The Monitor
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
THF. REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor
| $2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1923 Whole Nur *U Vol. VIII—No. 49
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
GRADUATES LARGEST
CLASS IN HISTORY
311 Uriidiintes Ih-co/ve Their Degrees
in the Various Schools of
This (Jreat National
Institution.
CHARACTER FOR SERVICE
Dr. J. IV. E. liowen Commencement
Orator—S3 ( om missions to It. 0.
T. ('. Students—Honorary
Degrees Conferred.
—
Washington, I). C., June 15.—That
Howard University is continuing to
fulfill in a large and Important way|
the enviable place of leadership it has
gained among educational institutions
in America specializing in the train
ing of colored youth is evidenced oy
the new record set by it this year
when three hundred eleven (311) de
gri-es were conferred ut»on graduates
of the classes of 1923 by President J.
Stanley Durkee at the Fifty-fourth An
nual Commencement exercises held on
the university campus Friday, June
8th.
When the announcement went forth
last year that 245 degrees were con
ferred upon graduates of the class of
1922 of Howard university in the
liberal arts, science, religion, law,
medicine, pharmacy, music, engineer
ing and architecture, it was heralded
as a great record in the history of
colleges in the United States devoted
to educational work among colored
people. This year’s class of 311 lias
broken the old record by Bixty-six.
graduates. In addition to the degrees!
in regular courses, honorary degrees i
were conferred upon Charles Edward
Russell, of Washington, D. C.; James
Weldon Johnson, New York City;
James Upshur King. Washington, D.
C.; Mordecai W. Johnson, Charleston,/
W. Va., and Daniel Smith Umb, Wash-j
ington, D. C.
Inspiring Commencement Exercises
The ceremonies in connection with
the commencement exercises began I
with the academic procession which'
started from the steps of the Howard j
University Carnegie bihrary at three'
o’clock Friday afternoon led by thej
R. O. T. C. band. The procession was
headed by I)r. J. Stanley Durkee, pres
ident; Dr. Emmett J. Scott, secretary
treasurer; Dr. J. W. E. Bowen of Oam
mon Theological Seminary, Atlanta,
(•a., the commencement orator; the
candidates for honorarry degrees, and
included trustees, deans, professors,
members of the vraious academic and
professional faculties, graduates and
alumni.
An audience of nearly five thousand
visitors, friendB and relatives of the
various graduates assembled to wit
ness the exercises. The brilliant col
ors of the academic costumes flashing
In the sun presented an inspiring
ceremonial picture.
Dr. Bowen Delivers Message to
(Graduating Class
Dr. Bowen, the commencement or
ator, in his address to the graduating
class upon the subject "Life’s Chal
lenge to Men and Women of Brain
and Character” said in part:
“Young men and young women: I
would prove derelict to duty and a
traitor to my conscience and be un
worthy of your confidence, were I to
close this address without directing a
personal word to you taken from the
book of experience. With the same
directness of speech that was used
by an ancient seer to a mighty king,
but not for the same purpose or as
suggested by or springing from a sim
ilar occasion in the remotest sense,
but for the purpose of emphasis and
to stimulate your thought, stir your
conscience and move your wills to
action, I lift my voice and say to
you, in brotherly kindness, but with
no less emphasis and prophetic sol
emnity ‘Thou art the man’ and Thou
art the woman.
"It has been impressed upon you,
from time to time with biblical repe
tition, that mind is the measure of
man, and as said the Scotch philos
opher, mind is the only great thing
in this world. I would not, if I could,
I dare not if I would, fail to uncover
my head and unsandal my foot and
worship in silence and in reverence
before this ancient shrine of thuth.
“In your zeal for knowledge, book
knowledge, if you please, It would be
surprising if you failed to note fully
the other requirements which your
teachers sought to set before you by
the more real and silent method of
personal example, namely, a beauti
ful, consecrated Christian character
for service. . . "
MICHIGAN ATHLETE
SCORES BIG VICTORY
Ann Arbor, Mich., June 15.—Coming
within one and one-half inches of the
world’s broad pump record held by
Ned Gourdin, of Harvard, De Hart
Hubbard, Michigan’s star black athlete,
Jumped twenty-five-feet one and ono
balf inches.
Hubbard won his event in the West
ern Conference Track and Field Cham
pionship Meet with ease. His victory
helped Michigan to win out over It
linois by one-half point for the team
title.
Hubbard was also in the lead in
the last hurdle and would have won
the 120 high hurdle race but stumbled
and came in fourth.
Immediately he protested to the of
ficials that the whole set of hurdles
over which he ran ad been misplaced
intentionally or otherwise, and that
he had been thrown after his stride
and made to stumble. Charles A.
Dean, referee, on finding that the hur
dles had been misplaced, ordered the
event to he run over again.
Although the contestants admitted
that Hubbard would have won the
event of the misplaced hurdles, they I
refused to run and Coach Guild of Il
linois, said he would take his men off I
the field rather than submit to tne j
ruling.
As a compromise, the event was
eliminated from the program alto
gether.
WHITE HEAD TEMPORARY
. —.
Washington, D. C., June 15.—Frank:
T. Hines, director of the Veterans'
Bureau, has issued a statement declar
ing that the present white head Of Tub-j
kegee Hospital is only temporarily j
appointed and that a colored man will
fill his place as soon as he can be
found.
RATIONAL BAPTIST
HEAD TO ADDRESS
WORLD COHGRESS
Doctor Williams, President of the >a
tional Baptist Convention, to Be
Speaker at Stockholm,
Sweden.
ELEVEN AMERICANS TO TALK
Two of the Number Chosen Are Col
ored—Dr. Wilson of Texas
(he Ollier Speaker
of Bare.
Chicago, June 15—Dr. L. K. Wil
liams, president of the U. 3. National
Baptist Convention and pastor of
Olivet Baptist church in Chicago, with
over 10,000 members, will be one of
the eleven prominent American minis
ters on the program of the World
Congress of Baptists in Sweden, July
21-27.
The only other colored speaker is a
southerner from Texas, Dr. E. A. Wil
Bon, of Dallas, whose topic is, “The
Future of Negro Baptists.”
The last meeting was held in Phil
adelphia in 1912. The meeting sched
uled for 1916 in Berlin was postponed
on account of the war, and this meet
ing will be the first for ten years.
Several thousand official delegates are
ex|H*cted from the United States, Cana
ria, South America, Central Africa, I
New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the I
Philippine Islands, China, Burma and i
India, as well as from (ireat Britain,;
Sweden, Norway and the countries of,
continental Europe.
Several other topics of major im
portance besides the “colored people’s
religion”, such as the question of in
ternational peace, In which the League
of Nations will doubtless figure, are
to receive the attenton of the delegates.
THE WIDE-AWAKE
TWENTY-KOUR CLUB
The Wide-Awake Twenty-four club
will meet with Mrs. Belle Taylor, 2859
Miami street, Friday afternoon at 2:30
p. ra.
The May fete given under the man
agement of Miss Hazel Roulette for
the benefit of the Wide-Awake Twen
ty-four club was a decided success in
every way. We are very proud of this
young member and very grateful to
her also for this splendid affair.
SILLY SOUTHERN STUNT
Philadelphia, Pa., June 15.—Because
a Southern girl is editor-in-chief of
the annual class book, three colored
girl students’ pictures and records
were not placed with those of other
members of the class, but were put
on the last page of the book.
High Schools Graduate Large Number of Students
Colored Graduates Show Substantial Increase Over Former Years—
Make Good Records—Active in School Affairs
At the commencement exerclBes of
the Omaha High schools to be held at
the City Auditorium tonight over tour
htyidred students from Central, Tech
Dorothy Martin
nical, South and Benson will be given
their diplomas. Among this number
there are eight students belonging to
.....I
Ledrue Cooper Galloway
our race; six from Central and two
from Tech. The graduates from Cen
Charles Louvere Ennis
tral are Lucile Hivens, Charles Louvere
Ennis, Led rue Cooper Galloway, Hen
ry Daniel Gordon, Ida May Jackson
and Worthington Llewellyn Williams;
From Nebraska to Arkansas and Back
Experiences and Observations of the Editor on Trip to Southland
Where He Saw Many Things of Interest
HOT SPRINGS, A NORTHERN (TTV
IN THE SOUTH
Psychological influences arc subtle,
far-reaching and unexplainable. Places
have an atmosphere. Impalpable, inde
finiable, but felt. One becomes con
scious of this atmosphere. Altho not
able to explain it, but it is there and
he feels lt
As soon as the train pulled into Hot
Springs, I felt that I was in an en
tirely differen atmosphere to that of
any I had experienced since I crossed
“over the Kansas line”. Perhaps It
was wholly subjective, mayhap large
ly imaginary, but nevertheless 1 felt
a certain restraint and a rather un
comfortable oppressiveness as soon as
I entered Oklahoma. This feeling re
mained with me, despite the hospital
ity and kindness of the dear friends
who made my sojourn with them a joy
and delight, during my visit in Arkan
sas. The only place where this op
pressive atmosphere seemed to he ab
sent was in Hot Springs. As I have
aaid, perhaps it was purely imaginary
on my part. But I do not think so.
The people around the depot seemed
to be different. While the South’s dual
system was in evidence, yet the lines
did not seem to be to tautly drawn.
The whole air was different and I
felt that 1 was breathing the atmos
phere of a northern city. There spem
ed to be a cordial entente between
the people and a wholesome spirit of
L’orr.maraderie not found elsewhere in
section.
That this psychological effect was
grounded in fact was subsequently
proven, for I was told, and things
which I saw verified this—that "Hot
Springs is the most-liberal and falr
BBt-minded city in the whole South!”
The reason for this is that it is a
deservedly popular health resort,
largely built up and supported by
eastern and northern capital and fre
quented by people from all parts of
the world. Many northern people re
side here and because,of the cosmop
olitan character of the place fortunate
ly they have not become Southerntzed
—for “a southernized northerner” as
you know is the most deadly of the
species on the race question. Then,
too, as one would naturally expect,
the colored residents of Hot Springs
are of a high type and progressive
class. It is a fact that cannot be
gainsaid that wherever you find a
high-minded, progressive class of
white people there you find a corres
ponding class of colored people, and
vice versa.
Another very important factor that
makes for pleasant interracial rela
tions in Hot Springs is the fact that
the United States government is large
ly interested here; for, as you doubt
SCHOOL PUBLICATION
PRAISES UNI. GRADUATE
Dorothy E. Williams graduated last
week from th*. Primary-Kindergarten
course of the University of Omaha,
Dorothy G. Williams
where she ranked high in scholarship.
She expects to continue her studies at
the University and take her Arts de
gree next June.
The Gateway, the school publica
tion for 1923, says of Miss Williams:
“She is a diligent student and a cap
able teacher, whose pleasant smile
and cheery disposition quickly wins
the hearts of her tiny pupils.”
less know, the heating waters of the
thermal' springB, which give the city
its name, are owned and controlled by
the Federal government, under the di
rect care of the Secretary of the In
terior. It was as early as 1832, near
ly a century ago, that Congress set
apart four sections of land, in the very
center of which are these hot springs,
44 in number, as a government re
servation. .Subsequently the govern
ment expended large sums of money
in improving and developing the re
servation. The Army and Navy Hos
pital on the Hot Springs Mountain is
a mammoth institution. The govern
ment bath houses lining Central ave
nue are artistic architectural gems
adding to the natural beauty of the
place.
All of these are factors, more or
legs imi>ortant, entering Into and con
tributing towards making Hot Springs
different from other cities and towns
in Arkansas, and, for that matter, as
I was told from any place in the
South. It is certainly a beautiful
place, clambering up the eastern slope
of the Ozarks Mountains, and emerald
set with spruce and pine and cypress
and oak and various hardwood trees,
embellishing with becoming garniture
the massive public buildings, stately
fanes of worship, attractive homes,
lofty and spacious hotels, massive
bath houses and hospitals and modern
business blocks which make up this
city of something over 20.000 per
manent inhabitants and an annual
tourist population of ten times this
number.
The subtle consciousness of a dif
ferent atmosphere which I felt as I
stepped off the train at Hot Springs
that Saturday afternoon in February
and was met by the Rev. Gilbert Ber
nard Whitlock, the fine young priest
in charge of St. Mary’s church, was
not simply subjective but founded upon
the fact that I had unknowingly come
to a town very largely northern in
spirit and sentiment. 8uch Is Hot
Springs, a northern city in the South.
(Next Article: SOME PLEASANT
SURPRISES IN HOT SPRINGS.)
and from Tech, James Calvin Jewel
and Dorothy Martin. Floyd Maxey
graduated from Central in January,
making the total number of Central
graduates this year seven. Worthing
ton L. Williams, who is First Lieute
nant and Adjutant of the First Batal
lion, will also receive his military cer
tificate.
The O Book of Central High is a
handsome publication of 250 pages,
containing excellent cuts of the facul
Worthington L. Williams
1st Lieut, and Adjutant
ty, graduates, undergraduates, cadet
officers, military companies, foot ball
teams, track teams, orchestra, etc., is
Lucile Love Bivens
a credit to the staff who compiled and
published it. From it The Monitor
quotes what it has to say about the
students whose cuts it gives us pleas
ures to present to our readers.
Miss Lucile Bivens is the daughter
Ida May Jackson
of Mrs. Hopkins, a widow, and a sister
of Mrs. George A. Love. During her
school course Mis Bivens has helped
support herself by working in a private
James Calvin Jewell
family after gchool hours. Despite this
fact she has stood well in all her
Henry David Gordon
classes, being exceptionally strong in
mathematics. The cabalistic legend
which the editor of the O Book has in
serted opposite her cut, refers to this.
Here is what it says:
“To Lucile there’s no mystery
in cabalistic names or numbers
Like 1066 which lesser minds encum
bers.”
Charles L. Ennis has been prominent
in athletics and music, having done
stellar work in football and track'
work, as well as being a member of
the band and orcheetra. The O Book
says of Charles, “ ‘Eat, drink and be
merry, for tomorrow ye die’. Charles'
philosophy of life never lets him wor
ry much.” He expects to go to col
lege.
Ledrue Cooper Galloway, son of Mr.
and Mrs. C. C. Galloway, has been
Central's outstanding athlete. His
school activities are scheduled in the
O Book as follows: Road Show (1),
Football Reserves (1): Football team
(2, 3, 4, H-Y (2), Class Basket Ball
Champions (3), Basketball (4), Track
(3, 4), All-State Tackle (3), All-State
Half-Back (4), Rufnex (4), O Club (3,
4). (The bracketed numerals indicate
the year, (1) means first year.) Here
is what the same school publication
says of him: “Lee has the Midas
touch in athletics. One of the clean
est fellows who ever hit the line. His
ability in hitting is not confined to
the back field either—-ask anybody in
the ‘Red Owl’ club.” Ledrue expects
to study medicine.
Henry Daniel Gordon, son of Mr. and
MrB. laiuis Gordon, is paid this fine
compliment: “Henry is very talented.
He has ability to draw and ability to
keep quiet, if only there were more
like him.” Henry expects to enter
Boston School of Technology for a
course in engineering. He is deeply
interested in Boy Scout work.
Ida May Jackson, is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Cheesborough,
and among the comparative new com
ers to Omaha. She is musical and a
(Continued on page four)
ANOTHER BIG CLASS
GRADUATES FROM
HAMPTON COLLEGE
James Weldon Johnson, Commence
ment Orator, Speaks on “Negro
Citizenship.” Other Not
able Speakers
PMICIPAL GIVES DIPLOMAS
First Hampton Candidates Get De
gree of “Bachelor of Science
in Agricultural Ed
ucation
By Wm. Anthony Aery
Hampton, Va., June 15.—Principal
J. E. Gregg, who presided at the
Hampton Institute commencement ex
ercises, which were held in Ogden
Hall in the presence of a large num
ber of local and visiting citizens of
both races, presented four candidates
for the degree of “Bachelor of Science
in Agricultural Education,” which
will be awarded on September 1:
Harrison D. Jacobs, Pittsfield, Mass.;
Thomas E. Johnson, Jr., Port Gibson,
Miss.; I). Coaken Jones, Savannah,
Ga.; and Burke M. Mathias, Boley,
Ok I a.
Doctor Gregg presented a diploma
to Ellen R. Nicholas, New Haven,
Conn., graduate of the Normal School
course, and a diploma to Estelle M.
Jones, Danville, Ky., graduate of the
Home Economics School advanced
course. He also presented secondary
school diplomas to 60 boys and 28
girls—members of the Academy, Ag
ricultural School, Business School,
Home Economics School and Trade
School. Four more Hampton Insti
tute men of the 1923 class will soon
receive diplomas on the completion of
certain work which is at present un
finished.
Doctor Gregg presented to the rank
ing scholar, Phyllis V. Calhoun, of
Greenville, S. C., who had taken the
four year course in Home Economics,
a twenty-five dollar prize, which is
awarded annually by the St. Phillip’s
Sunday school of New York. This
student also delivered the valedictory
address on “The Youth of the Twen
tieth Century,” in which she stated
ybung people have “tedious, difficult,
enduring, noble things to do and must
formulate their own creeds and cre
ate their own ideals.”
James Weldon Johnson Speaks
That men and women who are will
ing to face the facts of life and learn
the lessons of truth may accurately
forecast themselves with reference to
their thrift or indolence, their sincer
ity or their hypocrisy, their waste of
time or their use of opportunity, and
(Continued from page one)
OIL IS DISCOVERED
IH FAMOUS SLACK
DELT OF OKLAHOMA
Gushers Gushing Around Boley. One
Of The Few Exclusive Col
ored Towns of The
Country
POPULATION IS ON INCREASE
Settlers Confidently Expecting Wells
To Make Them Millionaire
Oil Magnates
Overnight
Boley, Okla., June 15.—Oil pros
pectors are rushing into this city and
section by the hundreds.
Over night the black metropolis of
America has become a seething bee
hive of humanity and if the oncom
ing hordes continue within a few
weeks Boley will have doubled its
population. The cause of the excite
ment develops out of the spouting of
the big oil well brought in on a quar
ter section owned by Rev. Robert
Kirksey, located about four miles
northwest of this city a short time
ago.
Big Gusher
The new well is a big gusher, show
ing much more promise than the
recent well brought in at Castle on
McKern’s quarter. Another well is
being driven through the sand on the
Sam Callahan farm just one mile
north of Boley and the indications are
that another big gusher will add to
the already excited town in a few
days.
Thousands of Acres
Thousands of acres of land in this
section and Okfuskee are in the hands
and control of the black folk. From
Sand Creek back to Rusk, all of the
land is owned by the Negroes and it
is said that this new field will re
velop more millionaires than any oth
er section has developed among our
group. The new strike is said to be
an extension of the field located two
years ago at Clearview.
Black Millionaires
Oklahoma has smiled kindly upon
many black folk who own her soil.
In the past she has belched forth mil
lions in liquid gold into the hands of
hundreds of black men and women.
This is particularly true in eastern
Oklahoma. Luther Manuel, Sarah
Rector, Queen Victoria Jackson and
an unending stream of others have
lived to see the barren hills and rocky
crags transformed overnight into
“Castles in Spain.’’ Boley’s citizens
are dreaming just such dreams to
night, as many of Oklahoma’s black
folk have lived to realize.
ARKANSAS HAS ARMS
REGISTRATION LAW
Wabbaseka, Ark., June 15.—This
state has passed a law placing a spe
cial tax on all persons owning fire
arms.
Rev. y. T. Polk, presiding officer of
the local district of the A. M. E.
Church, speaking at the quarterly
conference, urged the church mem
bers not to be afraid of the law and
stop leaving for the North.
SURPRISE PASTOR
The parishioners of St. Philip’s
Episcopal church efefctively carried
out a pleasant surprise upon the Rev.
John Albert Williams last Monday
night in honor of the thirty-second
anniversary of his ordination to the
diaconate. They invaded the rectory,
spent a delightful social evening and
presented the pastor with a purse as
a testimonial of their affection. The
presentation was made in brief and
well-chogen words by Henry W. Black.
The surprise was planned and exe
cuted under the leadership of Mrs.
Isaac Bailey and Mrs. H. R. Roberts.
SELMA BARS KU KLUX
Selma, Ala., June 16.—(Preston
News Service.)—The city council or
Selma stopped efforts to organize a ■
Ku Klux Klan lodge here by the pass
age of an ordinance at its meeting
last Monday night forbidding the wear
ing masks or disguises on any street
or other public place in the city.
ELKS’ HEAD INJURED
Salisbury, Md., June 16.—J. Findley
Wilson, grand exalted ruler of Elks,
was seriously injured in an automo
mile accident en route here last Fri
day. The car in which he was riding
completely overturned. He is now in
the Salisbury Hospital.