THE TIGER AND THE TORCH look book

LEADERSHIP: FROM A DISTANCE
Image Credit: Booker T. Washington’s Own Story of His Life & Work 28
One of Christiansburg Institute’s famous leaders was Booker T. Washington. For
about 20 years 29 he served as superintendent of the school. During that time,
most of his instructions were followed without him being in Virginia. When he
was not traveling throughout the United States and other parts of the world, he
wrote and worked from Tuskegee, AL. The Montgomery Museum & Lewis Miller
Regional Art Center in Christiansburg, VA, mentions him coming to the town a
few times during his administration. 30 One of those trips was for the dedication
of the Baily Morris Hall. It was through his leadership that the necessary funds
were raised for one of the largest structures built on the CI campus.
Another example of Booker T. Washington’s leadership skills in action occurred
during a brickmaking experiment at Tuskegee. Those early and seemingly futile
efforts ultimately turned into a source of revenue that helped fund other
campus projects. The account of, The Original Tuskegee Brick tells the story. The
making of a good leader is a similar process. Leadership can be difficult and
often requires multiple attempts for success to be achieved. Leaders often have
to make personal sacrifices and tough decisions often need to be made but they
often prove to be for the common good of many.
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