Newspapers / Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.) / May 7, 1925, edition 1 / Page 1
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“AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH S3 V jS; V S| ■ ■ 1 £3$ i . ■c» ■ L :■■ fc ' ;Aij| JMfwti m w £ % W® ■ ■ HT |^3 1 w 1 1 _____ ^ y; Li/ j J 1 MS#? ■ j W ; ■ - 1 r M M XPL. XLVII. f Several weeks ago we an nounced a prize contest inviting our readers to write accountsof “the best public service accom plished by any church without regard to denominational lines." Scores of manuscripts came in describing almost as many dif ferent types of projects. In the opinion of the judges the follow ing article by Dr. Adams, pastor of the Church of Our Father of Detroit, Michigan, deserves the first prize and it has been for warded to him. Many other man uscripts proved of such unusual interest that we propose to pub lish them in the near future.— The Editors, Christian Work. ■ When it was conceived and carried through, the hit of ser vice I am about to describe did not seem particularly significant. But, in view of what it accom plished, it stands out as perhaps the best piece of social work ever done by our church. And tile expense involved, both of time and money, was but a frac tion of that incurred in many another less fruitful effort. An active worker in our Young People’s Christian Union is employed in a studio where a young colored woman is also one of the office force. Both girls are high type, truly representa tive of the best of their respec tive races. Naturally they be came friends. The colored girl is the leader of a large group of young people in her own church. Being of unusual intelligence, culture and high moral charac ter, she exerts a powerful influ ence among them. One day she suggested to our young worker an* exchange of visits between their two young people’s organic zations. That her group could possibly he^of ^any hel j) eager to enlarge the vision of her own group. She wanted them to-meet white young people un der, the proper auspices that they might' understand each other better and perhaps allay some of the unhappy prejudice between the races. Our union adopted the sugges tion With alacrity. Truth to tell, most of them thought of it only as a “lark.” Some liked the nov elty of it, never having visited a Negro church. Maybe a few un derstood its actual significance. It was decided that our society should pay the first visit, going, on an agreed Sunday afternoon, to be the guests of the colored people. uur cnurcnes are only a mile apart; but every city-dweller knows what a difference only a block or two can make in a place like Detroit The church we were to visit stands in the heart of a thickly populated Negro district. On the appointed day some fifty of our young people, ranging in years from fifteen to thirty-five, arrived at the colored church. No royal embassy was ever more graciously received, in. spite of the evident nervous ness on the part of our hosts. We were conducted to the audi torium on the second floor of the old, weather-beaten, frame budd ing; ami, after a simple address of welcome, our party gave an appropriate program of songs, readings and instrumental mu sic* Then all adjourned to the “parlors” on the lower floor, where light refreshments were served, and the colored people put on a delightful little im promptu program. The spirit of friendly good-fellowship was a revelation to everybody. Some of our young people realized for the first time that Negroes were really "folks.” Yet everything was in perfect decorum, without a suggestion of unbecoming fa miliarity. Ju^t a month later the colored society paid us a return visit. They came more than a hundred strong, ranging in age from four to sixty years,—many of them with mixed motives, ho doubt! Remembering the pathetically barren rooms in which our guests worked and worshipped, ww were almost ashamed to re ceive them into our big* roomy, comfortable hall and parish house. However, everybody was soon perfectly at ease. On this day the order was re versed. The colored people gays the formal program, then all re paired to the church parlors where refreshments were served and an impromptu program fur nished by our Unioners. And such happiness I have rarely witnessed as beamed upon those chocolate and ebony faces. Of course we were just as happy as they: for were we not making them happy? Scores of our guests were ea ger to inspect our splendid church plant. In the midst of the enjoyment our big-hearted organist came in, caught the spirit of the occasion, and of fered to play a short recital if all would come into the church auditorium. With every mark of reverence, s even awe, those scores of young, people filed in and listened to a half-hour of music from the great organ. The effect of it was well voiced by one young man, who said, “This is the first time I ever heard a wonderful organ like that. I’ll never pass this church again without thinking of it and being uplifted.” They were loath to go. It was three hours after the time of arrival when the last guest took his reluctant departure. I say again that this stands out as our best piece of public service for a long period. It was not merely “giving” something, for we actually received more than we gave. It was cooperative, all meeting oh a common level. The effect upon our young peo ple was marked. They do not use the word “nigger” in the us ual contemptuous fashion any more. And they want to do it again! „ • tu iC ' .t>; And the colore ‘ other churcn are btir friends in a new and enduring sense. They would defend us against any pe ril, danger, slander or vicious misunderstanding. All white people stand higher in their opinion because of us. No sensible person, white or black, advocates the kind of so cial equality which involves in ter-marriage and racial amalga mation. But whites and blacks have got to live side by side in America whether we like it or not. Is it not better to live as friends? And how shall we be friends if we do not know each other? It was an investment in good will, the highest form of public service. And such investments always pay heavy dividends. PINE STREET CHURCH, DUR HAM —DR. AVANT IN STALLED. Mrs. L. D. Twine was a visitor to our church last Sunday. All were glad to see her and hope she will came again soon. Mr. B. C. Allison, of Hillsbo ro, worshipped with us last Sun day afternoon. •The installation of Rev. . W. George Avant was conducted here Sunday afternoon, Rev. J. Lee White officiating; The choir rendered beautiful music and Miss Dorothy Greene sang a solo before the sermon. Rev. White delivered a splendid ser mon, having for his theme, “Progress,” his text being taken from Job 1st chapter, 6th and 7th verses. The discourse was divided into three sub-topics, namely, motion, movement and transportation, and was pre sented to the audience in a very unique way. The charge to the pastor-elect was given by Rev. White and Hie charge to the congregation tfas delivered by Mr. James Patterson. Another feature of the program that de serves mention was the number rendered by the quartet from Groveland Presbyterian church of this city. Mothers’ Day will be observed here Sunday night by a program under the auspices of the Ladies’ Home and Foreign Missionary Society; • ■'u-Y,.. to _ Dr. L H. Russell Was out of the oity last Sunday and could not fee present at the installation. A REPORTER, THEUB#tSmiATO«*ITHEll.S.HAY4. Workmanship Harks Negro Labor—Industrial Noted. K. of P. ore. Chicago.—Commissioner of Conciliation Morris Lewis, in the Chicago District, reports that the foundation Work for the monumental Knights of Pythias structure at 37th Place and South State Street is about com pleted. The contractors are plan ning to rush the super-structure to completion, now that the sum mer “weather is near at hand. Skilled Negro workmen to per form the remainder of the work are already on the job and prom ise to finish a structure that will exhibit as high a type of work manship as has been produced anywhere in the country. SPECIAL LAW AND WEL FARE WORKERS APPOINT ED IN COLUMBUS. Columbus.—N. B. Alien, Ex ecutive Secretary of the local Urban League, reports that Safety Director J. P. McCune and Chief of Police Harry ET. French have appointed Mr. Les lie M. Shaw, a man who has made an enviable record as a traffic officer in this city, to a municipal position as special law officer and welfare worker. This apppointment was made to meet this spring’s expected in flux of new-comers into Colum bus, to which it is expected many will be drawn by the an ticipated industrial activity and prosperity. The recommendation came from a committee of citi zens, composed of professors from the Department of Sociol ogy of Ohio State University arid representative colored citi zens, who presented a plan to Safety Director McCune and Chief of Police French, asking for the assignment of a colored officer, to serve primarily as a social worker* who would repre sent the city authority as a p§ae rather Sian an enf orcer of law. Problems of employment, housing, recreation* and associa tion will form the basis of the work of this friendly officer, who will promote connections with helpful agencies and there by build up groups of friendly citizens in each local communi ty. In this way great emphasis will be placed upon securing em ployment for incoming Negro immigrants. tUINBIKUUlUI'1 WUttfi, BIN DER WAY IN MINNESOTA. St. Paul.—Fred D. McCrack en, realtor of this city> reports that considerable construction work is under way in St. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth, which has absorbed an appreciable quota of Negro labor, thereby somewhat relieving the unem ployment situation in those ci ties. COLORED WORKERS OF COSTA RICA. Washington.—Of the total work force of 9,000 employess of Costa Rica, 75 per cent of 4,000 working on farms, 60 per cent of 2,000 working for indepen dent planters,- 50 per cent of 600 working in fruit growing occu pations, 30 per cent of 1,650 working in railway occupations, 20 per cent of 450 working for tradesmen and merchants, and 5 per cent of 300 working in un classified occupations are Negro workers. NEGRO WORKERS FIND EM PLOYMENT IN STRAW BERRY FIELDS. Washington.—The State Pub lic Employment Service of North Carolina, in co-operation with the U. S. Employment Service has successfully shifted many Negro agricultural workers to the strawberry fields of the State, where they* will find ample employment during the present season.. WORKING FORGES NORMAL IN DETROIT. Detroit.—John C. Dancy, Jr., Executive Secretary of the De troit Urban League, while hope ful as to the general conditions of labor affecting Negro work ers of Detroit hhd vicinity, ex presses' the opinion that .it is hardly h) be expected that De troit will caiTy any larger work ing force this year than it car> ried during’ 1924. n ^ ? mnf&u ■ INDUSTRIAL COM ION TO BE CONTIN UED. tw ( shington.—Secretary Rob Cobb, of the Missouri Ne idustrial Commission, has need the granting of a new priation by the Missouri idature for the continuation, g the current year, of the trial work and employment eys carried on under the ices of the State; and Gov S. A. Baker, of Missouri, fmade the appointment of re public-spirited citizens important Missouri cities, . will comprise the commis personnel during the new FMENT OF WELFARE ITS SPECIAL IN VESTIGATOR, ielphia, Pa.—Mrs. Maud has been penna appointed as a special igator in the Department ' fare of the State of Penn Her duties, among functions, involve a con is investigation of condi ; affecting colored people. - thoroughly prepared for her position, having had a num years’ experience in social •of secretary of Y. W. C. A. Recently, Mrs. Coleman ‘ Mr. Forrester B. Wash in the survey of the Ne population of Pennsylva UN1 ! HOUSING EXPERI IN PHILADELPHIA, iladelphia.—That it is pos make some improvement under the worst housing ions, has been proven by housing experiment Dept, of Public Welfare, and Forrester B. Washington, Exec utive Secretary of the Arm strong Association. On a little street in South Philadelphia, where the housing conditions are highly unfavorable, the landlords have been persuaded to make general repairs. The in ducement for this was the prom ise to the landlords from the city that it would make special improvements in the street without raising the taxes. Neighborhood Club. The Armstrong Association has formed-a neighborhood club of all the tenants in the street, and has taught them to beautify the interior of their humble Apartments by the use of inex pensive curtains, flower boxes, and the.tifee. A donation of plants has been . obtained from the City Horticultu ral Department. Thife, for the first time, landlords, tenants, a municipal department, and a private agency have cooperated j to improve housing conditions I which at one time seemed almost hopeless. While this effort does not produce' new houses, it does serve to check some of the evils growing out of conditions as they are. SCHOOL 4T WALTERBORO, S. C., CLOSES SUCCESS FUL YEAR i The Hopewell-Baker School, Walterboro, S. C., Rev. S. J. El lis, principal, Mrs. Maud Nelson, assistant, held its closing exer cise in Hopewell Presbyterian church, April 16th. 4 The church was full to capac ity. The school motto is ‘‘Deeds, Not Words:” colors, “white and green.” An excellent program was rendered, consisting of songs, recitations, dialogues and declamations. Miss Ruth Staten won the declamation prize, a beautiful pencil. Her delivery was excellent. Rev. EHis and Mrs Nelson need to be commended for good school discipline and the work they have accomplished this sdhool year. We hope for them .1, Si 40J A FRIEND. EDUCATION AND NEGRO Jem ■ a b-jdeU ’ fzm-wtfi 1 W Voothws at Denmarii, & G, Has $300,000 Plant. u'f«V >‘j9ih The Voorheeff lndustrial ln-' stitute, a school for young No gro mien and women at Dea*- j mark, S. C, with a plant valued at *300,000. has been added to the educational institutions of the American Church Institute fra* Negroes. Including the Voor hees School, the American Church Institute now supervises: ten well equipped and successful industrial and academic*schools; for Negroes in the South, repre senting an aggregate value of more than, $2,000,000 and prac tical educational equipment for 4,000: students. The acquisition of Yorhees School has been made possible by the joint action of the Amer ican Church Institute and the Dioceses of South Carolina and Upper South Carolina. The for mer took final action January 28, 1925, accepting. Vorhees. .The In stitute and these South Caro lina dioceses, jointly agree to provide buildings, and equipment to meet the future needs of Jhe school, in co-operation with its old friends. Organised by Negro. The Vorhees School was or ganized in 1894 by Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, a Negro woman of humble parentage, who worked her way through Tuske gee Institute night school, and by aid secured through the late Booker T. Washington and other friends founded th/e school at Denmark with fourteen students and two teachers. In the suc ceeding years it prospered to such an extent that it is today one of the most important in dustrial high schools for Ne groes in the South, with an en rollment last year of 700 stu dents, ia-xoddition-toyiving in struction to more than eight hundred farmers in the annual farmers’ conference conducted by the United States Demon stration agent located at the school. ? it is located on a tract oi 4UU acres of land in the black belt of South Carolina, and in addi tion to the regular 'scholastic course has special courses for men in the mechanical indus tries, including carpentry, ma sonry, steamfitting, plumbing, engineering, wheelwrighting, and blacksmithing, and women's courses in dressmaking, cooking, laundering and nursing, and Hie art of teaching. More than a quarter of a million Negroes live within a radius of eighty miles of the school. Dr. Patton's Comment Rev. Dr. Robert W. Patton, Director of the American Church Institute for Negroes, in a let ter announcing the acquisition of Vorhees School says: “It marks a notable advance in re cent years in the work of edu cation among the Negroes of the South. With Vorhees, the Amer ican Church Institute will have a chain of schools for the prac tical education of Negroes, ex tending from St. Paul’s School at Lawrenceville and the Bishop Payne Divinity School at Peters burg, in Virginia, through Ra leigh, N. C., where St. Augus tine is located, and Vorhees School in Denmark, S. C., to Hoffman-St. Mary's School, Keel ing, Tennessee, through Fort Valley School, Fort Valley, Geor gia, and St. Athanasius’ School at Brunswick, Ga., to St. Mark’s at Birmingham, Alabama, the Okolona School, Okolona, Missis sippi, and finally at Gaudeit School, New Orleans, Louisi ana. The Diocese of Mississippi has raised $58,000 for the Okolona School, and the Tennessee Dio cesan Convention, after an ad dress by Dr. Patton on January 22, authorized and appointed a committee to raise $100,000 foi Hoffman-St. Mary's ” rf ' Doing Notable Work. This chain of schools, tc which the Vorhees Institute u now added, draws Negro stu dents not only from all parti of the South, but from the Nortl and West as well. The Americai Church Institute is supported iz part by appropriations from th< National Council of the Episco pal Church, by tuition fees from students, and from contribution^ made from' all the various dio ceses of the Church, as well as from gifts from individuals and corporations interested in Negro education, but not affiliated with any Church. ATLANTIC PRESBYTERIAL. The 22nd annual meeting of the Woman’s Presbyterial Soci ety of Atlantic Presbytery con vened with Hebron church, John’s Island, S. C., April 9th mid 10th. This is the first time a two days’ session was held with the regular Popular Meeting on Fri evening. Though not very large ly attended the meetings were extremely interesting and edi fying The subjects for discussion were oh the duties of the secre taries and the best means of getting the societies interested in the different departments of the organization. Mrs. W. T. Frasier, Secretary of Literature, sent a very in teresting paper to be read, not being able to get to the meeting on Thursday. Mrs. M. A. Sanders represent ed the Secretary of Missionary Education ; Mrs. J. L. Pearson, Associate Members. The Young Peoples’ Work was represented by our energetic and efficient worker, Miss Theodora PercivaJ. Each paper was followed by dis cussions which proved quite helpful. The devotionals were led b# Mrs. S. H. Richardson on Thurs day and Mrs. J. L. Pearson on un r naay quixe a aeai ox dus iness was transacted and many suggestions were brought be fore the society and accepted that will be beneficial jto the growth of the Presbyterial and local societies. Revs. Henderson and Ellis and Miss Percival were accorded seats as corresponding mem bers. A new move toward improve ment was the holding of a two days’ session; another was the adoptio nof unified report blanks. This being the 2nd anniver sary of Atlantic Presbyterial. it wae suggested that Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Richardson make some remarks on its organization in Hebron church where the ses sions are now being held. There were also two Presbyters present—Rev. W. L. Metz and Mr. Bert Crampton, of Waiter boro, who were there 22 years ago. During the 22 years-and 44 I sessions our President has ! missed only two meetings. 1 The audience on Friday eve ning was small, owing to the in ' clement weather, but that did not deter us and everything was > up to the standard. There was Scripture reading by Mrs. W. T. Frasier, followed by prayer by i Rev. aT. H. Ayers, D. D., of Or 1 angeburg. Appropriate remarks Were "made by Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Richardson on the organ ization. Miss Percival made an appeal for the young folks of our church. Her address was full of food for thought and also caused us to realize more fully our responsibility toward the young. Id ,fipt uui uuiri speaker lor tne eve ning was Rev. Geo. E. Hender son, of Zion church, Charleston, S. C. He took as his theme, “Health and Cleanliness,” and urged us» as missionaries, toem phasize the importance qf clean-§ linesaas essential to good health wherever we can do so, as, we go to our various homes. Such talks are quite helpful and very much needed in most of our communi ties. Mrs. J. L. Pearson very beau tifully sang, "The Beautiful Garden of Prayer.” Rev. Scott brought a chorus of 15 girls from his school ito furnish music for the occasion* Rev. Scott tlserves much credit (Continued on page 4)
Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.)
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May 7, 1925, edition 1
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