I recall with pleasure your visit to me two
years ago."
I can hardly imagine any occurrence which could have given me more
genuine satisfaction than the receipt of this draft. It was by far
the largest single donation which up to that time the school had ever
received. It came at a time when an unusually long period had passed
since we had received any money. We were in great distress because of
lack of funds, and the nervous strain was tremendous. It is difficult
for me to think of any situation that is more trying on the nerves
than that of conducting a large institution, with heavy obligations to
meet, without knowing where the money is to come from to meet these
obligations from month to month.
In our case I felt a double responsibility, and this made the
anxiety all the more intense. If the institution had been officered
by white persons, and had failed, it would have injured the cause of
Negro education; but I knew that the failure of our institution,
officered by Negroes, would not only mean the loss of a school, but
would cause people, in a large degree, to lose faith in the ability of
the entire race. The receipt of this draft for ten thousand dollars,
under all these circumstances, partially lifted a burden that had been
pressing down upon me for days.
Pages:
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187