Rapid Reviews

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 70, 12 July 1912, Page 3

Rapid Reviews

"My Larger Education."

BOOKER WASHINGTON'S LATEST.

(By J. BLUMENTHAL.)

Booker T. Washington, America's great negro educationalist, further enlightens* the world in tho method he uses in providing educational facilities for the despised negro of that country.

Washington is the author of "Up from Slavery," "The Story of the Negro," "Character Building," etc. His latest work, "My Larger Education," is, as its title denotes, a resume of what ho has learnt aud been able to impart for the ultimate emancipation of bis raeo. A\ r o can realise tho importance of Booker Washington's wholo life-work when we understand that its sole aim is the education of the negro to becomo economically independent, and thus gradually servo to obliterate the harsh racial distinctions aud antagonisms which now exist.'

Washington realised youing, when lie was a .slave, that the only way to smooth over the artificial color question whs by making the negro the economic equal of his white hrethren. The reason that the negro is held in contempt today is because he is the inheritor of an economic inferior past. White pco? pie. especially the Southern Amerirnn white people, hold in contempt a race that has only a record of slavery behind it. And it is Washington's glorious mission to show that the negro is at least tho, equal, intellectually; of white people. He was always sure of the superior position the ncfro could attain, but that it was impossible itnhil he had the.requisite knowledge to attain it. Starting on this justifiable premise, he inaugurated over 30 years ago at Tuskeegee, Alabama, a small eehool, which has been continually added to ns the result of its work was seen, until at the present day Tuskeegee is an immense pile of modern buildings, equipped with the latest instruments for practical education.

Washington discovered years ago the common sense principle of education which in Australia and New Zealand is superseding the older methods and i 3 known as "nature study." He has always applied this principle, as a result of Avhich a child will take an interest in and learn a tiling in an hour, whero under tho old methods it would not understand properly the same thing in a year.

America has a problem which is generally illusion. Tho disappearance of the colored "problem" will only be the result of tlie disappearance of the conditions which produced it. When negroes are granted the full political, economic and educational rights generally reserved for the "superior" whitos, the results will be snch as to astonish nn ignorant and sceptic world. For years after the liberation of the slaves, Southern States still denied them tbe privileges of education. It was a penal offence in some States (o tench a negro. Shortly siftor the Avar, noble-hearted negro sympathisers of tho North went South ' and established negro schools. This was the signal for* the formation of the infamous T\"u Klnx TCln.n, which- burned down the schools, flogged the teachers, hunted them out of the State, and sometimes oven murdered them, and terrorised

the wholo negro States. A keen o(h server liko Booker Washington sUitea that this prejudice is dying out, but what will hasten its extinction is th© capacity of the negro to enter into tho larger spheres of business aud intellectual life. In reply to the vexed question of the intellectual standing n r , tho pure negro to his half and quartercaste brethren, lie states that tho annual pri'Acs awarded at Tuskcegce Institute are shared equally between all colors.

In the course of his campaign for funds, Washington has met all tha well-known people of every country, including their crowned heads. He vniild describe in an unaffected and modest manner his meeting with royalty and statesmen, which is something that cannot be said for the blatant American, whito. Ho has travelled through Europe several times and has keenly noted the conditions existing thc-ro. He -says: "... It seemed to m<» that I could clearly discern, in all those parts of Europe where tho pcoplo are most backward, the signs of » great, silent revolution. Everywhere, with perhaps the exception of lower Italy and Sicily, I thought I could se» that the man at the bottom was making his way upward, and in doing so wai lifting the level of civilisation."

As a world-respected educationalist. Hooker Washington's remarks are to be seriously considered. He comes to this conclusion : ' 'The greatest nation to-day is not the nation with the greatest army, not the nation that can destroy trio most, but the nation with the most efficient laborers and the most productive machinery, the nation that can produce the most. . . . The school teacher to-day is more important to the State than the soldier, and the aim of tha highest statesmanship should bo the improvement not so much of the army as the school." These words will be earnestly echoed by real statesmen, and not by their fraudulent) imitators, whose highest ideals consist in creating armies and building navfes.

One thing has struck mo with shame and disgust. In his nu'iet and unassuming manner, Washington recounts several experiences of the many which have and aro befalling him at the hands of white "trash,." For having committed the heinous offence of numbering among his acquaintances tha President- of the United States ami conversing with him, ho has received personal abuse from some white met' whose only authority for speaking to i man intellectually far above them ii because of their color. These illustrations bring vividly before our niindfl the senseless race prejudice which exists in America, and which is based not on a matter of intelligence or worthiness, but on tint. The raco-projudiVod Southern white man rmkes one ash,lined of his color. But Washington is not, to be disturbed by these displays of crass ignorance. He continues with his good work, supremely confident, that his endeavors will forever dissolve these racial antagonisms.

After reading an article in the "International Socialist Heview" of America, by Hubert S. Harrison, a negro, called'"The Black Man's Burden." doubts begin to arise as to the ell'ectiveness of Washington's policy being (■amble of solving the racial question with educational means alone, but whether this is true or not, Booker's work is n sincere and logical attempt to put the negro on his feet, politically, economically, socially, by providing him with the requisite knowledge necessary to show that he is as capable of being useful to society as his Avbi'fce brother.

"Mv Larger Fducafinn" is th-a thoughts and concentrated experience of a man who has risen from slavery to hold a high, honorabK and respected position, in Avhich he is attempting to obliterate with common sense the racial antagonisms and prejudices of tho past.

Mr. Robert Hogg, of Wellington, ha* been appointed editor of tlie " Barrier Daily Truth," organ, of the Miners' Union at Broken Hill,' South Australia. Mr. Hogg proceeds to Australia at the end of the month.—"N.Z. Times."