Jackson advocate., 1942-06-13
College
Continued from page u

rI5ar The College Choir under
the direction of Mr.. Ariel M. Love-
lace and accompanied by Mrs. Ma
rie Y. Ware, sang a very beautl-
full arrangement of THE LORDS
Prayer" followed by several beautl-
full Negro spirituals. President ia
cob L. Reddix, in his Introductory
remarks, praised Governor john
son for his fair mindedness ana
his splendid help to Negro educa-
ton in the State of Mississippi. He
related an incident that took place
in Chicago after he was elected TO
the presidency but before he had
come back to the state. He men
toned the fact that DR.. Dudly w.
Turner, of Gary, Indiana, who was
a boyhood friend of Governor
johnson, had told him OF the Splen-
did attitude that the Governor had
had since his boyhood days, and
although he had not seen him Tor
over twenty years, he was sure
that Governor johnson would serve
all of the people of the state with
utmost justice and consideration.
President Reddix quoted from his
notes a statement that the Gov
ernor had made in his presence be-
fore the State Building Commits
sSion a few months ago. This was
the occasion when the president
had appeared before the Commits
sion asking for All additional grant
to repair certain buildings at the
college. In reply to some opposi-
ton that appeared from the Board,
the Governor made the following
statement. Gentlemen, personal
ly request that you grant Jackson
College this request. We must do
something for the Negro in Missis-
sippi We have stalled long enough.
We have promised something ever
since reconstruction days and we
have never given him what he de-
serves. The Negro is our best
friend. He has cultivated our fields
and has done our work, and we
have not given him his just share
in the income of our state. AT
this time there is fine feeling
between the races and the State of
Mississippi. Let us cultivate this
feeling by refraining from stalling
and take this opportunity to do
something tangible for the higher
education of the race"
After several numbers by the
choir, Major Lawrence w. Long
Military Aide to Governor john
son, spoke very briefly and ex-
pressed greetings from Governor
johnson and his regrets that the
Governor could not also be pres
ent. Major Long stated that Gov
ernor Johnson was the best friend
that the Negro had ever had in the
state of Mississippi. He stated that
Mrs. Johnson was a great woman
in her own right and an ideal
mother and first lady of Mississip-
pi.
In her remarks OF presentation to
Mrs. Johnson, Miss Cotton told
briefly how Jackson College was at
tempting to help the rural and
agricultural Negro families lif6
themselves by preparing educated
leaders who would teach them how
to live better in the various COM.
munities in the state. She stated
that the college had dedicated it
self to a sound live-at-home pro-
grom long before the war emer-
gency. Mrs. johnson made a very
beautiful response to Miss Cotton
and stated that she had heard of
the fine program that the college
had instituted and that she plan
ned to keep in close touch with the
future development of the institu-
ton. After the presentation, the
girls of the Home-making Depart
ment presented Mrs. johnson with
a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The
meeting closed after singing two
verses of ''The Negro National An
them" Mrs. Lea, Private Secretary
to the Governor, accompanied Mrs
Johnson TO the campus. After the