippi River Flood Disaster
appointed DR.. Motion in June, 1927