up from slavery-第30章

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Chapter　XII。　Raising　Money

When　we　opened　our　boarding　department；　we　provided　rooms　in　the　attic　of　Porter　Hall；　our　first　building；　for　a　number　of　girls。　But　the　number　of　students；　of　both　sexes；　continued　to　increase。　We　could　find　rooms　outside　the　school　grounds　for　many　of　the　young　men；　but　the　girls　we　did　not　care　to　expose　in　this　way。　Very　soon　the　problem　of　providing　more　rooms　for　the　girls；　as　well　as　a　larger　boarding　department　for　all　the　students；　grew　serious。　As　a　result；　we　finally　decided　to　undertake　the　construction　of　a　still　larger　buildinga　building　that　would　contain　rooms　for　the　girls　and　boarding　accommodations　for　all。

After　having　had　a　preliminary　sketch　of　the　needed　building　made；　we　found　that　it　would　cost　about　ten　thousand　dollars。　We　had　no　money　whatever　with　which　to　begin；　still　we　decided　to　give　the　needed　building　a　name。　We　knew　we　could　name　it；　even　though　we　were　in　doubt　about　our　ability　to　secure　the　means　for　its　construction。　We　decided　to　call　the　proposed　building　Alabama　Hall；　in　honour　of　the　state　in　which　we　were　labouring。　Again　Miss　Davidson　began　making　efforts　to　enlist　the　interest　and　help　of　the　coloured　and　white　people　in　and　near　Tuskegee。　They　responded　willingly；　in　proportion　to　their　means。　The　students；　as　in　the　case　of　our　first　building；　Porter　Hall；　began　digging　out　the　dirt　in　order　to　allow　the　laying　of　the　foundations。

When　we　seemed　at　the　end　of　our　resources；　so　far　as　securing　money　was　concerned；　something　occurred　which　showed　the　greatness　of　General　Armstrongsomething　which　proved　how　far　he　was　above　the　ordinary　individual。　When　we　were　in　the　midst　of　great　anxiety　as　to　where　and　how　we　were　to　get　funds　for　the　new　building；　I　received　a　telegram　from　General　Armstrong　asking　me　if　I　could　spend　a　month　travelling　with　him　through　the　North；　and　asking　me；　if　I　could　do　so；　to　come　to　Hampton　at　once。　Of　course　I　accepted　General　Armstrong's　invitation；　and　went　to　Hampton　immediately。　On　arriving　there　I　found　that　the　General　had　decided　to　take　a　quartette　of　singers　through　the　North；　and　hold　meetings　for　a　month　in　important　cities；　at　which　meetings　he　and　I　were　to　speak。　Imagine　my　surprise　when　the　General　told　me；　further；　that　these　meetings　were　to　be　held；　not　in　the　interests　of　Hampton；　but　in　the　interests　of　Tuskegee；　and　that　the　Hampton　Institute　was　to　be　responsible　for　all　the　expenses。

Although　he　never　told　me　so　in　so　many　words；　I　found　that　General　Armstrong　took　this　method　of　introducing　me　to　the　people　of　the　North；　as　well　as　for　the　sake　of　securing　some　immediate　funds　to　be　used　in　the　erection　of　Alabama　Hall。　A　weak　and　narrow　man　would　have　reasoned　that　all　the　money　which　came　to　Tuskegee　in　this　way　would　be　just　so　much　taken　from　the　Hampton　Institute；　but　none　of　these　selfish　or　short…sighted　feelings　ever　entered　the　breast　of　General　Armstrong。　He　was　too　big　to　be　little；　too　good　to　be　mean。　He　knew　that　the　people　in　the　North　who　gave　money　gave　it　for　the　purpose　of　helping　the　whole　cause　of　Negro　civilization；　and　not　merely　for　the　advancement　of　any　one　school。　The　General　knew；　too；　that　the　way　to　strengthen　Hampton　was　to　make　it　a　centre　of　unselfish　power　in　the　working　out　of　the　whole　Southern　problem。

In　regard　to　the　addresses　which　I　was　to　make　in　the　North；　I　recall　just　one　piece　of　advice　which　the　General　gave　me。　He　said：　〃Give　them　an　idea　for　every　word。〃　I　think　it　would　be　hard　to　improve　upon　this　advice；　and　it　might　be　made　to　apply　to　all　public　speaking。　From　that　time　to　the　present　I　have　always　tried　to　keep　his　advice　in　mind。

Meetings　were　held　in　New　York；　Brooklyn；　Boston；　Philadelphia；　and　other　large　cities；　and　at　all　of　these　meetings　General　Armstrong　pleased；　together　with　myself；　for　help；　not　for　Hampton；　but　for　Tuskegee。　At　these　meetings　an　especial　effort　was　made　to　secure　help　for　the　building　of　Alabama　Hall；　as　well　as　to　introduce　the　school　to　the　attention　of　the　general　public。　In　both　these　respects　the　meetings　proved　successful。

After　that　kindly　introduction　I　began　going　North　alone　to　secure　funds。　During　the　last　fifteen　years　I　have　been　compelled　to　spend　a　large　proportion　of　my　time　away　from　the　school；　in　an　effort　to　secure　money　to　provide　for　the　growing　needs　of　the　institution。　In　my　efforts　to　get　funds　I　have　had　some　experiences　that　may　be　of　interest　to　my　readers。　Time　and　time　again　I　have　been　asked；　by　people　who　are　trying　to　secure　money　for　philanthropic　purposes；　what　rule　or　rules　I　followed　to　secure　the　interest　and　help　of　people　who　were　able　to　contribute　money　to　worthy　objects。　As　far　as　the　science　of　what　is　called　begging　can　be　reduced　to　rules；　I　would　say　that　I　have　had　but　two　rules。　First；　always　to　do　my　whole　duty　regarding　making　our　work　known　to　individuals　and　organizations；　and；　second；　not　to　worry　about　the　results。　This　second　rule　has　been　the　hardest　for　me　to　live　up　to。　When　bills　are　on　the　eve　of　falling　due；　with　not　a　dollar　in　hand　with　which　to　meet　them；　it　is　pretty　difficult　to　learn　not　to　worry；　although　I　think　I　am　learning　more　and　more　each　year　that　all　worry　simply　consumes；　and　to　no　purpose；　just　so　much　physical　and　mental　strength　that　might　otherwise　be　given　to　effective　work。　After　considerable　experience　in　coming　into　contact　with　wealthy　and　noted　men；　I　have　observed　that　those　who　have　accomplished　the　greatest　results　are　those　who　〃keep　under　the　body〃；　are　those　who　never　grow　excited　or　lose　self…control；　but　are　always　calm；　self…possessed；　patient；　and　polite。　I　think　that　President　William　McKinley　is　the　best　example　of　a　man　of　this　class　that　I　have　ever　seen。

In　order　to　be　successful　in　any　kind　of　undertaking；　I　think　the　main　thing　is　for　one　to　grow　to　the　point　where　he　completely　forgets　himself；　that　is；　to　lose　himself　in　a　great　cause。　In　proportion　as　one　loses　himself　in　the　way；　in　the　same　degree　does　he　get　the　highest　happiness　out　of　his　work。

My　experience　in　getting　money　for　Tuskegee　has　taught　me　to　have　no　patience　with　those　people　who　are　always　condemning　the　rich　because　they　are　rich；　and　because　they　do　not　give　more　to　objects　of　charity。　In　the　first　place；　those　who　are　guilty　of　such　sweeping　criticisms　do　not　know　how　many　people　would　be　made　poor；　and　how　much　suffering　would　result；　if　wealthy　people　were　to　part　all　at　once　with　any　large　proportion　of　their　wealth　in　a　way　to　disorganize　and　cripple　great　business　enterprises。　Then　very　few　persons　have　any　idea　of　the　large　number　of　applications　for　help　that　rich　people　are　constantly　being　flooded　with。　I　know　wealthy　people　who　receive　as　much　as　twenty　calls　a　day　for　help。　More　than　once　when　I　have　gone　into　the　offices　of　rich　men；　I　have　found　half　a　dozen　persons　waiting　to　see　them；　and　all　come　for　the　same　purpose；　that　of　securing　money。　And　all　these　calls　in　person；　to　say　nothing　of　the　applications　received　through　the　mails。　Very　few　people　have　any　idea　of　the　amount　of　money　given　away　by　persons　who　never　permit　their　names　to　be　known。　I　have　often　heard　persons　condemned　for　not　giving　away　money；　who；　to　my　own　knowledge；　were　giving　away　thousands　of　dollars　every　year　so　quietly　that　the　world　knew　nothing　about　it。

As　an　example　of　this；　there　are　two　ladies　in　New　York；　whose　names　rarely　appear　in　print；　but　who；　in　a　quiet　way；　have　given　us　the　means　with　which　to　erect　three　large　and　important　buildings　during　the　last　eight　years。　Besides　the　gift　of　these　buildings；　they　have　made　other　generous　donations　to　the　school。　And　they　not　only　help　Tuskegee；　but　they　are　constantly　seeking　opportunities　to　help　other　worthy　causes。

Although　it　has　been　my　privilege　to　be　the　medium　through　which　a　good　many　hundred　thousand　dollars　have　been　received　for　the　work　at　Tuskegee；　I　have　always　avoided　what　the　world　calls　〃begging。〃　I　often　tell　people　that　I　have　never　〃begged〃　any　money；　and　that　I　am　not　a　〃beggar。〃　My　experience　and　observation　have　convinced　me　that　persistent　asking　outright　for　money　from　the　rich　does　not；　as　a　rule；　secure　help。　I　have　usually　proceed