up from slavery-第25章

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nted　for　the　laying　of　the　corner…stone。

When　it　is　considered　that　the　laying　of　this　corner…stone　took　place　in　the　heart　of　the　South；　in　the　〃Black　Belt；〃　in　the　centre　of　that　part　of　our　country　that　was　most　devoted　to　slavery；　that　at　that　time　slavery　had　been　abolished　only　about　sixteen　years；　that　only　sixteen　years　before　no　Negro　could　be　taught　from　books　without　the　teacher　receiving　the　condemnation　of　the　law　or　of　public　sentimentwhen　all　this　is　considered；　the　scene　that　was　witnessed　on　that　spring　day　at　Tuskegee　was　a　remarkable　one。　I　believe　there　are　few　places　in　the　world　where　it　could　have　taken　place。

The　principal　address　was　delivered　by　the　Hon。　Waddy　Thompson；　the　Superintendent　of　Education　for　the　county。　About　the　corner…stone　were　gathered　the　teachers；　the　students；　their　parents　and　friends；　the　county　officialswho　were　whiteand　all　the　leading　white　men　in　that　vicinity；　together　with　many　of　the　black　men　and　women　whom　the　same　white　people　but　a　few　years　before　had　held　a　title　to　as　property。　The　members　of　both　races　were　anxious　to　exercise　the　privilege　of　placing　under　the　corner…stone　some　momento。

Before　the　building　was　completed　we　passed　through　some　very　trying　seasons。　More　than　once　our　hearts　were　made　to　bleed；　as　it　were；　because　bills　were　falling　due　that　we　did　not　have　the　money　to　meet。　Perhaps　no　one　who　has　not　gone　through　the　experience；　month　after　month；　of　trying　to　erect　buildings　and　provide　equipment　for　a　school　when　no　one　knew　where　the　money　was　to　come　from；　can　properly　appreciate　the　difficulties　under　which　we　laboured。　During　the　first　years　at　Tuskegee　I　recall　that　night　after　night　I　would　roll　and　toss　on　my　bed；　without　sleep；　because　of　the　anxiety　and　uncertainty　which　we　were　in　regarding　money。　I　knew　that；　in　a　large　degree；　we　were　trying　an　experimentthat　of　testing　whether　or　not　it　was　possible　for　Negroes　to　build　up　and　control　the　affairs　of　a　large　education　institution。　I　knew　that　if　we　failed　it　would　injure　the　whole　race。　I　knew　that　the　presumption　was　against　us。　I　knew　that　in　the　case　of　white　people　beginning　such　an　enterprise　it　would　be　taken　for　granted　that　they　were　going　to　succeed；　but　in　our　case　I　felt　that　people　would　be　surprised　if　we　succeeded。　All　this　made　a　burden　which　pressed　down　on　us；　sometimes；　it　seemed；　at　the　rate　of　a　thousand　pounds　to　the　square　inch。

In　all　our　difficulties　and　anxieties；　however；　I　never　went　to　a　white　or　a　black　person　in　the　town　of　Tuskegee　for　any　assistance　that　was　in　their　power　to　render；　without　being　helped　according　to　their　means。　More　than　a　dozen　times；　when　bills　figuring　up　into　the　hundreds　of　dollars　were　falling　due；　I　applied　to　the　white　men　of　Tuskegee　for　small　loans；　often　borrowing　small　amounts　from　as　many　as　a　half…dozen　persons；　to　meet　our　obligations。　One　thing　I　was　determined　to　do　from　the　first；　and　that　was　to　keep　the　credit　of　the　school　high；　and　this；　I　think　I　can　say　without　boasting；　we　have　done　all　through　these　years。

I　shall　always　remember　a　bit　of　advice　given　me　by　Mr。　George　W。　Campbell；　the　white　man　to　whom　I　have　referred　to　as　the　one　who　induced　General　Armstrong　to　send　me　to　Tuskegee。　Soon　after　I　entered　upon　the　work　Mr。　Campbell　said　to　me；　in　his　fatherly　way：　〃Washington；　always　remember　that　credit　is　capital。〃

At　one　time　when　we　were　in　the　greatest　distress　for　money　that　we　ever　experienced；　I　placed　the　situation　frankly　before　General　Armstrong。　Without　hesitation　he　gave　me　his　personal　check　for　all　the　money　which　he　had　saved　for　his　own　use。　This　was　not　the　only　time　that　General　Armstrong　helped　Tuskegee　in　this　way。　I　do　not　think　I　have　ever　made　this　fact　public　before。

During　the　summer　of　1882；　at　the　end　of　the　first　year's　work　of　the　school；　I　was　married　to　Miss　Fannie　N。　Smith；　of　Malden；　W。　Va。　We　began　keeping　house　in　Tuskegee　early　in　the　fall。　This　made　a　home　for　our　teachers；　who　now　had　been　increase　to　four　in　number。　My　wife　was　also　a　graduate　of　the　Hampton　Institute。　After　earnest　and　constant　work　in　the　interests　of　the　school；　together　with　her　housekeeping　duties；　my　wife　passed　away　in　May；　1884。　One　child；　Portia　M。　Washington；　was　born　during　our　marriage。

From　the　first；　my　wife　most　earnestly　devoted　her　thoughts　and　time　to　the　work　of　the　school；　and　was　completely　one　with　me　in　every　interest　and　ambition。　She　passed　away；　however；　before　she　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing　what　the　school　was　designed　to　be。



Chapter　X。　A　Harder　Task　Than　Making　Bricks　Without　Straw

From　the　very　beginning；　at　Tuskegee；　I　was　determined　to　have　the　students　do　not　only　the　agricultural　and　domestic　work；　but　to　have　them　erect　their　own　buildings。　My　plan　was　to　have　them；　while　performing　this　service；　taught　the　latest　and　best　methods　of　labour；　so　that　the　school　would　not　only　get　the　benefit　of　their　efforts；　but　the　students　themselves　would　be　taught　to　see　not　only　utility　in　labour；　but　beauty　and　dignity；　would　be　taught；　in　fact；　how　to　lift　labour　up　from　mere　drudgery　and　toil；　and　would　learn　to　love　work　for　its　own　sake。　My　plan　was　not　to　teach　them　to　work　in　the　old　way；　but　to　show　them　how　to　make　the　forces　of　natureair；　water；　steam；　electricity；　horse…powerassist　them　in　their　labour。

At　first　many　advised　against　the　experiment　of　having　the　buildings　erected　by　the　labour　of　the　students；　but　I　was　determined　to　stick　to　it。　I　told　those　who　doubted　the　wisdom　of　the　plan　that　I　knew　that　our　first　buildings　would　not　be　so　comfortable　or　so　complete　in　their　finish　as　buildings　erected　by　the　experienced　hands　of　outside　workmen；　but　that　in　the　teaching　of　civilization；　self…help；　and　self…reliance；　the　erection　of　buildings　by　the　students　themselves　would　more　than　compensate　for　any　lack　of　comfort　or　fine　finish。

I　further　told　those　who　doubted　the　wisdom　of　this　plan；　that　the　majority　of　our　students　came　to　us　in　poverty；　from　the　cabins　of　the　cotton；　sugar；　and　rice　plantations　of　the　South；　and　that　while　I　knew　it　would　please　the　students　very　much　to　place　them　at　once　in　finely　constructed　buildings；　I　felt　that　it　would　be　following　out　a　more　natural　process　of　development　to　teach　them　how　to　construct　their　own　buildings。　Mistakes　I　knew　would　be　made；　but　these　mistakes　would　teach　us　valuable　lessons　for　the　future。

During　the　now　nineteen　years'　existence　of　the　Tuskegee　school；　the　plan　of　having　the　buildings　erected　by　student　labour　has　been　adhered　to。　In　this　time　forty　buildings；　counting　small　and　large；　have　been　built；　and　all　except　four　are　almost　wholly　the　product　of　student　labour。　As　an　additional　result；　hundreds　of　men　are　now　scattered　throughout　the　South　who　received　their　knowledge　of　mechanics　while　being　taught　how　to　erect　these　buildings。　Skill　and　knowledge　are　now　handed　down　from　one　set　of　students　to　another　in　this　way；　until　at　the　present　time　a　building　of　any　description　or　size　can　be　constructed　wholly　by　our　instructors　and　students；　from　the　drawing　of　the　plans　to　the　putting　in　of　the　electric　fixtures；　without　going　off　the　grounds　for　a　single　workman。

Not　a　few　times；　when　a　new　student　has　been　led　into　the　temptation　of　marring　the　looks　of　some　building　by　leadpencil　marks　or　by　the　cuts　of　a　jack…knife；　I　have　heard　an　old　student　remind　him：　〃Don't　do　that。　That　is　our　building。　I　helped　put　it　up。〃

In　the　early　days　of　the　school　I　think　my　most　trying　experience　was　in　the　matter　of　brickmaking。　As　soon　as　we　got　the　farm　work　reasonably　well　started；　we　directed　our　next　efforts　toward　the　industry　of　making　bricks。　We　needed　these　for　use　in　connection　with　the　erection　of　our　own　buildings；　but　there　was　also　another　reason　for　establishing　this　industry。　There　was　no　brickyard　in　the　town；　and　in　addition　to　our　own　needs　there　was　a　demand　for　bricks　in　the　general　market。

I　had　always　sympathized　with　the　〃Children　of　Israel；〃　in　their　task　of　〃making　bricks　without　straw；〃　but　ours　was　the　task　of　making　bricks　with　no　money　and　no　experience。

In　the　first　place；　the　work　was　hard　and　dirty；　and　it　was　difficult　to　get