GRADUATES AND EX-STUDENTS.
Prof. Bagley in his "Classroom Management," page 225, has the following
to say in "Testing Results":
"The ultimate test of efficiency of efforts is the result of effort.
Unhappily this test is seldom applied to the work of teaching. We judge
the teacher by the process rather than by the product, and we introduce
a number of extraneous criteria to hide the absence of a real criterion.
We watch the way in which he conducts a recitation, how many slips he
makes in his diction and syntax, inspect his personal appearance, ask of
what school he is a graduate and how many degrees he possesses, inquire
into his moral character, determine his church membership, and judge him
to be a good or a poor teacher according to our findings. All of these
queries may have their place in the estimation of any teacher's worth,
but they do not strike the most salient, the most vital, point at issue.
That point is simply this: Does he 'make good' in results? Does he do
the thing that he sets out to do, and does he do it well?"
I agree wholly with Prof. Bagley in this particular and on these grounds
we are willing to stand or fall by the results of our graduates.
Speaking of our graduates and ex-students, I wish to point to the life
and work of a few written by their own hands because in these particular
cases I can testify to the truth of every word they say, having known
them from early childhood. Their record follows and they speak for
themselves:
"I was born in Snow Hill, Wilcox County, Alabama, about 30 years ago. I
was the 14th child of a family of 17. My father was a very prosperous
farmer and believed in educating his children. Each year he would send
them by twos off to schools, such as Talladega, Tuskegee and Normal,
Alabama. Some of the older children, however, did not take advantage of
the great opportunity they had. He spent his money lavishly on them and
about the time I was large enough to go off to school, he was not as
prosperous. As soon as I was old enough he kept me in the public and
sometimes private schools, both summer and winter. Yet, he had promised
to send the remainder of us off to school. Fortunately for us, however,
Snow Hill Institute had been established by Mr. W. J. Edwards, and my
father being very much impressed with Mr. Edwards and his teachers,
consulted him about entering three children, I being the youngest. Mr.
Edwards kindly consented and we were at once put in school there. I was
also fond of music and after learning that Snow Hill Institute had such
an efficient music teacher, I was very much pleased to attend school
there. So in the year of 1900 I entered. I was enabled to develop my
musical talent to the extent that I was selected to play for my home
church, and that inspired other students to attend Snow Hill Institute.
"During my first year in school there I was undecided as to just what I
was going to follow as a trade. I worked awhile in the sewing room then
in the laundry--was also interested in cooking and took special lessons
in cooking under Miss Mabry. In fact, I studied cooking the first two
years. Finally, in my senior year, Miss C. V. Johnson, then Secretary to
Mr. Edwards, asked me to clean the offices of mornings for her and work
with her on my work days. I began this work and would watch her using
the typewriter so much until I fully decided that I wanted to make an
efficient secretary for someone, and began working to that end. On my
work days she would have me copying letters with ink. I would be careful
not to make a mistake. During the time I was working in the office, Mr.
Edwards would often send me on errands and tell me to see how quickly I
could go and come. He seemed to have been very much impressed with my
work as a student in both the Academic and Industrial departments. There
were several prize contests given my class by different teachers, and I
won each prize. This was in the Academic department. There were twelve
members in the class. Mr. Edwards had the members of my class to write
some friends of the school for scholarships (this being the request of
the friends) and of the two persons that received favorable answers, I
was one. During the whole time I was in school I did not receive one
demerit, or a black mark. Our teachers seemed perfect, and it was a
pleasure for me to try to please them.
"In the year 1903 I graduated from the institution with a splendid grasp
of all that the school stood for and in favor with all of my teachers
and friends. Mr. Edwards, knowing my ability to do things as I was
instructed, employed me to work in his office as clerk. I then put forth
more strenuous efforts to do efficient work and would try to improve
myself along that particular line of work. So in the summer of 1905 I
attended school at Cheyney, Pa., taking a special course in English,
typewriting and shorthand. I did my best to give satisfaction in my
work.
"In the year 1909 I was made Private Secretary to Mr. Edwards and a
member of the Executive Council. I still had a desire to make further
improvement, and in the summer of 1911, I attended Comer's Commercial
College in Boston, Mass., trying to become more efficient in the work
that was assigned to my hands. Principal Edwards would have to be away
from the school most of the time soliciting means to carry on the work,
but I tried to not leave a stone unturned in accomplishing the work he
left behind. Snow Hill Institute succeeded in inculcating into my life a
love for work, and I am not satisfied unless I have some work to do.
"I worked for Mr. Edwards untiringly until October, 1917. I was married,
however, in July, 1917. I have often wondered where my lot would have
been cast had there been no Snow Hill Institute."
"I was born of ex-slave parents on the Calhoun plantation in Dallas
County, Alabama. I am not quite sure of the exact date of my birth, but
at any rate, as nearly as I have been able to learn, I was born near the
village called Richmond, in the month of May, 1883. My life had its
beginning under the most difficult circumstances. This was so, however,
not because of any wilful neglect on the part of my parents, but as
ex-slaves they naturally knew but little as to the providing for the
maintenance of their family and home. I was born in a one-room log cabin
about 14 x 15 feet square. In this cabin I lived with my mother, father
and the other eight sisters and brothers until providentially I found an
opportunity to enter school at Snow Hill Institute, Snow Hill, Alabama.
"I went to Snow Hill in the year of 1896, and there remained for eight
years receiving instruction at the hand of a loyal band of
self-sacrificing teachers, who not only taught me how to read, write and
to cipher, but in addition they taught me lessons of thrift and industry
which have proven to be the main saving point in my life.
"I completed the prescribed course of study at the Snow Hill Institute
in 1904 and returned home as I had resolved to do, before entering
school there, for the purpose of helping the people of my home
community.
"The Street Manual Training School (Incorporated) at Richmond, Dallas
County, Alabama, was started in 1904 with one teacher, fifteen pupils
and no money. Since that time it has grown to the point where it now has
thirty acres of land, four buildings, and an enrollment of three hundred
pupils. The entire property is valued at fifteen thousand dollars
($15,000) and deeded to a board of Trustees. Among the members of this
board are: Mr. J. D. Alison, President, Mrs. Edwin D. Mead, the Rev. Mr.
Emmanuel M. Brown, Mr. Wm. D. Brigham, Mr. Walter Powers, Mr. Edwin W.
Lambert, Mr. W. J. Edwards, Mrs. Francis Carr and Mr. Henry A. Barnes.
"This school is training some three hundred Negro children between the
ages of six and eighteen years in the practical arts necessary to enable
them to make an earnest, comfortable living. There is no attempt made to
teach them foreign languages, either dead or living; but they are well
grounded in the English language. They do not study higher mathematics,
but they learn simple arithmetic. They spend no time on psychology,
economics, sociology, or logic; their time is taken up trying to raise
crops, to manage a small farm, to cook and to sew."
SKETCH OF MY LIFE.
"I was born in Snow Hill, Wilcox County, Alabama, December 24th, 1883.
My parents were Emanuel and Emma McDuffie. I was brought up under the
most adverse conditions. My father died about six months before my
birth, thus leaving my mother with the care of seven children. As I had
never seen my father, I was often referred to by the other children of
the community, as the son of "none." In July, 1893, my mother died and
the burden of caring for the children then fell upon my old grandmother,
who was known throughout the community as "Aunt" Polly. In order to help
secure food and clothing for myself and the rest of the family, I was
compelled to plow an ox on a farm and as we usually made from four to
five bales of cotton and 40 and 50 bushels of corn each year, she was
looked upon as a great farmer. When I was fifteen years of age, my
grandmother was called to her heavenly rest, thus leaving a house full
of children to shift for themselves. After her death I became interested
in education and immediately applied for admittance to Snow Hill Normal
and Industrial Institute, which had recently been established. I was
admitted as a work student, working all day and attending school about
two hours and a half at night. Until I entered Snow Hill Institute, I
had a very vague idea about life as it pertained to the Negro. In fact,
up until that time, I was of the opinion that the Negro had no business
being anything; but after entering the school and being surrounded by a
different atmosphere and seeing what had already been accomplished by
Mr. Edwards, I soon realized that the Negro had as much right to life
and liberty as any other man.
"While it was great joy for me to be in school, I was woefully
unprepared to remain there. Really, I am unable to tell the many
obstacles that confronted me while in school. But one of my many
difficulties was to get sufficient clothing, for when I entered, I had
on all that I possessed and day after day I wore what I had until
finally they got beyond mending. The teachers at Snow Hill were just as
they are now, extremely hard against dirt and filth. As I only had one
suit of underwear and as we were compelled to change at least once a
week, I could plainly see that my condition was becoming more alarming
each day. So I would go down to the spring at night, wash that suit and
dry it the best I could by the heater that was in my room. Quite often
I would go for days wearing damp or wet underwear, which has caused both
pain and doctor bills in after years. Finally, Mr. Edwards relieved me
of this situation when he sent me to the sales-room to get a pair of
second-hand trousers and another suit of underwear. My trousers didn't
begin to fit, for they were both too large and too long, but I wore them
with pleasure because I went to Snow Hill in search of an education and
I was willing to make any sacrifice to obtain my desire. Through all of
my troubles I never became discouraged, because I felt that some day I
would be prepared to be of service to my people.
"Of all things that gave me inspiration while in school, Mr. Edwards's
own Christian life which he lived before us day after day had more to do
with keeping me there than anything else. His courage and perseverance
under difficulties, which we all could see, were noble lessons to me. In
his Sunday evening talks in the chapel, he would plead with us to shape
our lives for work among those who were less fortunate than we. One
Sunday evening, he made a powerful and vivid appeal, admonishing the
students to go out, when they had finished their education, and start
their life's work among the lowly in the rural districts. He spoke these
words many times during the term. In fact, so often did he repeat them
that the very thoughts of them inspired me and I soon learned to love
the cause of humanity as well and as dearly as did Mr. Edwards himself.
Soon after completing my course in May, 1904, a call came from the Black
Belt of North Carolina for a man to go to Laurinburg and build up an
Industrial school there. After talking the matter over with Mr. Edwards,
I decided to go.
"I reached the town of Laurinburg September 15, 1904. When I got there I
found that the people had been so often deceived and hoodwinked by
political demagogues and supposed race leaders, that they had no
confidence in any one. But I made a start and opened school in an old
public school building with seven students and fifteen cents in cash. As
the people had no confidence in me, it was hard for me to increase my
enrollment, but I continued to labor with them on the streets and in the
churches until I gradually won their respect. Then we started the
erection of a new school building and from that day until now, both
white and black have taken the deepest interest in the work and we now
have the absolute confidence of all the people.
"The work has constantly grown from year to year and results have been
obtained. From one teacher, seven students and fifteen cents in cash,
thirteen years ago, the institution now has fourteen teachers, upwards
of four hundred students from all over North Carolina, Virginia, South
Carolina and Georgia, and counting land, livestock, five large and three
small buildings, it has a property valuation of $30,000 all free of
debt. Each year our teachers are selected from some of the best schools
of the South; such as Tuskegee Institute, Shaw University, Snow Hill
Institute, Claflin University, Benedict College, etc. Eight industries
are taught, consisting of farming, blacksmithing, wheelwrighting,
sewing, laundering, printing, domestic science and home nursing.
"We are kept in immediate need of money for current and building
expenses, but we are going on accomplishing results with what we have at
hand. Boys and girls are being sent out each year to work among their
fellows. These young men and women are reaching the masses and as a
result, the moral tone of the people is being aroused to the
contemplation of higher ideals and they are at last becoming serious as
to the sober side of life. Excursions, parties and a good time generally
are slowly but surely being relegated to the rear. Our farmers are
studying how to become better farmers and in all walks of life, we are
improving in workshop and the various industries.
"Verily, the school room is doing much in awakening the dormant energies
of the Negro for good. In fact, the school's influence is helping the
people generally. Where there were ignorance and indifference, now we
have a fair measure of intelligence and thrift. The people are buying
homes and property, and in many ways showing signs of aspiration.
"We have also organized a farmers' conference and it is gratifying
indeed to see how hundreds of farmers, with their wives and children,
turn out seeking information, demonstration and co-operation. I have
been thus enabled to help my people here in North Carolina by giving
them the new truth and the new light and pointing them on to a better
way."
Waverley Turner Carmichael was born at Snow Hill, Ala., in 1888, and was
reared on the farm as all country negro boys are. All of his education
was obtained at the Snow Hill Institute except for six weeks he spent in
the Harvard Summer School last year.
[Illustration: GRADUATES OF SNOW HILL INSTITUTE
EMMANUEL MCDUFFIE. Principal Laurinburg Normal and Industrial
Institute, Laurinburg, N. C.
JOHN W. BRISTER, who established a prize at Snow Hill Institute.
REV. EMMANUEL M. BROWN of Street Manual Training School,
Richmond, Alabama.
WAVERLEY TURNER CARMICHAEL, Poet of Snow Hill.]
I had been deeply impressed with the poems which he had been writing for
several years, but as I was no judge of poems, I thought I would give
him a chance to bring his poems before those who could judge, so I
received for him a free scholarship at the Summer School at Harvard. He
read his poems to the class on several occasions and I had the
opportunity of hearing him several times. They had a deep impression
upon the class, so much so that his professor wrote the introduction to
his book in the following words:--
"When Waverley Carmichael, as a student in my summer class at Harvard,
brought me one day a modest sheaf of his poems, I felt that in him a
race had become or at least was becoming articulate. We have had, it is
true, sympathetic portrayals of Negro life and feeling from without; we
have had also the poems of Dunbar, significant of the high capabilities
of the Negro as he advances far along the way of civilization and
culture. The note which is sounded in this little volume is of another
sort. These humble and often imperfect utterances have sprung up
spontaneously from the soul of a primitive and untutored folk. The rich
emotion, the individual humor, the simple wisdom, the naive faith which
are its birthright, have here for the first time found voice. It is
sufficient to say of Waverley Carmichael that he is a full blooded
southern Negro, that until last summer he has never been away from his
native Alabama, that he has had but the most limited advantages of
education, and that he has shared the portion of his race in hardship,
poverty and toil. He does not know why he wrote these poems. It is an
amazing thing that he should have done so--a freak, we may call it, of
the wind of genius, which bloweth where it listeth and singles out one
in ten thousand to find a fitting speech for the dumb thought and
feeling of the rest.
But we need not base the claim of Carmichael to the attention of the
public merely on considerations of this sort. His work speaks for
itself. It is original and sincere. It follows no traditions and suffers
no affectation. It is artless, yet it reaches the goal of art. The
rhythms, especially of some of the religious pieces, are of a kind which
is beyond the reach of effort. He has rightly called them melodies.
Occasionally there is, it seems to me, a touch of something higher, as
in the haunting refrain of the lyric "Winter is Coming."
De yaller leafs are falling fas'
Fur summer days is been and pas'
The air is blowin' mighty cold,
Like it done in days of old.
But this is rare. Oftenest the characteristic note is humor, or tender
melancholy relieved by a philosophy of cheer and courage, and the poetic
virtue is that of simple truth. We are reminded of no poet so strongly
as of Burns.
What Waverley Carmichael may accomplish in the future I do not know. But
certainly in this volume he has entitled himself to the gratitude of his
own race and to the sympathetic appreciation of all who have its
interests and those of true poetry at heart."
JAMES HOLLY HANFORD.
Mr. William Stanley Braithwaite speaking of his poems had the following
to say:
"Many have claimed the mantle of Paul Laurence Dunbar, but only upon the
shoulders of Waverley Turner Carmichael has it fallen, and he wears it
with becoming grace and fitness. For this poet, a veritable child of
Negro folk, gives expression to its spirit in need and language more
akin to the ante-bellum 'spirituel' than any writer I know. Like those
'black and unknown bards' he sings because he must, with all their
fervid imaginativeness, symbolizations, poignant strains of pathos and
philosophic humor."
Mr. Braithwaite is the best known Negro critic of poetry in the world
today.
As for me who has always lived in the South and know the Southern Negro
through and through, I feel and believe that Carmichael has interpreted
Negro life as never before.
We hope and pray that Carmichael will live through this great ordeal and
come back to us and continue his work of interpreting Negro life.
There are hundreds of other graduates and ex-students who have won
distinction in other fields and are doing equally as well as those who
have been mentioned here. We have their record at the school, and any
one can have them for the asking. I only wish to mention in a brief way
two other graduates because they have established a first and second
prize at Snow Hill. They are John W. Brister and Edmond J. O'Neal.
Several years ago the late Misses Collins (Ellen and Marguerite) of New
York, two of the most sainted women whom I ever met, established an
annual prize at the school known as the Sumner Peace Prize, of $15.00.
But at their death this prize would have stopped unless some one had
taken it up. Both Mr. Brister and Mr. O'Neal had won these prizes
several times while they were in school. So at the death of the Misses
Collins they came forward and said that they would be responsible for
the prize each year on condition that the school make a first and second
prize instead of one, Mr. Brister giving $10.00 in gold for the first
prize and Mr. O'Neal giving $5.00 in gold for the second. This they have
done for several years, and they constantly assure me that it will be
kept up during their lifetime. This shows that our graduates are
carrying with them the spirit of Christ, "Freely receive, freely give."