Evidences of Progress Among Colored PeopleRichings, G. F.
History
Evidences of Progress Among Colored People
Richings, G. F.
African Americans
The works of this man are a credit to any community in which they
exist, and we advise the youth of to-day to imitate the example of Dr.
John R. Francis.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOLS, BOYDTON INSTITUTE, AND CHRISTIANSBURG
INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.
In this chapter I wish to mention the school-work done for the race
by the United Presbyterian Church. This matter should have appeared
with the other Presbyterian work, but for the fact that I was unable
to secure the data when the first edition was published. I shall also
mention in this chapter some other school-work that came too late.
KNOXVILLE COLLEGE.
Knoxville College is located at Knoxville, Tenn., and is under the
control of the Board of Missions to the Freedmen of the United
Presbyterian Church of North America. By arrangement with the
University of Tennessee the college is also the industrial department
of the university for colored students. For this purpose the university
has added largely to the equipment of the agricultural department and
mechanical department, provides for the salaries of the professors of
these departments, and sets aside $600 annually to pay for the labor of
students in these departments. Thus they are enabled to earn somewhat
of their expenses, and especially is each one taught a trade. Aside
from the funds received from the university as indicated above, the
college is supported by voluntary contributions of the church.
The faculty of the college, including matrons and instructors in the
industrial department, numbers twenty-five. The president of the
college is Rev. R. W. McGranahan, D. D., who has been in that position
since 1899, succeeding at that time Dr. J. S. McCulloch, who had served
the institution as president for twenty-two years.
Knoxville stands for the most thorough training possible in an
intellectual way, and at the same time provides for the most helpful
industrial training. It is in hearty sympathy with all efforts to
teach the trades to the colored people, and is maintaining a thorough
industrial department for that purpose. At the same time the literary
standard is not lowered one whit, but is being constantly elevated.
The courses of study offered are classical, scientific, theological,
normal and common school. The industrial department offers training
in agriculture, carpentering, electrical work, printing, sewing and
housework.
The college occupies a commanding site on one of the hills made
historic by the siege of Knoxville during the Civil War. The buildings
consist of a recitation hall, McCulloch Hall (boys' dormitory),
Elnathan Hall (girls' dormitory), boys' home, girls' home, mechanical
building, heating plant, president's cottage and barn. Its property is
valued at $110,000.
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