Industrial Education for the Negro Booker T. Washington Audiobook

Summary

Booker T. Washington's 'The Negro Problem' advocates for industrial education as a means for African Americans to find economic independence and social mobility. He emphasizes the importance of learning the difference between being worked and working, highlighting the dignity in labor and the necessity of economic foundation for societal progress. Washington argues for a balanced education that includes mental, moral, and industrial training, with a focus on practical skills that can be applied in everyday life and contribute to the betterment of the community.

Takeaways

• 📚 Booker T. Washington emphasizes the importance of industrial education for the Negro, advocating for a balance between physical labor and intellectual development.
• 🔨 The distinction between 'being worked' and 'working' is highlighted, with the former being associated with degradation and the latter with civilization and progress.
• 🏡 Washington points out that the economic foundation of a race is crucial for its upliftment, with the cultivation and ownership of land being key elements.
• 👕 Industrial training during slavery, though crude and self-serving, provided the Negro with skills in various trades, which became valuable post-emancipation.
• 🌾 The agricultural industry in the South, which was heavily reliant on the labor of the Negro, played a significant role in the region's economy before and after the Civil War.
• 🏫 Washington criticizes the lack of practical education in schools, which often leaves educated Negroes without the skills to engage in manual labor or agriculture.
• 👩‍🏫 He calls for an education system that prepares students for the occupations available in their communities, including modern and scientific methods in various trades.
• 👷‍♂️ The Tuskegee Institute's approach to education is praised for combining academic learning with practical skills, such as agriculture, construction, and mechanical work.
• 🏢 Washington argues that industrial education should not confine the Negro to manual labor but should equip them with the skills to use natural forces to their advantage.
• 🌱 He envisions a future where the Negro community contributes significantly to society through successful businesses, education, and community service, challenging prevailing prejudices.

Q & A

What is the main theme of 'The Negro Problem' by Booker T. Washington?

The main theme of 'The Negro Problem' is the necessity for the African American community to embrace industrial education as a means of self-improvement, economic empowerment, and social advancement.

What does Booker T. Washington believe is the key difference between 'being worked' and 'working'?

Booker T. Washington believes that 'being worked' signifies degradation, while 'working' signifies civilization, emphasizing the importance of labor in the advancement of the African American community.

How does Washington argue that industrial education can create wealth and opportunities for higher education?

Washington argues that industrial education can create wealth and opportunities for higher education by teaching the present generation to work and save, which in turn provides the material foundation for leisure and higher learning.

What role did the Southern white man play in the industrial training of African Americans during slavery, according to the transcript?

During slavery, the Southern white man provided industrial training to African Americans by involving them in various trades such as carpentry, blacksmithing, and farming, which were essential for plantation operations.

Why does Washington emphasize the importance of teaching practical skills alongside academic education?

Washington emphasizes the importance of teaching practical skills alongside academic education to ensure that African Americans are equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in their communities and to contribute to the economy effectively.

What is the significance of the Tuskegee Institute in the context of the transcript?

The Tuskegee Institute is significant as it is an institution that Washington leads and where he implements his philosophy of industrial education, combining academic, religious, and practical training to prepare students for productive lives.

What does Washington suggest as the best way to address the economic challenges faced by the African American community?

Washington suggests that the best way to address the economic challenges faced by the African American community is through industrial development, which includes learning to work and save, cultivating the soil, and building an economic foundation.

Why does Washington argue that industrial education is not meant to confine the African American community to manual labor?

Washington argues that industrial education is not meant to confine the African American community to manual labor but to empower them with the skills and knowledge to improve their economic conditions and to pursue higher education and professional opportunities.

What is the role of agriculture in Washington's vision for the African American community's development?

In Washington's vision, agriculture plays a crucial role as it is a significant part of the industrial education that he advocates. It provides a practical means for economic self-sufficiency and is seen as a foundation for the community's progress and prosperity.

How does Washington view the relationship between industrial education and the moral and mental development of the African American community?

Washington views industrial education as a complement to the moral and mental development of the African American community. He believes that while industrial training is essential, it should be accompanied by mental and moral training to ensure a well-rounded education.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Industrial Education for the Negro

This section emphasizes the importance of industrial education for the Negro community, as advocated by Booker T. Washington, the principal of Tuskegee Institute. He argues that the key to racial uplift lies in learning the difference between being worked and working, and that all labor is honorable. Washington stresses the need for the Negro to establish an economic foundation through industrial work, which will eventually lead to leisure, higher education, and the opportunity to enjoy literature and the fine arts. He also highlights the practical industrial training that slaves received on plantations, which he views as a starting point for economic development post-emancipation.

05:03

📚 Education and the Practical Life

Paragraph 2 discusses the shift in education focus from industrial skills to more academic subjects, which led to a gap in practical skills among the educated Negro population. Washington points out the irony of young men educated in foreign languages but not in carpentry or engineering. He criticizes the education system for not preparing students for the work they are suited for, thus creating a barrier between education and practical life. He advocates for a balanced education that includes both mental and moral training alongside industrial training, to ensure that knowledge is applied to real-life situations and improves the community's conditions.

10:04

🏡 Building Foundations for Progress

In this section, Washington argues for the necessity of industrial development as a foundation for wealth creation and the advancement of the Negro race. He believes that by focusing on industry, the race can build habits of thrift, a love for work, and economic stability, which in turn will support higher education and professional development. Washington uses the example of the Hampton Institute to illustrate the success of combined mental, moral, and industrial education. He also describes the growth of Tuskegee Institute, detailing how it began with basic agricultural training and expanded to offer a wide range of industrial and academic courses, with students contributing to the construction and maintenance of the institute's facilities.

15:05

👩‍🏫 The Value of Practical Education

Paragraph 4 continues the discussion on the importance of practical education, particularly in the context of the Negro community. Washington notes the societal shift towards valuing industrial training and the positive change in public sentiment. He emphasizes the need for education to prepare students for occupations available in their home communities, citing the example of dairy operations. He also addresses the misconception that industrial education aims to revert the Negro to slave-like labor conditions, clarifying that the goal is to elevate labor through the use of modern forces and technologies, thus improving economic status and social standing.

20:06

🌱 Agriculture and the Path to Prosperity

The final paragraph of the script underscores the significance of agricultural education for the Negro race. Washington argues for a more integrated approach to education that connects schools with agricultural practices, enabling students to understand and engage with the land. He believes that such education will not only improve the economic prospects of the Negro community but also contribute to the broader agricultural development of the South. The paragraph concludes with a call to action, urging the Negro community to demonstrate its capabilities and potential through tangible achievements in various fields, thereby reinforcing their position in society.

Keywords

💡Industrial Education

Industrial Education refers to the training and education in practical skills, particularly those related to manual labor and technical trades. In the context of the video, it is emphasized as a crucial pathway for the Negro community to achieve economic independence and social upliftment. Booker T. Washington advocates for industrial education as a means to instill a work ethic and provide practical skills that can lead to self-sufficiency and community development. The script mentions that 'the necessity for the races learning the difference between being worked and working' and how industrial education can 'create the wealth from which alone can come leisure and the opportunity for higher education.'

💡Civilization

Civilization, in this video, is used to describe the process of social and cultural development and the attainment of a higher state of social organization and progress. It is contrasted with 'degradation' to highlight the transformative power of work and education. The script states that 'working means civilization' and that through industrial education, the Negro community can learn 'the secrets of civilization' and establish a foundation for progress.

💡Labor

Labor is the physical or mental effort expended in doing work or tasks, especially to produce or accomplish something. In the video, labor is portrayed as honorable and a means to achieve economic stability and social standing. The script emphasizes that 'all forms of labor are honorable and all forms of idleness disgraceful,' advocating for the dignity of work and its role in the advancement of the Negro community.

💡Economic Foundation

An economic foundation refers to the basic economic structures and resources that support a community or society. In the video, it is mentioned that all races that have prospered have done so by laying an economic foundation, often through agriculture and land ownership. The script suggests that the Negro community should focus on building an economic foundation through industrial education to achieve self-sufficiency and prosperity.

💡Slavery

Slavery is the state of being a slave, especially under a system in which people are treated as property to be bought, sold, or held. In the context of the video, slavery is discussed as a historical context for the Negro community's struggle for freedom and self-determination. The script acknowledges the 'curse of slavery' but also notes the unintended industrial training that slaves received, which laid some groundwork for their future economic participation.

💡Higher Education

Higher education refers to education provided by universities, colleges, and other institutions that award degrees and professional qualifications. In the video, higher education is contrasted with industrial education, with the argument that the latter should not be overlooked in favor of the former. The script suggests that 'the very best service which anyone can render to what is called the higher education is to teach the present generation to work and save,' which can then provide the means for leisure and higher education.

💡Wealth Creation

Wealth creation is the process of generating wealth, often through economic activities and investments. The video emphasizes that wealth creation is essential for the Negro community to move beyond mere subsistence and achieve a higher standard of living. The script states that 'this will create the wealth from which alone can come leisure and the opportunity for higher education,' highlighting the importance of economic empowerment.

💡Leisure

Leisure, in this context, refers to free time for recreation and other non-work activities. The video suggests that leisure is a luxury that comes from having the economic means to enjoy it. It is mentioned that 'out of it [wealth creation] in the future will grow practical education professional education positions of public responsibility out of it will grow moral, and religious strength out of it will grow wealth from which alone can come leisure and the opportunity for the enjoyment of literature and the Fine Arts.'

💡Mental and Moral Training

Mental and moral training refers to the development of intellectual capacities and ethical values. The video argues for a holistic approach to education that includes not only industrial skills but also mental and moral development. The script states that 'by the side of industrial training should always go mental and moral training,' emphasizing the importance of a well-rounded education for the Negro community.

💡Self-sufficiency

Self-sufficiency is the ability to provide for one's own needs without external assistance. In the video, self-sufficiency is presented as a goal for the Negro community, achieved through industrial education and economic development. The script mentions that 'we must reinforce argument with results' such as buying farms, building houses, and maintaining schools and churches, which are all signs of self-sufficiency and progress.

Highlights

The necessity for the races learning the difference between being worked and working.

The best service to higher education is teaching the present generation to work and save.

The Negro has been helped to find himself and learn the secrets of civilization.

All forms of labor are honorable and all forms of idleness are disgraceful.

Economic foundation through cultivation and ownership of the soil is crucial for a race's rise.

The industrial training during slavery was crude but provided a foundation for future development.

The Negro was the chief dependence in the manufacturing of tobacco and other industries post-Civil War.

The value of industrial training was overlooked, leading to a shortage of skilled laborers.

Education should be directed towards practical things of life and the needs of the community.

The education of the Negro should not be confined to industrial life but should include mental and moral training.

The Hampton Institute and Tuskegee Institute focus on combined mental, moral, and industrial education.

Tuskegee Institute's growth from teaching with minimal resources to owning extensive land and industries.

The importance of fitting students for occupations open to them in their home communities.

The demand for skilled dairymen in the South and the response from Tuskegee Institute.

The misconception that industrial education aims to make the Negro work as during slavery.

The need for training in agriculture and the practical knowledge of farming for the Negro population.

The pathway for the Negro must be up through the soil, commerce, education, and religion.

Concrete achievements like buying farms, building houses, and maintaining schools speak louder than abstract eloquence.

Transcripts

section one of the Negro problem this is

a LibriVox recording all LibriVox

recordings are in the public domain for

more information or to volunteer please

visit librivox.org

recording by James K white the Negro

problem section one industrial education

for the Negro by Booker T Washington

principal of Tuskegee Institute

the necessity for the races learning the

difference between being worked and

working he would not confine the Negro

to Industrial life but believes that the

very best service which anyone can

render to what is called the higher

education is to teach the present

generation to work and save this will

create the wealth from which alone can

come Leisure and the opportunity for

higher

education one of the most fundamental

and far-reaching deeds that has been

accomplished during the last quarter of

a century has been that by which the

Negro has been helped to find himself

and to learn the secrets of

civilization to learn that there are a

few simple Cardinal principles upon

which a race must start its upward

course unless it would fail and its last

estate be worse than its

first it has been necessary for the

Negro to learn the difference between

being worked and working to learn that

being worked meant degradation while

working means

civilization that all forms of Labor are

honorable and all forms of idleness

disgraceful it has been necessary for

him to learn that all Races that have

got upon their feet have done so largely

by laying an economic foundation and in

general by beginning in a proper

cultivation and ownership of the

soil 40 years ago my race emerged From

Slavery into Freedom if in too many

cases the Negro race began development

and at the wrong end it was largely

because neither white nor black properly

understood the case nor is it any wonder

that this was so for never before in the

history of the world had just such a

problem been presented as that of the

two races at the coming of freedom in

this

country for 250 years I believe the way

for the Redemption of the Negro was

being prepared through Industrial

Development through all those years the

southern white man did business with the

Negro in a way that no one else has done

business with him in most cases if a

southern white man wanted a house built

he consulted a negro mechanic about the

plan and about the actual building of

the structure if he wanted a suit of

clothes made he went to a negro tailor

and for shoes he went to a Shoemaker of

the same race in a certain way every

slave plantation in the South was an

industrial school on these plantations

young colored men and women were

constantly being trained not only as

Farmers but as Carpenters blacksmiths

wheel writs brick masons Engineers Cooks

laundresses sewing women and

housekeepers I do not mean in any way to

apologize for the curse of slavery which

was a curse to both races but in what I

say about industrial training and

slavery I'm simply stating facts this

training was crude and was given for

selfish purposes it did not answer the

highest ends because there was an

absence of mental training in connection

with the training of the hand to a large

degree though this business contact with

the southern white man and the

industrial training on the plantations

left the Negro at the close of the war

in possession of nearly all the common

and skilled labor in the South the

industries that gave the South its power

prominence and wealth prior to the Civil

War were mainly the raising of cotton

sugar cane rice and tobacco

before the way could be prepared for the

proper growing and marketing of these

crops forests had to be cleared houses

to be built public roads and railroads

constructed in all these works the Negro

did most of the heavy work in the

planting cultivating and marketing of

the crops Not only was the Negro the

chief dependence but in the manufacturer

of tobacco he became a skilled and

proficient Workman and in this up to the

present time in the South whole holds

the lead in the large tobacco

manufactures in most of the industries

though what happened for nearly 20 years

after the war except in a few instances

the value of the industrial training

given by the plantations was overlooked

negro men and women were educated in

literature in mathematics and in The

Sciences with little thought of what had

been taking place during the preceding

250 years except perhaps as something to

be escaped to be got as far away from as

possible as the generation began to pass

those who had been trained as mechanics

and slavery began to Disappear by death

and gradually it began to be realized

that there were few to take their

places there were young men educated in

foreign tongues but few in carpentry or

in mechanical or architectural drawing

many were trained in Latin but few as

engineers and blacksmiths too many were

taken from the farm and educated but

educated in everything but farming for

this reason they had no interest in

farming and did not return to it and yet

85% of the Negro population of the

southern states lives and for a

considerable time will continue to live

in the country districts the charge is

often brought against the members of my

race and too often justly I confess that

they are found leaving the country

districts and flocking into the great

cities where Temptations are more

frequent and harder to resist

and where the Negro people tooo often

become

demoralized think though how frequently

it is the case that from the first day

that a pupil begins to go to school his

books teach him much about the cities of

the world and city life and almost

nothing about the country how natural it

is then that when he has the ordering of

his life he wants to live it in the

city only a short time before his death

the late Mr CP Huntington to whose

memory a magnificent library has just

been given by his widow to the Hampton

Institute for Negroes in Virginia said

in a public address some words which

seem to me so wise that I want to quote

them here our schools teach everybody a

little of almost everything but in my

opinion they teach very few children

just what they ought to know in order to

make their way successfully in life they

do not put into their hands the tools

they are best fitted to use and hence so

many

failures many a mother and sister have

worked and slaved living upon scanty

food in order to give a son and brother

a liberal education and in doing this

have built up a barrier between the boy

and the work he was fitted to do let me

say to you that all honest work is

Honorable work if the labor is manual

and seems common you will have all the

more chance to be thinking of other

things or of work that is higher and and

brings better pay and to work out in

your minds better and higher duties and

responsibilities for yourselves and for

thinking of ways by which you can help

others as well as yourselves and bring

them up to your own higher

level some years ago when we decided to

make tailoring a part of our training at

the Tuskegee Institute I was amazed to

find that it was almost impossible to

find in the whole country an educated

colored man who Could Teach the making

of clothing we can find numbers of them

who could teach astronomy theology Latin

or grammar but almost none who could

instruct in the making of clothing

something that has to be used by every

one of us every day in the year how

often have I been discouraged as I have

gone through the South and into the

homes of the people of my race and have

found women who could Converse

intelligently upon abstruse subjects and

yet could not tell how to improve the

condition of the poorly cooked and still

more poorly served bread bread and meat

which they and their families were

eating three times a day it is

discouraging to find a girl who can tell

you the geographical location of any

country on the globe and who does not

know where to place the dishes upon a

common dinner table it is discouraging

to find a woman who knows much about

theoretical chemistry and who cannot

properly wash and iron a

shirt in what I say here I would not by

any means have it understood that I

would limit or Circ circumscribe the

mental development of the Negro student

no race can be lifted until its mind is

awakened and strengthened by the side of

industrial training should always go

mental and moral training but the

pushing of mere abstract knowledge into

the head means little we want more than

the mere performance of mental

gymnastics our knowledge must be

harnessed to the things of real life I

would encourage the Negro to secure all

the mental strength all the mental

culture whether gleaned from science

mathematics history language or

literature that his circumstances will

allow but I believe most earnestly that

for years to come the education of the

people of my race should be so directed

that the greatest proportion of the

mental strength of the masses will be

brought to bear upon the everyday

practical things of life upon something

that is needed to be done and something

which they will be permitted to do in

the community in which they reside and

just the same with the professional

class which the race needs and must have

I would say give the men and women of

that class too the training which will

best fit them to perform in the most

successful manner the service which the

race

demands I would not confine the race to

Industrial life not even to agriculture

for example although I believe that by

far the greater part of the Negro race

is best off in the country districts and

must and should continue to live there

but I would teach the race that in

Industry the foundation must be laid

that the very best service which anyone

can render to what is called the higher

education is to teach the present

generation to provide a material or

industrial

foundation on such a foundation as this

will grow habits of thrift a love of

work economy ownership of property bank

accounts out of it in the future will

grow practical education professional

education positions of public

responsibility out of it will grow moral

and religious strength out of it will

grow wealth from which alone can come

Leisure and the opportunity for the

enjoyment of literature and the Fine

Arts in the words of the late beloved

Frederick Douglas every blow of the

sledgehammer wielded by a sable arm is a

powerful blow in support of our cause

every colored mechanic is by virtue of

circumstances and elevator of his race

every house built by a black man is a

strong tower against the Allied hosts of

prejudice it is impossible for us to

attach too much importance to this

aspect of the subject without Industrial

Development there can be no wealth

without wealth there can be no leisure

without Leisure no opportunity for

thoughtful reflection and the

cultivation of the higher Arts I would

set no limits to the attainments of the

Negro in arts in letters or

statesmanship but I believe the shest

way to reach those ends is by laying the

foundation in the little things of life

that lie immediately about one's door I

plead for industrial education and

development for the Negro not because I

want to cramp him but because I want to

free him I want to see him enter the all

powerful business and Commercial

world it was such combined mental moral

and Industrial education which the late

General Armstrong set out to give at the

Hampton Institute when he established

that school 30 years ago the Hampton

Institute has continued along the lines

laid down by its great founder and now

each year an increasing number of

similar schools are being established in

the south for the people of both

races early in the history of the

Tuskegee Institute we began to combine

industrial training with mental and

moral culture our first efforts were in

the direction of Agri culture and we

began teaching this with no appliances

except one hoe and a blind

mule from this small beginning we have

grown until now The Institute owns 2,000

acres of land 800 of which are

cultivated each year by the young men of

the school we began teaching wheel

riding and blacksmithing in a small way

to the men and laundry work cooking and

sewing and housekeeping to the young

women the 1400 and over young men and

women who attended the school during the

last school year received instruction in

addition to academic and religious

training in 33 trades and industries

including carpentry blacksmithing

printing wheel riding harness making

painting Machinery founding shoe making

brick masonry and brick making

Plastering sawmilling tin smithing

tailoring mechanical and Architectural

drawing electrical and steam engineering

canning sewing dress making millenary

cooking laundering housekeeping mattress

making basketry nursing Agriculture

dairying and stock raising horiculture

not only do the students receive

instruction in these trades but they do

actual work by means of which more than

half of them pay some part or all of

their expenses while remaining at the

school of the 60 buildings belonging to

the school all but four were almost

wholly erected by the students as part

of their industrial education even the

bricks which go into the walls are made

by students in the school's Brickyard in

which last year they manufactured 2

million

bricks when we first began this work at

Tuskegee and the idea got spread among

the people of my race that the students

who came to the Tuskegee School were to

be taught Industries in connection with

their academic studies were in other

words to be taught to work I received a

great many verbal messages and letters

from parents and informing me that they

wanted their children taught books but

not how to work this protest went on for

three or 4 years but I'm glad to be able

to say now that our people have very

generally been educated to a point where

they see their own needs and conditions

so clearly that it has been several

years since we have had a single protest

from parents against the teaching of

Industries and there is now a positive

enthusiasm for it in fact public

sentiment among the students at Tuskegee

is now so wrong for industrial training

that it would hardly permit a student to

remain on the grounds who was unwilling

to

labor it seems to me that too often mere

book education leaves the Negro young

men or woman in a weak position for

example I have seen a negro girl taught

by her mother to help her in doing

laundry work at home later when this

same girl was graduated from the public

schools or a high school and returned

home she finds herself educated out of

sympathy with laundry work and yet not

able to find find anything to do which

seems in keeping with the cost and

character of her

education under these circumstances we

cannot be surprised if she does not

fulfill the expectations made for her

what should have been done for her it

seems to me was to give her along with

her academic education thorough training

in the latest and best methods of

laundry work so that she could have put

so much skill and intelligence into it

that the work would have been lifted out

of the plane of

drudgery the home which he would then

have been able to found by the results

of her work would have enabled her to

help her children to take a still more

responsible position in

life almost from the first Tuskegee has

kept in mind and this I think should be

the policy of all industrial schools

fitting students for occupations which

would be open to them in their home

communities some years ago we noted the

fact that there was beginning to be a

demand in the South for men to operate

dairies in a skillful modern manner we

opened a dairy Department in connection

with the school where a number of young

men could have instruction in the latest

and most scientific methods of dairy

work at present we have calls mainly

from Southern white men for twice as

many dairymen as we are able to

supply what is equally satisfactory the

reports which come to us indicate that

our young men are giving the highest

satisfaction and are fast changing and

improving the dairy product in the

communities into which they go I use the

Dairy here as an example what I have

said of this is equally true of many of

the other Industries which we teach

aside from the economic value of this

work I cannot but believe and my

observation confirms me in my belief

that as we continue to place negro men

and women of intelligence religion

modesty conscience and skill in every

community in the South who will prove by

actual results their value to the

community I cannot but believe I say

that this will constitute a solution to

many of the present political and social

difficulties many seem to think that

industrial education is meant to make

the Negro work as he worked in the days

of slavery this is far from my

conception of industrial education if

this training is worth anything to the

Negro it consists in teaching him how

not to work but how to make the forces

of nature air steam water horsepower and

electricity work for him if it has any

value it is in lifting labor up out of

toil and drudgery into the plain of the

dignified and the

Beautiful the Negro in the South works

and works hard but too often his

ignorance and lack of skill causes him

to do his work in the most costly and

shiftless Manner and this keeps him near

the bottom of the ladder in the economic

world I have not emphasized particularly

in these Pages the great need of

training the Negro in agriculture but I

believe that this branch of industrial

education does need very great emphasis

in this connection I want to quote some

words which Mr Edgar Gardner Murphy of

Montgomery Alabama has recently written

upon this subject we must incorporate

into our Public School System a larger

recognition of the Practical and

Industrial elements in educational

training ours is an agricultural

population the school must be brought

more closely to the soil the teaching of

history for example is all very well but

nobody can really know anything of

History unless he has been taught to see

things grow has so seen things not only

with the outward eye but with the eyes

of his intelligence and conscience the

actual things of the present are more

important however than the institutions

of the past even to young children can

be shown these simpler conditions and

processes of growth how corn is put into

the ground how cotton and potatoes

should be planted how to choose the soil

best adapted to a particular plant how

to improve that soil how to care for the

plant while it grows how to get the most

value out of it how to use the elements

of waste for the fertilization of other

crops how through the alternation of

crops the land may be made to increase

the annual value of its products these

things upon their Elementary side are

absolutely vital to the worth and

success of hundreds of thousands of

these people of the Negro race and yet

our whole educational system has

practically ignored them such work will

mean not only an education in

agriculture but an education through

Agriculture and education through

natural symbols and practical forms

which will educate as deeply as broadly

and as truly as any other system which

the world has known such changes will

bring Far larger result results than the

mere Improvement of our Negroes they

will give us an agricultural Class A

Class of tenants where small landowners

train not away from the soil but in

relation to the soil and in intelligent

dependence upon its

resources I closed then as I began by

saying that as a slave the Negro was

worked and that as a Freeman he must

learn to work there was still doubt in

many quarters as to the ability of the

Negro grow unguided unsupported to Hue

his own path and to put into visible

tangible indisputable form products and

signs of

civilization this doubt cannot be much

affected by abstract arguments no matter

how delicately and convincingly woven

together patiently quietly doggedly

persistently through summer and winter

sunshine and Shadow by

self-sacrifice by foresight by honesty

and Industry

we must reinforce argument with

results one Farm bought one house built

one home sweetly and intelligently kept

one man who is the largest taxpayer or

has the largest bank account one school

or church maintained one Factory running

successfully one truck Garden profitably

cultivated one patient cured by a negro

doctor one sermon well preached one

office well filled One Life cleanly

lived these will tell more in our favor

than all the abstract eloquence that can

be summoned to plead our cause our

pathway must be up through the soil up

through swamps up through forests up

through the streams the Rocks up through

Commerce education and

religion end of section one recording by

James K white Chula Vista