up from slavery-第25节

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e　rapid　progress　that　the　school　had　made　within　so　short　a　time。　The　coloured　people　from　miles　around　came　to　the　school　to　get　a　look　at　General　Armstrong；　about　whom　they　had　heard　so　much。　The　General　was　not　only　welcomed　by　the　members　of　my　own　race；　but　by　the　Southern　white　people　as　well。

This　first　visit　which　General　Armstrong　made　to　Tuskegee　gave　me　an　opportunity　to　get　an　insight　into　his　character　such　as　I　had　not　before　had。　I　refer　to　his　interest　in　the　Southern　white　people。　Before　this　I　had　had　the　thought　that　General　Armstrong；　having　fought　the　Southern　white　man；　rather　cherished　a　feeling　of　bitterness　toward　the　white　South；　and　was　interested　in　helping　only　the　coloured　man　there。　But　this　visit　convinced　me　that　I　did　not　know　the　greatness　and　the　generosity　of　the　man。　I　soon　learned；　by　his　visits　to　the　Southern　white　people；　and　from　his　conversations　with　them；　that　he　was　as　anxious　about　the　prosperity　and　the　happiness　of　the　white　race　as　the　black。　He　cherished　no　bitterness　against　the　South；　and　was　happy　when　an　opportunity　offered　for　manifesting　his　sympathy。　In　all　my　acquaintance　with　General　Armstrong　I　never　heard　him　speak；　in　public　or　in　private；　a　single　bitter　word　against　the　white　man　in　the　South。　From　his　example　in　this　respect　I　learned　the　lesson　that　great　men　cultivate　love；　and　that　only　little　men　cherish　a　spirit　of　hatred。　I　learned　that　assistance　given　to　the　weak　makes　the　one　who　gives　it　strong；　and　that　oppression　of　the　unfortunate　makes　one　weak。

It　is　now　long　ago　that　I　learned　this　lesson　from　General　Armstrong；　and　resolved　that　I　would　permit　no　man；　no　matter　what　his　colour　might　be；　to　narrow　and　degrade　my　soul　by　making　me　hate　him。　With　God's　help；　I　believe　that　I　have　completely　rid　myself　of　any　ill　feeling　toward　the　Southern　white　man　for　any　wrong　that　he　may　have　inflicted　upon　my　race。　I　am　made　to　feel　just　as　happy　now　when　I　am　rendering　service　to　Southern　white　men　as　when　the　service　is　rendered　to　a　member　of　my　own　race。　I　pity　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart　any　individual　who　is　so　unfortunate　as　to　get　into　the　habit　of　holding　race　prejudice。

The　more　I　consider　the　subject；　the　more　strongly　I　am　convinced　that　the　most　harmful　effect　of　the　practice　to　which　the　people　in　certain　sections　of　the　South　have　felt　themselves　compelled　to　resort；　in　order　to　get　rid　of　the　force　of　the　Negroes'　ballot；　is　not　wholly　in　the　wrong　done　to　the　Negro；　but　in　the　permanent　injury　to　the　morals　of　the　white　man。　The　wrong　to　the　Negro　is　temporary；　but　to　the　morals　of　the　white　man　the　injury　is　permanent。　I　have　noted　time　and　time　again　that　when　an　individual　perjures　himself　in　order　to　break　the　force　of　the　black　man's　ballot；　he　soon　learns　to　practise　dishonesty　in　other　relations　of　life；　not　only　where　the　Negro　is　concerned；　but　equally　so　where　a　white　man　is　concerned。　The　white　man　who　begins　by　cheating　a　Negro　usually　ends　by　cheating　a　white　man。　The　white　man　who　begins　to　break　the　law　by　lynching　a　Negro　soon　yields　to　the　temptation　to　lynch　a　white　man。　All　this；　it　seems　to　me；　makes　it　important　that　the　whole　Nation　lend　a　hand　in　trying　to　lift　the　burden　of　ignorance　from　the　South。

Another　thing　that　is　becoming　more　apparent　each　year　in　the　development　of　education　in　the　South　is　the　influence　of　General　Armstrong's　idea　of　education；　and　this　not　upon　the　blacks　alone；　but　upon　the　whites　also。　At　the　present　time　there　is　almost　no　Southern　state　that　is　not　putting　forth　efforts　in　the　direction　of　securing　industrial　education　for　its　white　boys　and　girls；　and　in　most　cases　it　is　easy　to　trace　the　history　of　these　efforts　back　to　General　Armstrong。

Soon　after　the　opening　of　our　humble　boarding　department　students　began　coming　to　us　in　still　larger　numbers。　For　weeks　we　not　only　had　to　contend　with　the　difficulty　of　providing　board；　with　no　money；　but　also　with　that　of　providing　sleeping　accommodations。　For　this　purpose　we　rented　a　number　of　cabins　near　the　school。　These　cabins　were　in　a　dilapidated　condition；　and　during　the　winter　months　the　students　who　occupied　them　necessarily　suffered　from　the　cold。　We　charge　the　students　eight　dollars　a　monthall　they　were　able　to　payfor　their　board。　This　included；　besides　board；　room；　fuel；　and　washing。　We　also　gave　the　students　credit　on　their　board　bills　for　all　the　work　which　they　did　for　the　school　which　was　of　any　value　to　the　institution。　The　cost　of　tuition；　which　was　fifty　dollars　a　year　for　each　student；　we　had　to　secure　then；　as　now；　wherever　we　could。

This　small　charge　in　cash　gave　us　no　capital　with　which　to　start　a　boarding　department。　The　weather　during　the　second　winter　of　our　work　was　very　cold。　We　were　not　able　to　provide　enough　bed…clothes　to　keep　the　students　warm。　In　fact；　for　some　time　we　were　not　able　to　provide；　except　in　a　few　cases；　bedsteads　and　mattresses　of　any　kind。　During　the　coldest　nights　I　was　so　troubled　about　the　discomfort　of　the　students　that　I　could　not　sleep　myself。　I　recall　that　on　several　occasions　I　went　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　the　shanties　occupied　by　the　young　men；　for　the　purpose　of　confronting　them。　Often　I　found　some　of　them　sitting　huddled　around　a　fire；　with　the　one　blanket　which　we　had　been　able　to　provide　wrapped　around　them；　trying　in　this　way　to　keep　warm。　During　the　whole　night　some　of　them　did　not　attempt　to　lie　down。　One　morning；　when　the　night　previous　had　been　unusually　cold；　I　asked　those　of　the　students　in　the　chapel　who　thought　that　they　had　been　frostbitten　during　the　night　to　raise　their　hands。　Three　hands　went　up。　Notwithstanding　these　experiences；　there　was　almost　no　complaining　on　the　part　of　the　students。　They　knew　that　we　were　doing　the　best　that　we　could　for　them。　They　were　happy　in　the　privilege　of　being　permitted　to　enjoy　any　kind　of　opportunity　that　would　enable　them　to　improve　their　condition。　They　were　constantly　asking　what　they　might　do　to　lighten　the　burdens　of　the　teachers。

I　have　heard　it　stated　more　than　once；　both　in　the　North　and　in　the　South；　that　coloured　people　would　not　obey　and　respect　each　other　when　one　member　of　the　race　is　placed　in　a　position　of　authority　over　others。　In　regard　to　this　general　belief　and　these　statements；　I　can　say　that　during　the　nineteen　years　of　my　experience　at　Tuskegee　I　never；　either　by　word　or　act；　have　been　treated　with　disrespect　by　any　student　or　officer　connected　with　the　institution。　On　the　other　hand；　I　am　constantly　embarrassed　by　the　many　acts　of　thoughtful　kindness。　The　students　do　not　seem　to　want　to　see　me　carry　a　large　book　or　a　satchel　or　any　kind　of　a　burden　through　the　grounds。　In　such　cases　more　than　one　always　offers　to　relieve　me。　I　almost　never　go　out　of　my　office　when　the　rain　is　falling　that　some　student　does　not　come　to　my　side　with　an　umbrella　and　ask　to　be　allowed　to　hold　it　over　me。

While　writing　upon　this　subject；　it　is　a　pleasure　for　me　to　add　that　in　all　my　contact　with　the　white　people　of　the　South　I　have　never　received　a　single　personal　insult。　The　white　people　in　and　near　Tuskegee；　to　an　especial　degree；　seem　to　count　it　as　a　privilege　to　show　me　all　the　respect　within　their　power；　and　often　go　out　of　their　way　to　do　this。

Not　very　long　ago　I　was　making　a　journey　between　Dallas　（Texas）　and　Houston。　In　some　way　it　became　known　in　advance　that　I　was　on　the　train。　At　nearly　every　station　at　which　the　train　stopped；　numbers　of　white　people；　including　in　most　cases　of　the　officials　of　the　town；　came　aboard　and　introduced　themselves　and　thanked　me　heartily　for　the　work　that　I　was　trying　to　do　for　the　South。

On　another　occasion；　when　I　was　making　a　trip　from　Augusta；　Georgia；　to　Atlanta；　being　rather　tired　from　much　travel；　I　road　in　a　Pullman　sleeper。　When　I　went　into　the　car；　I　found　there　two　ladies　from　Boston　whom　I　knew　well。　These　good　ladies　were　perfectly　ignorant；　it　seems；　of　the　customs　of　the　South；　and　in　the　goodness　of　their　hearts　insisted　that　I　take　a　seat　with　them　in　their　section。　After　some　hesitation　I　consented。　I　had　been　there　but　a　few　minutes　when　one　of　them；　without　my　knowledge；　ordered　supper　to　be　served　for　the　three　of　us。　This　embarrassed　me　still　further。　The　car　was　full　of　Southern　white　men；　most　of　whom　had　their　eyes　on　our　party。　When　I　found　that　supper　had　been　ordered；　I　tried　to　contrive　some　excuse　that　would　permit　me　to　leave　the　section；　but　the　ladies　insisted　that　I　must　eat　with　them。　I　finally　settled　back　in　my　seat　with　a　sigh；　and　said　to　myself；　〃I　am　in　for　it　now；　sure。〃

To　add　further　to　the　embarrassment　of　the　situation；　soon　after　the　supper　was　placed　on　the　table　one　of　the　ladies　remembered　that　she　had　in　her　satchel　a　special　kind　of　tea　which　she　wished　served；　and　as　she　said　she　felt　quite　sure　the　porter　did　not　know　how　to　brew　it　properly；　she　insisted　upon　getting　up　and　preparing　and　serving　it　herself。　At　last　the　meal　was　over；　and　it　seemed　the　longest　one　that　I　had　ever　eaten。　When　we　were　through；　I　decided　to　get　myself　out　of　the　embarrassing　situation　and　go　to　the　smoking…room；　where　most　of　the　men　were　by　that　time；　to　see　how　the　land　lay。　In　the　meantime；　however；　it　had　become　known　in　some　way　throu