up from slavery-第24章

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armer　and　more　enthusiastic　friends　anywhere　than　it　has　among　the　white　citizens　of　Tuskegee　and　throughout　the　state　of　Alabama　and　the　entire　South。　From　the　first；　I　have　advised　our　people　in　the　South　to　make　friends　in　every　straightforward；　manly　way　with　their　next…door　neighbour；　whether　he　be　a　black　man　or　a　white　man。　I　have　also　advised　them；　where　no　principle　is　at　stake；　to　consult　the　interests　of　their　local　communities；　and　to　advise　with　their　friends　in　regard　to　their　voting。

For　several　months　the　work　of　securing　the　money　with　which　to　pay　for　the　farm　went　on　without　ceasing。　At　the　end　of　three　months　enough　was　secured　to　repay　the　loan　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　to　General　Marshall；　and　within　two　months　more　we　had　secured　the　entire　five　hundred　dollars　and　had　received　a　deed　of　the　one　hundred　acres　of　land。　This　gave　us　a　great　deal　of　satisfaction。　It　was　not　only　a　source　of　satisfaction　to　secure　a　permanent　location　for　the　school；　but　it　was　equally　satisfactory　to　know　that　the　greater　part　of　the　money　with　which　it　was　paid　for　had　been　gotten　from　the　white　and　coloured　people　in　the　town　of　Tuskegee。　The　most　of　this　money　was　obtained　by　holding　festivals　and　concerts；　and　from　small　individual　donations。

Our　next　effort　was　in　the　direction　of　increasing　the　cultivation　of　the　land；　so　as　to　secure　some　return　from　it；　and　at　the　same　time　give　the　students　training　in　agriculture。　All　the　industries　at　Tuskegee　have　been　started　in　natural　and　logical　order；　growing　out　of　the　needs　of　a　community　settlement。　We　began　with　farming；　because　we　wanted　something　to　eat。

Many　of　the　students；　also；　were　able　to　remain　in　school　but　a　few　weeks　at　a　time；　because　they　had　so　little　money　with　which　to　pay　their　board。　Thus　another　object　which　made　it　desirable　to　get　an　industrial　system　started　was　in　order　to　make　in　available　as　a　means　of　helping　the　students　to　earn　money　enough　so　that　they　might　be　able　to　remain　in　school　during　the　nine　months'　session　of　the　school　year。

The　first　animal　that　the　school　came　into　possession　of　was　an　old　blind　horse　given　us　by　one　of　the　white　citizens　of　Tuskegee。　Perhaps　I　may　add　here　that　at　the　present　time　the　school　owns　over　two　hundred　horses；　colts；　mules；　cows；　calves；　and　oxen；　and　about　seven　hundred　hogs　and　pigs；　as　well　as　a　large　number　of　sheep　and　goats。

The　school　was　constantly　growing　in　numbers；　so　much　so　that；　after　we　had　got　the　farm　paid　for；　the　cultivation　of　the　land　begun；　and　the　old　cabins　which　we　had　found　on　the　place　somewhat　repaired；　we　turned　our　attention　toward　providing　a　large；　substantial　building。　After　having　given　a　good　deal　of　thought　to　the　subject；　we　finally　had　the　plans　drawn　for　a　building　that　was　estimated　to　cost　about　six　thousand　dollars。　This　seemed　to　us　a　tremendous　sum；　but　we　knew　that　the　school　must　go　backward　or　forward；　and　that　our　work　would　mean　little　unless　we　could　get　hold　of　the　students　in　their　home　life。

One　incident　which　occurred　about　this　time　gave　me　a　great　deal　of　satisfaction　as　well　as　surprise。　When　it　became　known　in　the　town　that　we　were　discussing　the　plans　for　a　new；　large　building；　a　Southern　white　man　who　was　operating　a　sawmill　not　far　from　Tuskegee　came　to　me　and　said　that　he　would　gladly　put　all　the　lumber　necessary　to　erect　the　building　on　the　grounds；　with　no　other　guarantee　for　payment　than　my　word　that　it　would　be　paid　for　when　we　secured　some　money。　I　told　the　man　frankly　that　at　the　time　we　did　not　have　in　our　hands　one　dollar　of　the　money　needed。　Notwithstanding　this；　he　insisted　on　being　allowed　to　put　the　lumber　on　the　grounds。　After　we　had　secured　some　portion　of　the　money　we　permitted　him　to　do　this。

Miss　Davidson　again　began　the　work　of　securing　in　various　ways　small　contributions　for　the　new　building　from　the　white　and　coloured　people　in　and　near　Tuskegee。　I　think　I　never　saw　a　community　of　people　so　happy　over　anything　as　were　the　coloured　people　over　the　prospect　of　this　new　building。　One　day；　when　we　were　holding　a　meeting　to　secure　funds　for　its　erection；　an　old；　ante…bellum　coloured　man　came　a　distance　of　twelve　miles　and　brought　in　his　ox…cart　a　large　hog。　When　the　meeting　was　in　progress；　he　rose　in　the　midst　of　the　company　and　said　that　he　had　no　money　which　he　could　give；　but　he　had　raised　two　fine　hogs；　and　that　he　had　brought　one　of　them　as　a　contribution　toward　the　expenses　of　the　building。　He　closed　his　announcement　by　saying：　〃Any　nigger　that's　got　any　love　for　his　race；　or　any　respect　for　himself；　will　bring　a　hog　to　the　next　meeting。〃　Quite　a　number　of　men　in　the　community　also　volunteered　to　give　several　days'　work；　each；　toward　the　erection　of　the　building。

After　we　had　secured　all　the　help　that　we　could　in　Tuskegee；　Miss　Davidson　decided　to　go　North　for　the　purpose　of　securing　additional　funds。　For　weeks　she　visited　individuals　and　spoke　in　churches　and　before　Sunday　schools　and　other　organizations。　She　found　this　work　quite　trying；　and　often　embarrassing。　The　school　was　not　known；　but　she　was　not　long　in　winning　her　way　into　the　confidence　of　the　best　people　in　the　North。

The　first　gift　from　any　Northern　person　was　received　from　a　New　York　lady　whom　Miss　Davidson　met　on　the　boat　that　was　bringing　her　North。　They　fell　into　a　conversation；　and　the　Northern　lady　became　so　much　interested　in　the　effort　being　made　at　Tuskegee　that　before　they　parted　Miss　Davidson　was　handed　a　check　for　fifty　dollars。　For　some　time　before　our　marriage；　and　also　after　it；　Miss　Davidson　kept　up　the　work　of　securing　money　in　the　North　and　in　the　South　by　interesting　people　by　personal　visits　and　through　correspondence。　At　the　same　time　she　kept　in　close　touch　with　the　work　at　Tuskegee；　as　lady　principal　and　classroom　teacher。　In　addition　to　this；　she　worked　among　the　older　people　in　and　near　Tuskegee；　and　taught　a　Sunday　school　class　in　the　town。　She　was　never　very　strong；　but　never　seemed　happy　unless　she　was　giving　all　of　her　strength　to　the　cause　which　she　loved。　Often；　at　night；　after　spending　the　day　in　going　from　door　to　door　trying　to　interest　persons　in　the　work　at　Tuskegee；　she　would　be　so　exhausted　that　she　could　not　undress　herself。　A　lady　upon　whom　she　called；　in　Boston；　afterward　told　me　that　at　one　time　when　Miss　Davidson　called　her　to　see　and　send　up　her　card　the　lady　was　detained　a　little　before　she　could　see　Miss　Davidson；　and　when　she　entered　the　parlour　she　found　Miss　Davidson　so　exhausted　that　she　had　fallen　asleep。

While　putting　up　our　first　building；　which　was　named　Porter　Hall；　after　Mr。　A。H。　Porter；　of　Brooklyn；　N。Y。；　who　gave　a　generous　sum　toward　its　erection；　the　need　for　money　became　acute。　I　had　given　one　of　our　creditors　a　promise　that　upon　a　certain　day　he　should　be　paid　four　hundred　dollars。　On　the　morning　of　that　day　we　did　not　have　a　dollar。　The　mail　arrived　at　the　school　at　ten　o'clock；　and　in　this　mail　there　was　a　check　sent　by　Miss　Davidson　for　exactly　four　hundred　dollars。　I　could　relate　many　instances　of　almost　the　same　character。　This　four　hundred　dollars　was　given　by　two　ladies　in　Boston。　Two　years　later；　when　the　work　at　Tuskegee　had　grown　considerably；　and　when　we　were　in　the　midst　of　a　season　when　we　were　so　much　in　need　of　money　that　the　future　looked　doubtful　and　gloomy；　the　same　two　Boston　ladies　sent　us　six　thousand　dollars。　Words　cannot　describe　our　surprise；　or　the　encouragement　that　the　gift　brought　to　us。　Perhaps　I　might　add　here　that　for　fourteen　years　these　same　friends　have　sent　us　six　thousand　dollars　a　year。

As　soon　as　the　plans　were　drawn　for　the　new　building；　the　students　began　digging　out　the　earth　where　the　foundations　were　to　be　laid；　working　after　the　regular　classes　were　over。　They　had　not　fully　outgrown　the　idea　that　it　was　hardly　the　proper　thing　for　them　to　use　their　hands；　since　they　had　come　there；　as　one　of　them　expressed　it；　〃to　be　educated；　and　not　to　work。〃　Gradually；　though；　I　noted　with　satisfaction　that　a　sentiment　in　favour　of　work　was　gaining　ground。　After　a　few　weeks　of　hard　work　the　foundations　were　ready；　and　a　day　was　appointed　for　the　laying　of　the　corner…stone。

When　it　is　considered　that　the　laying　of　this　corner…sto