Booker T. Washington, Builder o - African American History

Booker T. Washington, Builder of a Civilization. 225
them, "You're right, Doctor!" "That's mean!" "That's not fair!" and other such
expressions.
Every morning before breakfast when at home Mr. Washington would visit his
chickens, pigs, and cows. He said of finding the newly laid eggs: "I like to find
the new eggs each morning myself, and am selfish enough to permit no one else
to do this in my place. As with growing plants, there is a sense of freshness and
newness and restfulness in connection with the finding and handling of newly
laid eggs that is delightful to me. Both the realization and the anticipation are
most pleasing. I begin the day by seeing how many eggs I can find or how many
little chicks there are that are just beginning to creep through the shells. I am
deeply interested in the different kinds of fowls, and always grow a number of
different breed's at my own home."
But none of the animals interested him and aroused his enthusiasm as did the
pigs. He always kept on his own place some choice specimens of Berkshires
and Poland
Page 308
Chinas at whose shrine he worshipped each morning. Also he always insisted
that the swine herd of the Institute be kept recruited up to full strength and in
fact considerably beyond full strength in the opinion of the Agricultural Director
who in vain protested that it was not profitable to keep so large a herd. It would
be interesting to know whether the great economic importance of the pig to his
race was at the bottom of Booker Washington's fondness for the animal.
After breakfast he mounted his horse and made a round of the Institute farms,
truck gardens, dormitories, and shops before going to his office and attacking
his huge correspondence. This correspondence, both in its dimensions and
catholicity, was typical of the man. His daily incoming mail amounted to
between 125 and 150 letters. The outgoing ran to between 500 and 1,000 letters
daily--in large part, of course, "campaign letters," as he called them, letters
seeking to interest new friends in the work of the Institute, and others keeping in
touch with friends already interested, etc. His advice, opinion, or comments
were sought on every conceivable subject both by serious and sensible men and
women and by cranks of both races. Hundreds of the humbler people of his own
race were constantly applying to him for information and advice as to whether it
would be profitable to start this or that business venture, or whether or not it
would be possible to establish a school in this or that community, and how they
24.03.2006