ool it had never occurred to me that it
was needful or appropriate to have an additional name. When I heard
the school-roll called, I noticed that all of the children had at least
two names, and some of them indulged in what seemed to me the
extravagance of having three. I was in deep perplexity, because I knew
that the teacher would demand of me at least two names, and I had only
one. By the time the occasion came for the enrolling of my name, an
idea occurred to me which I thought would make me equal to the
situation; and so, when the teacher asked me what my full name was, I
calmly told him "Booker Washington," as if I had been called by that
name all my life; and by that name I have since been known. Later in
my life I found that my mother had given me the name of "Booker
Taliaferro," soon after I was born, but in some way that part of my
name seemed to disappear and for a long while was forgotten, but as
soon as I found out about it I revived it, and, made my full name
"Booker Taliaferro Washington." I think there are not many men in our
country who have had the privilege of naming themselves in the way that
I have. . . .

The time that I was permitted to attend school during the day was
short, and my attendance was irregular. It was not long before I had
to stop attending day school altogether, and devote all of my time
again to work. I resorted to the night school again. In fact, the
greater part of the education I secured in my boyhood was gathered
through the night school after my day's work was done. I had
difficulty often in securing a satisfactory teacher. Sometimes, after
I had secured one to teach me at night, I would find, much to my
disappointment, that the teacher knew but little more than I did.
Often I would have to walk miles at night in order to recite my
night-school lessons. There was never a time in my youth, no matter
how dark and discouraging the days might be, when one resolve did not
continually remain with me, and that was a determination to secure an
education at any cost.

After I had worked in the salt furnace for some time, work was secured
for me in a coal mine which was operated mainly for the purpose of
securing fuel for the salt furnace. . . .

In those days, and later as a young man, I used to try to picture in my
imagination the feelings and ambitions of a white boy with absolutely
no limit placed upon his aspirations and activities. I used to envy
the white boy who