Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1957-04-20
Prentiss 49,.
Continued from Page One)

Rev. Ramsey Bridges, Class 33,
Pastor of Warren Methodist
Church, Pittsburgh, Penn.
The history of the Prentiss In
stitute is evidence of complete faith
of two young people in God, in
mankind and in themselves. They
came to Prentiss in 1907 from
Pike County, Mississippi where
they had married in 1904. Prof.
Johnson was a graduate of Alcorn
College, the state college for Ne
groes, and Mrs. Johnson had gradu-
ated from Tuskegee Institute I'M
der the late Booker T. Washington.
They were looked upon with dis
trust by members of their own
race as we'll as by the white inhabi-
tants.- This was especially true
when it was learned that they in
tended to establish school in this
rural section where Negroes out
numbered the whites two to one.
They had no money and their only
worldly possessions were their clo-
thing and two children, one seven
weeks and the other two years of
age. Thus, the Prentiss Institute
was born under these humble cir
cumstances some fifty years ago.
A small plot of land, situated
about one mile east of Prentiss
and containing only an ante-bellum
dwelling, was secured by Prof.
Johnson. This was purchased with
borrowed money from the local
bank. A group of Negro farmers
endorsed the note.
Most of the white and colored
people were skeptical of the John
sons and the school project. This
meant the beginning of a long and
hard struggle. The school had to
be sold to both races.
About 40 day students were en-
rolled the first year with some four
or five boarders. Money had to be
raised to meet immediate needs
as well as to make payments on the
mortgage. Prof. and Mrs. John
son canvassed from house to house
among the colored people through
out jefferson Davis and adjacent
counties. A chicken here, a peck
of meal there were used to feed
themselves and the boarders. These
were the most difficult years in the
schools history.
Two complete years of college
work and two years of Teacher
Training work-based on theory and
supervised practice; four years of
accredited high school work includ-
ing Home Economics and Voca-
tional Agriculture, Bricklaying,
Business and Commercial Music,
Cleaning and Pressing, Carpentry,
Shoe Repairing, Auto Mechanics,
and Vocational Photography. Bible
Training may be secured through
the cooperating and adjacent Mis-
sissippi Union Theological Semi
nary.
Non Sectarian, but Christian.
The physical plant of the school
consists now of $50 acres Of land,
"a buildings and farm and trade
equipment. The enrolment 1856
1857 session was 780, including
many veterans with. a staff of A..
The Institute is supported large
ly by hundreds of contributors who
live in every state in the union.
Their many friends believe not
only in the type of training offered
to the Negro of Mississippi, but
feel that it is good program for
youth Of the nation as we'll.
The late Booker T. Washington
founded Tuskegee Institute on the
thesis that "the training Of the
head, the heart and the hands" Of
fers the best foundation for the fu-
ture development of young people,
regardless of the individuals plans
For. life's vocation. Prentiss In
stitute, fashioned after Tuskegee,
has followed this theory Of educa-
ton from its very beginning. Each
STUDENT is encouraged to develop
his individual talent with q view
Toward service to his fellowman.
The Institution has always prid-
ed itself on being the moving spirit
in many new ventures. In 1912 the
work Of the Jeanes Agent in the