—j T'n.jy Monitor l ^_
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A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COIXIRED AMERICANS. U°i9,
/f a,
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy _OMAHA. NEBRASKA. JUNE 10, 1919 _ Vol. IV. No. 51 (Whole Ho. 205)
FIFTY YEARS OF
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Commencement Exercises at Race’s
Foremost Institution for Higher
Education—Degrees Conferred Cp
on 112 Graduates—Inspiring Ad
dresses by Secretary Lane anil Bish
op Harding—Dr. Durkee’s Phenom
enal Progress.
By R. W. Thompson.
Special to The Monitor.
TTTASHINGTON, D. C„ June 18.—
TV Under ideal skies and amid state
ly elms on the broad campus, the fif
tieth annual commencement of How
ard university was held Wednesday
afternoon with the largest attendance
known in many* years. President J.
Stanley Durkee, making his first ap
pearance on an occasion of this kind,
was greeted with prolonged applause
when he arose to begin the impressive
ceremonies. The procession, including
the graduating classes, the faculty
and the alumni of the university, was
a glint of bright colors in the sunlight
as it wended its way across the green
sward from Carnegie library to the
old fresco auditorium near Clark hall.
The scene was picturesque and impos
ing.
Secretary Lane and Bishop Harding
Give Wise Counsel.
The orator of the day was the Hon.
Franklin K. Lane, secretary of the in
terior, the branch of the government
having control of the university. In
his able address. Secretary Lane em
phasized the futility of force and un
lawful acts in the solution of great
social and economic questions and
counselled his hearers to appeal to the
power of time and right systems of
education to bring permanent peace
among peoples and nations. The pres
ent unrest throughout the land he at
tributed to the too prevalent desire of
groups of individuals to get some
p thing without work. No enduring
success nor any real happiness can be
built upon a foundation of idleness
or any get-rich-quirk nostrum. The
secretary laid stress upon the value of
good citizenship, of the necessity for
practical training to meet the respon
sibilities of life, and gave as a per
tinent example of the failure of false
standards in the striving for power,
the downfall of the autocratic German
Empire.
The Right Rev. Alfred Harding,
Bishop of Washington, was intro
duced by Dr. Durkee, and spoke along
the lines laid down by Secretary' Lane.
He declared service to humanity to
he the royal road to progress and
happiness. He paid a glowing tribute
to the valor, skill and loyalty' dis
played by the Colored soldiers who
aided in the recent war for liberty and
democracy, and insisted that the Stars
and Stripes should wave for all Amer
, icans alike, from ocean to wean. He
was proud of the record made by the
millions of Negroes since emancipa
tion, and lauded Howard university as
one of the uplifting agencies that
would continue to leaven the lump of
intellectual and moral darkness that
make for the hardships and inequali
ties with which the social and econom
ic leaders have to deal.
Both Secretary Lane and Bishop
Harding were liberally applauded.
Music was furnished by a section
of the regimental band of the 968th
infantry, and patriotic airs were
played at intervals throughout the
program, including "The Star Span
gled Banner,” which brought the im
mense throng to its feet in spontan
eous enthusiasm. Rev. Walter H.
Brooks delivered the invocation and
* ’ the Rev. A. C. Garner pronounced the
benediction.
President Durkee Confers Degrees.
President Durkee, by authority
vested in him by the university con
ferred degrees upon one hundred and
twelve graduates, constituting the
"Class of 1919.” In the college of
arts and sciences thirty-four candi
dates received the degree of bachelor
of arts and seventeen the degree of
bachelor of science. A touching inci
dent in connection with this part of
the program was the award of the de
gree of B. S. to John Ephriam Wil
liams, who passed away just a few
days prior to his graduation, hut had
fully won his honors. The entire
' class stood uncovered as President
Durkee solemnly conferred the post
mortem distinction upon their depart
ed fellow-student. Four young men
w'ere given special mention and honor
because of their military service, and
financial consideration will be given
them by the university that they may
later gain the degree they desire. The
class was presented for honors by
Dean Kelly Miller. In the other de
partments the following awards of de
grees were made: In the Teachers’
college, “A. B. in Education,” seven;
“B. S. in Education,” nine. In the
school of theology, “Bachelor of Div
inity,” three. In the school of medi
cine, “M. D.,” twenty-one; dental col
lege, “D. D. S.,” one. (The course in
dentistry was lengthened from three
to four years.) In the pharmaceutical
college, degree of “Phar. D.,” five.
In the school of law, degree of bach
elor of laws, fourteen. In graduate
work, the degree of master of arts in
the field of education was conferred
upon Helen Brooks Irvin. The can
didates from the Teachers’ college
were presented by Acting Dean Thom
as W. Turner; from the school of the
ology by Dean D. Butler Pratt; from
the medical college by Dean E. A.,
Ballock; from the school of law by!
Acting Dean William H. Richards.
Presentation of Prizes.
In addition to the presentation of
diplomas, President Durkee awarded
the following prizes: Alpha Kappa
sorority prize, highest scholarship.
Miss Jennie Mustapha; senior fel
lowship in physics at Clark univer
sity, Worcester, Mass., valued at $300,
Kelly Miller, jr.; cyclopedic dictionary
from a Chicago publishing house,
highest general average, George Ar
thur Parker; public speaking, Edward
M. Johnson; intemeship, Mercy hos
pital, Philadelphia, Miss Sarah Ella
Marie Kinner; intemeship, Freed
men’s hospital (in order of standing
in competitive examination), Jonathan
Richard Contee Cook, Archie Royal
Fleming, Herbert Owen Matthews,
Harold Counsellor Stratton, Lawrence
Waters Jackson, Ralph Johnson
Young, Stansbury Murray Carter,
Eugene Heriot Dibble Jr., Henry Jas.
Austin, John Benjamin Walker and
Chas. Henry Boyd; the E. D, Wil
liston prize for highest mark in ob
stetrics, Jonathan Richard Contee
Cook. A prize from the French class
was presen ted in French by Prof.
Lochard.
Changes in Faculty and Official Staff.
During the week beginning May 28,
the several departments held class
functions, including a reunion lunch
eon and field day athletics by the
alumni and an "At Home” to the
class of ’19 by President and Mrs.
Durkee. The baccalaureate sermon
was delivered by Dr. Durkee in An
drew Rankin Memorial Chapel on Sun
day. The board of trustees Tuesday
announced the election of the follow
ing members of the faculty and offi
cial staff.
Secretary-treasurer, Emmett J.
Scott; dean of school of liberal arts,
Carter G. Woodson; registrar and
professor of education, Dwight O. W.
Holmes; acting dean of women and
instructor in physical education for
women, Miss Helen Tuck; dean of men
and professor of economics, Edward
L. Parks; dean of school of commerce
and finance and professor of com
mercial and international law, George
W. Cook; dean of junior college and
professor of sociology, Kelly Miller.
Ground will be broken in a few
days for the new building on the east
side of the campus, to be the home
of the school of theology, forming
the nucleus of a new center in this
vicinity, anil many other substantial
improvements are incontemplation.
“The Greater Howard University,”
planned by the ever-progressive Presi
dent Durkee, is moving rapidly toward
a realization.
The glory of a good man is the tes
timony of a good conscience.—Thomas
a-Kempis.
For Monitor office call Doug. 3224.
SOUTH STILL REACTIONARY
Assumes “I Told You So" Attitude on
Negro Migration.
(By the Associated Negro Press.)
Columbia, S. C., June 18.—The fol
lowing editorial is clearly indicative
of the condition of feeling (n many
sections of the South, with reference
to the return of our people who in the
last two years migrated north:
Missionaries From Chicago
(From the Columbia, S. C. State,
White Daily.)
A thousand Negro laborers, who
have had six months or a year of edu
cation in the politics of Chicago, who
have been trained in the ideas and
methods of Chicago’s Second ward—
are they wanted as missionaries of
labor among the Negroes of South
Carolina?
If Chicago would be rid of this “sur
plus Negro labor” Chicago’s motive is
identical with that that actuated East
St. Louis, Springfield and Coatcsville,
Penn.
Having used this labor, having
changed the opinions and manner of
the Negroes, having inoculated them
with enmity towards everything to
which Southern Negroes are accus
tomed, no longer needing them and
finding them inconvenient and disturb
ing competitors with white labor, they
would dump them on the South.
Why should the South take Negroes
out of Chicago to compete with white
labor of the South?
There may be in the South employ
ers who would accept and use any kind
of labor—who would welcome a re
newal of immigration from the “gold
coast”—but that brand of selfishness
spells ruin to the Southern land.
Chicago and other northern com
munities ought to give preference to
their Negro labor, or cease complain
ing about Southern treatment of the
Negroes.
SOLDIERS INTERESTED
IN ASSOCIATION
N. A. A. C. I’. Branch Organized in
Philippine Islands by Members
of Famous Ninlh Cavalry.
New York, June 18.—Mary White
Ovington, director of the membership
drive for the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People,
reports that Colored troopers in the
Philippine islands have formed a
branch, and their secretary, Matthew
Payne, of troop E, 9th cavalry, has
written a letter from Pampanga in
which he says:
“While we are more or less isolated
from the rest of the world, we are
vitally interested in anything that af
fects our race. We are now starting
in on the membership drive and hope
ere long to report with our full quota
and perhaps a few over. The men of
the regiment are becoming very much
interested in the work of the associa
tion. We are giving a little literary
program every week and the attend
ance is excellent.”
REPLACE WHITE GIRLS IN
LARGE DETROIT FACTORY
Detroit, Mich., Juno 18.—The fac
tory girls of Detroit have won an
other signal victory when on Monday
morning the Janson Manufacturing
company put on an entire force of our
girls to replace white girls who are
too irregular in attendance to keep
the orders filled. The girls will work
on automobile parts. The work is
very easy to learn and skilled oper
ators will make high wages.
-.. -.. -■■■ - ■■■ a*
Mr. Advertiser:
The Monitor is read in prac- !
tically every Colored family
in Omaha, Council Bluffs and !
Lincoln.
It has also a wide circulation
in Nebraska and other states.
Do You Want This Trade?
AROUSING AMERICA
AGAINST ATROCITIES
Five Victim* Have Been Burned at the
Stake With Unbelievable Brutality
Within the Past Five Months, and
More Than Twenty Have Been
Lynched—A Record of Barbarism
Which America Must Repudiate.
EW YORK, June 18.—Steps to
wards a congressional investiga
tion of lynching with a view to the
! federal government taking action to
stamp out mob murder were an
nounced June 4 by John R. Shillady,
secretary of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple. Mr. Shillady announced that
facts and figures and all available tes
timony and information concerning
mob murder in the United States were
being assembled and would be laid
before congress.
“Five men have already been burned
at the stake in the United States since
the first of the year,” said Mr. Shil
lady, “and more than twenty persons
have been lynched in that time. It
i is a record of barbarism which ought
to make us blush before the world.
“Local and state authorities
throughout the country have shown
| themselves utterly unable to check the
growing evil. Citizens in all parts of
the country' are urged to send imme
diately all information, press clippings
and editorials concerning mob mur
ders to the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People,
70 Fifth avenue. The infoimation so
obtained and assembled will be placed
before congress.”
COMMITTEE GIVEN
AUDIENCE BY BAKER
\ Delegation Representing League for
Democracy Interviews Secretary of
War on Disparaging Remarks Con
cerning Colored Officers and Troops
Made by Colonel Greer.
(Special to The Monitor by Walter J.
Singleton.)
Washington, D. C., June 18.—A
committee representing the League
rir Democarcy, an organiaztion of
Colored soldiers and sailors who took
part in the great world war, was
granted a hearing by the secretary of
war last Tuesday in connection with
charges made against Lt. Col. Allen
J. Greer, chief of staff of the 92d
division of Colored troops. In a let
ter to Senator McKellar, written while
he was serving in France, Col. Greer
is alleged to have asserted that Negro
troops were cowards and we re danger
ous only to themselves and women.
Matters touching the increase of the
number of Colored troops in the new
standing array and their supervision
by Colored officers wer also discussed.
Secretary Baker received the com
mittee with great cordiality and an
nounced that ho would take the matter
under advisement. It is expected that
this decision will take the foim of a
public announcement. A. Mitchell
Palmer, the attorney general of the
United States, was present also at the
conference.
The committee consists of Lt. Mc
Cain, field secretary of the League foi
Democracy; Lt. James H. N. Waring
Jr., Captain Timothy Dent, Captain
A. C. Newman, Lt. Walter Aion, Lt.
T. M. Gregory, Lt. Frank Coleman,
Captain West Hamilton, J. Finley Wil
son, editor of the Washington Eagle,
and Mr. George H. Murray.
AWARD CERTIFICATES OF MERIT
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Topeka, Kas., June 18.—A rather
novel method of recognition has been
adopted by the Industrial Institute
here, in deciding to award “Certifi
cates of Merit’’ to Colored men of the
state who are making marked success
of their work in life. The certificates
this year were given at the commence
ment exercises. Those receiving same
are: W. W. Buckner, Topeka., for
work in the mechanical arts; John W.
Rogers, Ottawa, and H. W. Bell, Os
kaloosa, both unusually successful
farmers.
ARKANSAS COLONY ORGANIZED
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Allport, Ark., June 18.—The Allport
Colony and Industrial Association has
been organized here and has taken
over 37,000 acres of land, most of it
well timbered. The land is in Lonoke,
Jefferson and Arkansas counties, and
will be one of the largest race col
onies in the United States. More than
100 families are already preparing to
move onto the land. Two big mills
are cutting lumber, the most of which
is shipped to Detroit.
i VIRGINIANS OPEN
ANOTHER HANK
—
Enterprising and Successful Business
Men Launch Tidewater Bank and
Trust Company With Paid Up Cap
ital of $100,000—First Day’s De
posits $150,000.
; (Special to The Monitor by Charles
Stewart.)
Norfolk, Va., June 18.—With a paid
up capital stock of $100,000 and $150,
000 on deposit the ‘first day, the doors
of the Tidewater Bank and Trust com
pany were thrown open for business
| Monday morning, June 2. There were
present people from all parts of the
| states of Virginia, North Carolina,
District of Columbia and Maryland
to witness the opening of another
great race enterprise which is destined
to wield great influence for the good
of the whole race.
The bank opened in its own home,
738 Church street. The land was pur
chased by the promoters, and the
building erected, hence it is a modem
bank structure. The “Trust depart
ment,” is a new feature in banking for
the race, and its development will be
watched with much interest. Among
the prominent people who were pres
ent, Mrs. Maggie W. Walker, of Rich
mond, who is the only woman banker
in the race. She thought that all en
terprises for the development of the
race should meet with encouragement
and support, and the success of one
meant success to all others, and fail
ure would hurt all the Negroes. “In
this country,” she said, “we are one, I
and we must go up together or go
down together. I want that we shall
reach back and get the fellow who
is struggling to get up and carry him
with us.”
In his talk President P. B. Young
said that the race had passed its baby
hood, and was regarded by all as full
grown, therefore should do what oth
ers were doing. He said with united
efforts much could be accomplished.
His talk was strictly a common sense
business message to the people. He
is editor of the Journal and Guide.
The following are the bank officials:
P. B. Young, president; G. H. Fran
cis, M. D., Levi C. Brown, M. R. Jack
son, vice presidents; J. S. Jones, sec
retary-treasurer. The secretary-treas
urer, J. S. Jones is an experienced
business man, and has for some time
been cashier of the Mutual Savings
bank, of Portsmouth, which position
he leaves to help the new enterprise.
Edward Baker from the Mechanic
bank, Richmond, is cashier; Julian S.
Hughson, bookkeeper; Miss Ethel Red
dick, clerk in the savings department;
G. W. C. Brown, assitant secretary.
“GRAND ARMY OF AMERICANS”
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Spokane, Wash., June 18—The Grand
Army of Americans, a new organiza-1
tion of Colored veterans of the world
war, is growing rapidly and already
numbers its members in the thou
sands, according to Rev. S. C. Wilson,
a minister of this city, who is greatly
interested.
“The new organization is for the |
benefit of Negro soldiers and sailors!
and of all members of the Negro
race,” said Mr. Wilson. “It is of Ne
groes and for Negroes, and is un
bought and unbuyable.”
PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA TO
SPEAK AT PITTSBURG
Paris, June 18.—Queen Marie of
Roumania and C. D. B. King, presi
dent of Liberia, as well as many other
distinguished representatives of coun
tries participating in the peace con
ference, have consented to address the
third world’s Christian citienship con
ference at Pittsburg, Pa., Nov. 9 to 16.
Dr. Policarpo Bonnilla, formerly pres
ident of Honduras, also will attend.
Monitor’s
Phone
Number
□
Douglas
—
A soft answer turneth away wrath.
NATIONAL HISTORICAL
ART LEAGUE MEETS
To Erect $100,000 Art Institute at
Howard University—Mrs. Given to
Develop International Hall of Fame
for Negro People.
(Special to The Monitor by R. W.
Thompson.)
Washington, D. C. June 18.—Mrs.
Fannie R. Givens, of Louisville, Ky.,
one of the race’s most public-spirited
women, has formulated a remarkable
program for the National Historical
Art League, of which she is president
and manager. She has just been
granted a choice site on the campus
of Howard University, upon which is
to be erected a $100,000 National His
torical Art Gallery and Free School
of Art for Colored Americans. Plans
for the magnificent structure are now
being prepared by a leading architect
and Mrs. Givens is about to launch
here a nation-wide “drive” for the
necessary funds to make the building
a reality. Dr. J. Stanley Durkee, the
progressive president of Howard Uni
versity, is enthusiastic in praise of the
new movement and has accepted a
place on the board of directors of the
Art League.
The building is to contain a superb
collection of the work the Negro race
is doing in art, science, literature,
music, commerce and industry, in re
ligion, and its services on the battle
field in defense of the flag. Heroic
figures from every state will be me
morialized by statuary, paintings and
records of achievement, and there will
be rare relics indicative of the prog
ress of the Negro in the United
States, Africa, South America, and
the islands of the sea. Every phase
of racial endeavor will be represented
and stimulated by this display. This
building will be the first in the world
to permanently show the real develop
ment of the Negro people, and it
should serve as an inspiration for all
time.
Already, through Mrs. Givens’ ener
getic presentation of its historical and
cultural value, there has been installed
in the beautiful Western Colored Li
brary at Louisville, Ky., a temporary
exhibit of Negro art, and the city
officials have hen so profoundly im
pressed with this intial effort that
the Colored exhibit has been furnished
with a special attendant, paid out of
the funds for the support of the citv
library, and they stand pledged to aid
in expanding the plan to nation-wide
proportions.
The standing of the Art League is
happily attested by the distinguished
character of its officers. Mrs. Fannie
R. Givens, herself an artist of the
fi'ont rank, is president; Prof. Kelly
Miller of Howard university, ,s chair
man of the board of directors: Prof.
W. T. S. Jackson of Dunbar High
school, is treasurer; Mrs. A. J. Dick
inson of the federal service, is sec
retary; Prof. L. B. Moore of Howard
university, is corresponding secretary,
and Dr. C. H. Parrish, president of the
State university, Louisville, Ky., is as
sistant treasurer. At Louisville one
of the major displays is the wonderful
collection of art treasures gathered by
Dr. Parrish some years ago while
journeying through the Holy Land
and Egypt.
Mrs. Given is now in Washington,
devoting her entire time to the work
and she will make due announcement
of the date of the monster mass meet
ing at which the “drive” for the $100.
000 wall be inaugurated. She is much
gratified over the warm welcome that
has been accorded her wherever she
has spoken for the great cause for
which her life stands—the highest ar
tistic development of the Negro race.
WOMAN LOST THREE
SOLDIER HUSBANDS
Each Left Her a $10,000 Policy and
She Will Get $172.50 a Month
for 20 Years.
Washington, D. C., June 19.—The
war risk bureau has given out the
information that one Colored woman
who married three soldiers who died
and left her a $10,000 insurance policy
each. The woman was a Mrs. Jones
when her first husband was drafted
into the army where he soon died from
meningitis. She then married a sol
dier by the name of Smith who was
killed in action. Her third husband,
Jackson, died since the armistice, from
influenza. As each had taken out the
maximum policy, Mrs. Jones-Smith,
Jackson will draw' $57.50 a month
from each or $172.50 a month for the
next 20 years. Her address was not
given out.