Booker T. Washington, Builder o - African American History

Booker T. Washington, Builder of a Civilization. 64
24.03.2006
believed in fermenting in their minds what might be termed an effective
discontent with their circumstances. With this purpose in view he addressed to
them at these conferences such questions as the following:
"What kind of house do you live in?"
"Do you own that house?"
"What kind of schoolhouse have you?"
"Do you send your children to school regularly?"
"How many months does your school run?"
"Do you keep your teacher in the community?"
"What kind of church have you?"
"Where does your pastor live?"
"Are your church, school, and home fences whitewashed?
The farmers who were asked these questions would make an inward resolve that
they would do what they could to put themselves in a position to answer the
same questions more satisfactorily another year.
Another feature of the work of Tuskegee beyond its own borders is that of the
Rural School Extension Department.
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Mr. Julius Rosenwald of Chicago, one of the trustees of Tuskegee, has offered,
through this department, during a stated period of time, to add $300 to every
$300 the Negroes in rural communities of the South raise for the building of a
new and modern schoolhouse. Under this plan ninety-two modern rural school
buildings have already been constructed. At the close of the time set Mr.
Rosenwald will probably renew his offer for a further period. The social byproducts
of this campaign, in teaching the Negroes of these communities how to
disregard their denominational and other feuds in working together for a high
civic purpose of common advantage to all, and the friendly interest in Negro
education awakened among their white neighbors, have been almost if not quite
as important as the new schools themselves.
There is also at Tuskegee a summer school for teachers in which last year were