nd schools were practically closed, while
crime and immorality were rampant. The carrying of men and women to the
chain-gang was a frequent occurrence. These people believed that the end
of education was to free their children from manual labor.

They were much opposed to industrial education. When the school was
started, many of the parents came to school and forbade our "working"
their children, stating as their objection that their children had been
working all their lives and that they did not mean to send them to
school to learn to work. Not only did they forbid our having their
children work, but many took their children out of school rather than
allow them to do so. A good deal of this opposition was kept up by
illiterate preachers and incompetent teachers, who had not had any
particular training for their profession. In fact, ninety-eight per cent
of them had attended no school. We continued, however, to keep the
"Industrial Plank" in our platform, and year after year some industry
was added until we now have fourteen industries in constant operation.
Agriculture is the foremost and basic industry of the institution. We do
this because we are in a farming section and ninety-five per cent of the
people depend upon agriculture for a livelihood.

[Illustration: FIRST TRUSTEES OF SNOW HILL AND TWO OF THEIR WIVES]

CHAPTER 7.

SMALL BEGINNINGS.

The early years of the school were indeed trying ones. There are however
in all communities persons whose hearts are in the right place. I found
it so in this case, for while there were many who opposed the industrial
idea, there were those who stood for it and held up our arms. I refer to
that noble class of old colored men who always seek for truth. The men
who stood so loyally by me in the founding of the school were Messrs.
Frank Warren, Willis McCants, Ellis Johnson, John Thomas, Isaac Johnson,
Tom Johnson and P. J. Gaines. These men and their wives were ready at
every call. They gave suppers, fairs and picnics as well as other
entertainments to raise money for the school. Not only would they help
in the raising of money, but they would come to the school and work for
days without thinking of any pay for their work. When we got ready to
put up a new building, we would have what we called a house-raising and
would invite all the men in the neighborhood to come out and help us. On
these days the wives of these men would compete with each other to see
who cou