their money
and buy homes and lands, who have constantly advised them to send
their sons and daughters to the schools, who have urged their people
to patronize Negro business enterprises and Negro physicians and
lawyers, who have shown their people the importance of taking Negro
papers, who have enjoined them to be honest, sober, industrious
citizens?

TOPIC VIII.

IS IT TIME FOR THE NEGRO COLLEGES IN THE SOUTH TO BE PUT INTO THE
HANDS OF NEGRO TEACHERS?

BY PROF. N. B. YOUNG.

[Illustration: Prof. Nathan B. Young]

NATHAN B. YOUNG.

Nathan B. Young was born in Newbern, Ala., September 18th,
1862. He was educated in the private schools at Tuscaloosa,
Ala., at Talladega College, and at Oberlin College. He has
taught school in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.
He is now President of the Florida State Normal and
Industrial College, Tallahassee.

The answer to this question depends upon what is meant by placing
these schools in the hands of Negro teachers. If it means that they
are to be manned and managed by them I answer, no. If, on the other
hand, it means that they should have some hand in managing these
schools, I answer, yes.

For two reasons I claim that the time has not arrived for the passing
of these institutions into his sole control: the first is a
_financial_ reason, the second is an _intellectual_ or _cultural_
reason.

At present the majority of the Negro colleges and institutions of
higher and professional learning are supported by white people, either
directly or indirectly, and the withdrawal of white faculties and
boards of trustees will mean a withdrawal of white supporters. Whether
this withdrawal will be logical or ethical, it will nevertheless be a
fact. Those whose duty it is to collect funds for these schools can
testify to the certainty of such a result if the experiment should be
made.

The white man is a very careful giver to charitable institutions of
any kind, and he takes every precaution to see that his donations are
wisely expended, and that, too, according to his standards. Hence,
when he makes a charitable contribution he feels safer when one of his
own race is a trustee, or dispenser of the contribution. This explains
the fact that in cases where Negro schools under Negro management make
an appeal for large endowment funds they find it necessary to appoint
a white endowment committee to manage the fund