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THE ATHENAEUM
63
By L. Virgil Williams, ’24.
It has been sagely said that nine tenths
of a college education is acquired in the
chapel. Perhaps to some this estimate io
too high; to otheis a direct slur at the
effectiveness of the classroom; but such
was not the purport of the statement. How
ever it may be looked at, there is no
doubt but that the lectures given in our
chapel at Morehouse give to us as students
a broader and fuller conception of educa
tion than existed a decade or two ago.
In the early part of October, Mr. Conrad
Hoffman came to us in interest of the Stu
dents Friendship Fund for the European
students. These students, he pointed out,
although physically desperate are heroical
ly struggling on for the reconstruction of
their country. Central and Eastern Eu
rope has lost fully one-third of her skilled
technicians, Doctors, Engineers, Agricultur
ists, during and since the war. It is the
aim of this country through the Student
Friendship Fund to aid these students by
giving them initial financial aid in their
Self Help enterprises, by furnishing food
to the sick and undernourished, and by
giving active evidence of International
Fellowship. Morehouse. College students
are endeavoring to do their part in this
great work.
On October 16, Mr. W. Ellis Stewart,
Secretary of the Liberty Life Insurance
Co., Chicago, Ill.,' spoke to the student
body and pointed out mainly the possibili
ties of the young Negro in the field of
business and most especially along the
lines of insurance. Accompanying Mr. Ste
wart Was our own Dr. H. M. Holmes, a
prominent physician of Atlanta. He said:
“Perseverance is a keynote to success and
life is a football game in which we must
repeatedly hit the line and circle the ends.”
October, 23, Mr. Wm. C. Craver, the In
ternational Secretary of the Y.M.C.A.
came to us and informed us of the work of
the noble organization and laid before our
College branch some very helpful poinls
for the year’s routine. During his stay in
Atlanta a large conference was held at the
Butler Street branch of the Y.M.C. A.
Very often it is said that the Negro does
not know very much of his own history.
This, though true, has been given very
little consideration. However some of our
men are thinking more of it. This led
to a meeting of the Association for the
Study of Negro Life and History, in At
lanta, October 24, 25, 26. On October
25, a meeting was held in the Morehouse
College Chapel, at which time Bishop
John Hurst presided, in the absence of
Pres. John Hope. A discussion of “The
Negro in History as a neglected Field”
was opened by Dr. Carter G. Woodson,
of Washington, D. C., an eminent histor
ian and editor of the Journal of Negro
History. For some time there has been a
demand for work giving the most in
forming essays, lectures and orations of
the distinguished thinkers of African
blood. The young Negro must be inspired
and this can be done by knowing the
strivings of others of his group, who have
wrought well in the uplift and defense
of their race. Dr. Woodson’s, “The Ne
gro in our History” and “The Negro in
American History” seem to meet this ur
gent need. Following Dr. Woodson’s ad
dress, Pres. T. R. Davis of Walden Col
lege pointed out some of the innumerable
possibilities of the Negro in history. We
as young College men can make a history
and write a history.
October, 30, Mr. L. F. Dyer, organist
and choir director of the Mt. Olivet Bap
tist church, New York, with his company
of three others, rendered a very entertain
ing musical in our chapel.