up from slavery-第21章

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ins　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　throughout　the　car　who　I　was。　When　I　went　into　the　smoking…room　I　was　never　more　surprised　in　my　life　than　when　each　man；　nearly　every　one　of　them　a　citizen　of　Georgia；　came　up　and　introduced　himself　to　me　and　thanked　me　earnestly　for　the　work　that　I　was　trying　to　do　for　the　whole　South。　This　was　not　flattery；　because　each　one　of　these　individuals　knew　that　he　had　nothing　to　gain　by　trying　to　flatter　me。

From　the　first　I　have　sought　to　impress　the　students　with　the　idea　that　Tuskegee　is　not　my　institution；　or　that　of　the　officers；　but　that　it　is　their　institution；　and　that　they　have　as　much　interest　in　it　as　any　of　the　trustees　or　instructors。　I　have　further　sought　to　have　them　feel　that　I　am　at　the　institution　as　their　friend　and　adviser；　and　not　as　their　overseer。　It　has　been　my　aim　to　have　them　speak　with　directness　and　frankness　about　anything　that　concerns　the　life　of　the　school。　Two　or　three　times　a　year　I　ask　the　students　to　write　me　a　letter　criticising　or　making　complaints　or　suggestions　about　anything　connected　with　the　institution。　When　this　is　not　done；　I　have　them　meet　me　in　the　chapel　for　a　heart…to…heart　talk　about　the　conduct　of　the　school。　There　are　no　meetings　with　our　students　that　I　enjoy　more　than　these；　and　none　are　more　helpful　to　me　in　planning　for　the　future。　These　meetings；　it　seems　to　me；　enable　me　to　get　at　the　very　heart　of　all　that　concerns　the　school。　Few　things　help　an　individual　more　than　to　place　responsibility　upon　him；　and　to　let　him　know　that　you　trust　him。　When　I　have　read　of　labour　troubles　between　employers　and　employees；　I　have　often　thought　that　many　strikes　and　similar　disturbances　might　be　avoided　if　the　employers　would　cultivate　the　habit　of　getting　nearer　to　their　employees；　of　consulting　and　advising　with　them；　and　letting　them　feel　that　the　interests　of　the　two　are　the　same。　Every　individual　responds　to　confidence；　and　this　is　not　more　true　of　any　race　than　of　the　Negroes。　Let　them　once　understand　that　you　are　unselfishly　interested　in　them；　and　you　can　lead　them　to　any　extent。

It　was　my　aim　from　the　first　at　Tuskegee　to　not　only　have　the　buildings　erected　by　the　students　themselves；　but　to　have　them　make　their　own　furniture　as　far　as　was　possible。　I　now　marvel　at　the　patience　of　the　students　while　sleeping　upon　the　floor　while　waiting　for　some　kind　of　a　bedstead　to　be　constructed；　or　at　their　sleeping　without　any　kind　of　a　mattress　while　waiting　for　something　that　looked　like　a　mattress　to　be　made。

In　the　early　days　we　had　very　few　students　who　had　been　used　to　handling　carpenters'　tools；　and　the　bedsteads　made　by　the　students　then　were　very　rough　and　very　weak。　Not　unfrequently　when　I　went　into　the　students'　rooms　in　the　morning　I　would　find　at　least　two　bedsteads　lying　about　on　the　floor。　The　problem　of　providing　mattresses　was　a　difficult　one　to　solve。　We　finally　mastered　this；　however；　by　getting　some　cheap　cloth　and　sewing　pieces　of　this　together　as　to　make　large　bags。　These　bags　we　filled　with　the　pine　strawor；　as　it　is　sometimes　called；　pine　needleswhich　we　secured　from　the　forests　near　by。　I　am　glad　to　say　that　the　industry　of　mattress…making　has　grown　steadily　since　then；　and　has　been　improved　to　such　an　extent　that　at　the　present　time　it　is　an　important　branch　of　the　work　which　is　taught　systematically　to　a　number　of　our　girls；　and　that　the　mattresses　that　now　come　out　of　the　mattress…shop　at　Tuskegee　are　about　as　good　as　those　bought　in　the　average　store。　For　some　time　after　the　opening　of　the　boarding　department　we　had　no　chairs　in　the　students'　bedrooms　or　in　the　dining　rooms。　Instead　of　chairs　we　used　stools　which　the　students　constructed　by　nailing　together　three　pieces　of　rough　board。　As　a　rule；　the　furniture　in　the　students'　rooms　during　the　early　days　of　the　school　consisted　of　a　bed；　some　stools；　and　sometimes　a　rough　table　made　by　the　students。　The　plan　of　having　the　students　make　the　furniture　is　still　followed；　but　the　number　of　pieces　in　a　room　has　been　increased；　and　the　workmanship　has　so　improved　that　little　fault　can　be　found　with　the　articles　now。　One　thing　that　I　have　always　insisted　upon　at　Tuskegee　is　that　everywhere　there　should　be　absolute　cleanliness。　Over　and　over　again　the　students　were　reminded　in　those　first　yearsand　are　reminded　nowthat　people　would　excuse　us　for　our　poverty；　for　our　lack　of　comforts　and　conveniences；　but　that　they　would　not　excuse　us　for　dirt。

Another　thing　that　has　been　insisted　upon　at　the　school　is　the　use　of　the　tooth…brush。　〃The　gospel　of　the　tooth…brush；〃　as　General　Armstrong　used　to　call　it；　is　part　of　our　creed　at　Tuskegee。　No　student　is　permitted　to　retain　who　does　not　keep　and　use　a　tooth…brush。　Several　times；　in　recent　years；　students　have　come　to　us　who　brought　with　them　almost　no　other　article　except　a　tooth…brush。　They　had　heard　from　the　lips　of　other　students　about　our　insisting　upon　the　use　of　this；　and　so；　to　make　a　good　impression；　they　brought　at　least　a　tooth…brush　with　them。　I　remember　that　one　morning；　not　long　ago；　I　went　with　the　lady　principal　on　her　usual　morning　tour　of　inspection　of　the　girls'　rooms。　We　found　one　room　that　contained　three　girls　who　had　recently　arrived　at　the　school。　When　I　asked　them　if　they　had　tooth…brushes；　one　of　the　girls　replied；　pointing　to　a　brush：　〃Yes；　sir。　That　is　our　brush。　We　bought　it　together；　yesterday。〃　It　did　not　take　them　long　to　learn　a　different　lesson。

It　has　been　interesting　to　note　the　effect　that　the　use　of　the　tooth…brush　has　had　in　bringing　about　a　higher　degree　of　civilization　among　the　students。　With　few　exceptions；　I　have　noticed　that；　if　we　can　get　a　student　to　the　point　where；　when　the　first　or　second　tooth…brush　disappears；　he　of　his　own　motion　buys　another；　I　have　not　been　disappointed　in　the　future　of　that　individual。　Absolute　cleanliness　of　the　body　has　been　insisted　upon　from　the　first。　The　students　have　been　taught　to　bathe　as　regularly　as　to　take　their　meals。　This　lesson　we　began　teaching　before　we　had　anything　in　the　shape　of　a　bath…house。　Most　of　the　students　came　from　plantation　districts；　and　often　we　had　to　teach　them　how　to　s