The Phoenix index., 1941-08-16

schooled in the Hampton Trskegee
tradition, this writer is one of its
staunchest devotees. Because of my
sympathy therefore for the indus
trial education cause, 1 speak as
one of it's friends in what is to
follow.
The Negro press of recent date
carried accounts of certain deve-
lopments at Hampton that distress
ed me sorely. More than 200 STU
dents have been asked not to re-
turn to Hampton tor the compile
ton of their scholastic work
Aside from the personal humiliation
of the students concerned, the
principle of such procedure raises
questions of deep and dire import.
When the doors of any Negro
institution of learning are closed in
the face of 200 aspiring Negroes for
any reason, it is a serious matter
to say the least There is an ex-
cuse when the student cannot do
the work and is failing; but so long
as student passes according to
prescribed rules, he deserves
chance.
AGAINST PRINCIPLES
Aside from the personal incon-
venience, the ideal of aristocracy
in education although popular to-
day, is nevertheless at variance
with our vaunted principles of de-
mocracy. AriStocracy in education
is going to breed aristorcracy in
society and the market place. This
writer is quite conversant with the
intellectual aristocracy" ideal being
popularized by certain of our
wealthy white universities; but
whether the Negro race is ready for
this questionable departure is fa1
from certain. And above it is
deplorable that Hampton, founded
to train men and women for life
should fly off on this educational
tangent.
At a time when vocational edu-
cation is one of the pressing needs
of the Negro race; at a time when
the Negro's economic foundations
are trembling; at a time when the
economic road of the Negro leads
up hill and into the dark it is
deplorable to see school of Hamp-
tons tradition turn from the ideal
of building life and character on
the industrial education plan to
the ideal of ariStocracy in education
which today Is in a nebulouS stage
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION
Then too, there is the fundamental
question, still in the process of dis
cussion as to whether there is any
correlation between intellectual
brilliance and character. Even if
this had been satisfactorily eStab-
lished, it would be a pity to see
Hampton leave her present fine
work for the field of scholarly at
tainment. But to date there is no
authority who has shown conclu-
siveIy that mans 10 and his MO
(moral quotient) are correlated.
Germany, four decades ago, boast
ed of the worlds finest universities
and the principle of intellectual
ariStocracy was in full vogue; but
Germany has been the incubator in
which have been Matched the eggs
of racial fanticiSm ana work con-
quest Aristocracy in education as
a national ideal was at its best
in Germany; but whether it has
commended itself to Germany and
the world we let current events de-
termine. 1t is mighty fine to turn
| out brilliant scholars but evidences
are multiplying that unless these
scholars are somehow Christianiz-
ed they are stumbling blocks to the
| generations.
I wonder if Booker T. Washing
ton could have lived up to the
newest Hampton ideals wonder if
George Carver would have been
among the 200 set adrift. We all
know too well the story of Edison
and how he was allegedly dismissed
as intellectually inferior I wonder
if Henry Ford won scholastic
honors. 1t is going to be a fine
thing in this country for our edu-
Gators to know that the present
social and economic order demands
men with strong backs and should