Fisk University

“ FISK UNIVERSITY.
The time has come in the religious history of the year in Fisk University when an account of the work done may be given. I have no doubt that it will interest and encourage the friends of the Association.
During the week of prayer for the Y. M. C. A. among colleges, the young men of the institution who belong to the Y. M. C. A. of Fisk held meetings and did good work among the young men who do not profess to be Christians. ”

“ The young people were especially urged not to be content with a little schooling, nor even with a good common school education, but to press forward with a determination to secure the very highest education that can be secured. The idea that the schools at Chattanooga, Athens, Florence and Memphis ought to be feeders of Fisk University was well brought out. These schools cannot give the high education that can be gained at Fisk, and their success should be measured largely by the number of students they send to Fisk University. ”

“ Fisk University must be endowed, and we her sons and daughters, who intend doing what we can in this direction, most sincerely trust that friends of years gone by will not forget, in the distribution of what God hath given them, this institution, which has all these years depended solely on God and a charitable public for its existence and a continuance of its blessed work. ”

“ The commencement essays of the thirteen young ladies would have done credit to any Northern institution; they were in good taste, thoughtful and high-toned, indicative of culture and a missionary spirit. These girls may never be famous, but they will be useful and successful, which is infinitely better.
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*COMMENCEMENT AT FISK UNIVERSITY.* PRES. E.H. CRAVATH, D.D. Fisk University held, on the 13th of June, its twenty-third anniversary, reckoning from the founding of the Fisk School. The weather was perfect, and all the exercises of the day were highly satisfactory. ”

“ No one person has done more toward its perpetuation and development. The work to which he gave his life, for reasons well understood, was a difficult one and involved much of sacrifice; but among the difficulties which he encountered he ever bore himself with a calm dignity and a wise prudence which, with his intellectual power and attainments, gave him great prominence and influence throughout the educational field of the South.
To manage, govern and direct an institution like Fisk University in its environment, and in the face of many prejudices, called for an exceptional man. ”

“ Poor, awkward, and dressed out of missionary barrels, often the recipient of student aid, sometimes well-nigh disheartened, but always pressing on; once bought off by Mr. Spence for the sum of ten dollars, when his father wanted him to work in the field, he toiled slowly on, step by step, winning honor and respect, and loved by his teachers as, perhaps, few students of Fisk University were ever loved. ”

“ As there were then no public schools in Nashville for colored children the number in attendance upon Fisk University the first year was over twelve hundred. Fisk University was incorporated under the laws of Tennessee, August 22, 1867, with a board of nine trustees, and opened for advanced pupils, the city of Nashville having started school for colored children. ”

“ He called to his side one of his mates at Fisk University—a graduate of the college department—under the conviction that for such work as this there was a call for a thorough as well as a technical education; that there must be breadth of mental knowledge and mental vision as well as skill of hand. The young college man with his diploma in his pocket heard the call, as scores of samples from our institutions in our great system of schools are hearing theirs every year ”

“ His words of appreciation and sympathy were especially grateful to the workers. He reminded them that any institution which outlives the trying period of training and sending out its first graduates and of nourishing and giving strength to its first alumni was destined to live and grow. Alma Mater is a name dear to every good student, and Fisk University has a history and a future. The delightful exercises were brought to a fitting close by all rising and singing the doxology, “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.” ”

“ Fisk University graduated its first college class in 1875, and Atlanta hers in 1876, so that from these Institutions have come only five or six small classes that have completed a collegiate education, and the first one of these students to graduate from a full theological course has just received his diploma. And then the officers of the Association have not had their pick from the graduates of their schools. Some of those best qualified for mission work abroad are fully persuaded in their own minds that their field of labor is at home. ”

“ The every-day life of the University is first of all religious. With no cant, with the avoidance of undue emotion, with a constant appeal to Christian manhood and womanhood, men and women loyal to Jesus, seeking less their rights than to faithfully perform their duties, are being reared. For nine months in a year the faculty of Fisk, like those who in large cities man college settlements, day and night seek in every way and by all means to arouse and perpetuate the highest Christian ideals. Added to these are intellectual training, musical culture and a spirit of true gentility. ”

“ Anniversary Exercises. FISK UNIVERSITY, NASHVILLE, TENN. BY DISTRICT SECRETARY C.J. RYDER.
Fisk University fills a large place in the educational institutions of the South, and commencement week occupies an important place in the college year at Fisk.
When the inhuman caste prejudice passes away, the Congregationalists of the North will discover the encouraging fact that the American Missionary Association has planted Congregationalism in the South to stay. ”

“ The theological departments at Howard, Talladega and Straight have been doing their good work in training upon the ground just the sort of men who are needed for the peculiar work to be done. Fisk University has three of its graduates in the study of theology at Oberlin, and one in a divinity school at Yale. ”

“ At the table, where teachers and scholars eat together, all stand quietly till the teacher in charge takes his seat. There is no loud talking or laughing, but, while no restraints are put on conversation, only a gentle murmur of voices, which does not prevent the slightest signal from being heard. The least tap of a bell suffices to dismiss the hundred or more boarders from the tables. In passing through the school-room at Fisk University, we noticed that no teacher was present, though perfect order was maintained. ”

“ All boarding pupils are required to devote an hour a day to such forms of labour as may be required of them, and the cleanest school building I ever saw is Livingstone Hall of Fisk University, which is kept clean by the pupils. A certain number of young men at Fisk learn printing every year, and others will henceforth learn carpentry and other useful handicrafts; while the young women are taught nursing the sick and the rules of hygiene, cooking, dressmaking and plain sewing. The course of industrial training in Central Tennessee College and Roger Williams University is about the same. ”

“ Cravath immediately selected the location which has become the permanent home of Fisk University and recommended it to the American Missionary Association. No one person did more toward locating and founding the institution. ”

“ E. M. Cravath, who was elected as president of the school in 1875, came personally to manage the work. His labors, seconded by those of the college faculty, five in number, resulted in the rapid development of the higher educational courses. In 1875 the first college class was graduated, and also the first normal class, and regularly from that time students have graduated from the college and normal departments.
Livingstone Missionary Hall is the other large building connected with Fisk University. ”

“ Their thirst for knowledge has been greatly increased by the obstacles previously thrown in their way. There are several excellent colored universities in the South. Fisk University at Nashville is especially good. The young men and women attending it are bright and very intelligent. The young white people of the South must look well to their laurels or their black neighbors will soon lead them in the race for mental improvement. ”

“ From the correspondence of teachers, and through the cases known personally by the comparatively few of our old students who have already returned from their summer’s work, we could number up to-day, which is only the fourth day after the opening of the school, at least forty instances of young men and young women of known character and ability who are eager and anxious to come to Fisk University to fit themselves for teaching and other Christian work among their people, who cannot come because they have not and cannot get sufficient money. ”

“ The education of these students is rapidly progressing. We must remember that most of them were born in slavery, and have learned to read since the war. A generation or two must pass before we can see the results of life-long training in schools. What we now see, however, is sufficiently surprising. It would be hard to find at the North better teachers or better schools than the two Universities of which we speak; and their influence over the pupils is marvelous. Many of the recitations were very fine. The normal training of Fisk University seemed to deserve special commendation. ”

“ Under the lead of two young college graduates, both of whom I had met while they were students at Fisk University, the colored people with great sacrifice had contributed building material and labor in the construction of a very substantial two-story building with attic and basement, which, however, is yet incomplete and unfurnished. The people with few exceptions, are extremely poor and very ignorant, and have an imperfect idea of what a school means with its proper appointments and teachers. ”

“ For the education of negroes the city has Fisk University (opened in 1866, incorporated in 1867) , under the auspices of the American Missionary Association and the Western Freedman's Aid Commission of the Congregational Church (noted since 1871 for its Jubilee Singers, who raised money for Jubilee Hall, finished in 1876) ; it embraces a college department, a preparatory department, a normal department and departments of theology, music and physical training ”

“ Thousands of negroes were taught by a band of eager teachers, some of whom only a short time before did not know one letter from another. There was an honest enthusiasm in the whole affair that brought with it the blessing of success. Again we are called on to note what good is often done by the quiet unprompted and unselfish energy of a single individual. About the time when the Fisk University was organised, there cast up a young man named White, who, looking about for a means of livelihood, took up the profession of teacher. ”

“ The youth who desire an education generally are obliged to secure the means themselves. We were much touched with the story of one young lady (as truly so as any in our Northern seminaries) , who, at the age of fourteen, determined to go to Fisk University, and went to teaching till she had earned the means. For five years she has been securing an education, paying her way by teaching every summer. ”

“ From reports carefully made out by students now in attendance on Fisk University, the following facts are ascertained:
Ninety have at some time been engaged in school teaching. Of these, sixty-two are members of the collegiate department and twenty-eight of the normal department. The time taught in all, including the past year, is 1,630 months, or reduced to school years of nine months each, 161 1-9 years.
It is found that during the year 1880, seventy-two have taught school, the sum of the months being 309. This reduced to school years of nine months each, gives 341⁄3 years. ”

“ The coming into a community of one who has enjoyed superior advantages, introduces a better idea to which others will seek to attain. One of the most threatening obstacles in the way of colored education has been the great lack of competent colored teachers. The paying of incompetent teachers is almost, if not entirely, a waste of the public money. Viewing from this standpoint, the long and expensive journeys necessarily taken by the students of Fisk University to reach their schools, may not be a loss but a benefit, by scattering further the good influence of the University. ”

“ Nashville, Tenn.—At Fisk University the yellow fever deterred the students from a prompt attendance at the beginning of the term. The school is increasing weekly.
Chattanooga, Tenn.—The Central South Conference met here November 7th.
THE FREEDMEN. ATLANTA, GA. Students’ Reports of Summer Work. MRS. T. N. CHASE.
School has opened with larger numbers than for several years. Our graduates seem to be doing much toward recommending the school. ”

“ The old associations are losing their power over the rising generation. Intelligent men are seeking to supply their spiritual and moral wants. The A.M.A. has but to persist in the establishment of its school and church work among the colored people, with good strong men as ministers, and it is sure to be the leaven of the church of the future for the Negro people.
Last summer an old father, who had educated four children at Fisk University and had himself been there on one Commencement occasion, said to me:—"That Fisk school is the buildin'-up-est place to our people in the world. ”