up from slavery-第38节

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In　Chicago；　after　I　had　spoken　at　a　meeting；　I　met　one　of　these　fellows。　They　usually　have　some　process　for　curing　all　of　the　ills　of　the　world　at　once。　This　Chicago　specimen　had　a　patent　process　by　which　he　said　Indian　corn　could　be　kept　through　a　period　of　three　or　four　years；　and　he　felt　sure　that　if　the　Negro　race　in　the　South　would；　as　a　whole；　adopt　his　process；　it　would　settle　the　whole　race　question。　It　mattered　nothing　that　I　tried　to　convince　him　that　our　present　problem　was　to　teach　the　Negroes　how　to　produce　enough　corn　to　last　them　through　one　year。　Another　Chicago　crank　had　a　scheme　by　which　he　wanted　me　to　join　him　in　an　effort　to　close　up　all　the　National　banks　in　the　country。　If　that　was　done；　he　felt　sure　it　would　put　the　Negro　on　his　feet。

The　number　of　people　who　stand　ready　to　consume　one's　time；　to　no　purpose；　is　almost　countless。　At　one　time　I　spoke　before　a　large　audience　in　Boston　in　the　evening。　The　next　morning　I　was　awakened　by　having　a　card　brought　to　my　room；　and　with　it　a　message　that　some　one　was　anxious　to　see　me。　Thinking　that　it　must　be　something　very　important；　I　dressed　hastily　and　went　down。　When　I　reached　the　hotel　office　I　found　a　blank　and　innocent…looking　individual　waiting　for　me；　who　coolly　remarked：　〃I　heard　you　talk　at　a　meeting　last　night。　I　rather　liked　your　talk；　and　so　I　came　in　this　morning　to　hear　you　talk　some　more。〃

I　am　often　asked　how　it　is　possible　for　me　to　superintend　the　work　at　Tuskegee　and　at　the　same　time　be　so　much　away　from　the　school。　In　partial　answer　to　this　I　would　say　that　I　think　I　have　learned；　in　some　degree　at　least；　to　disregard　the　old　maxim　which　says；　〃Do　not　get　others　to　do　that　which　you　can　do　yourself。〃　My　motto；　on　the　other　hand；　is；　〃Do　not　do　that　which　others　can　do　as　well。〃

One　of　the　most　encouraging　signs　in　connection　with　the　Tuskegee　school　is　found　in　the　fact　that　the　organization　is　so　thorough　that　the　daily　work　of　the　school　is　not　dependent　upon　the　presence　of　any　one　individual。　The　whole　executive　force；　including　instructors　and　clerks；　now　numbers　eighty…six。　This　force　is　so　organized　and　subdivided　that　the　machinery　of　the　school　goes　on　day　by　day　like　clockwork。　Most　of　our　teachers　have　been　connected　with　the　institutions　for　a　number　of　years；　and　are　as　much　interested　in　it　as　I　am。　In　my　absence；　Mr。　Warren　Logan；　the　treasurer；　who　has　been　at　the　school　seventeen　years；　is　the　executive。　He　is　efficiently　supported　by　Mrs。　Washington；　and　by　my　faithful　secretary；　Mr。　Emmett　J。　Scott；　who　handles　the　bulk　of　my　correspondence　and　keeps　me　in　daily　touch　with　the　life　of　the　school；　and　who　also　keeps　me　informed　of　whatever　takes　place　in　the　South　that　concerns　the　race。　I　owe　more　to　his　tact；　wisdom；　and　hard　work　than　I　can　describe。

The　main　executive　work　of　the　school；　whether　I　am　at　Tuskegee　or　not；　centres　in　what　we　call　the　executive　council。　This　council　meets　twice　a　week；　and　is　composed　of　the　nine　persons　who　are　at　the　head　of　the　nine　departments　of　the　school。　For　example：　Mrs。　B。K。　Bruce；　the　Lady　Principal；　the　widow　of　the　late　ex…senator　Bruce；　is　a　member　of　the　council；　and　represents　in　it　all　that　pertains　to　the　life　of　the　girls　at　the　school。　In　addition　to　the　executive　council　there　is　a　financial　committee　of　six；　that　meets　every　week　and　decides　upon　the　expenditures　for　the　week。　Once　a　month；　and　sometimes　oftener；　there　is　a　general　meeting　of　all　the　instructors。　Aside　from　these　there　are　innumerable　smaller　meetings；　such　as　that　of　the　instructors　in　the　Phelps　Hall　Bible　Training　School；　or　of　the　instructors　in　the　agricultural　department。

In　order　that　I　may　keep　in　constant　touch　with　the　life　of　the　institution；　I　have　a　system　of　reports　so　arranged　that　a　record　of　the　school's　work　reaches　me　every　day　of　the　year；　no　matter　in　what　part　of　the　country　I　am。　I　know　by　these　reports　even　what　students　are　excused　from　school；　and　why　they　are　excusedwhether　for　reasons　of　ill　health　or　otherwise。　Through　the　medium　of　these　reports　I　know　each　day　what　the　income　of　the　school　in　money　is；　I　know　how　many　gallons　of　milk　and　how　many　pounds　of　butter　come　from　the　diary；　what　the　bill　of　fare　for　the　teachers　and　students　is；　whether　a　certain　kind　of　meat　was　boiled　or　baked；　and　whether　certain　vegetables　served　in　the　dining　room　were　bought　from　a　store　or　procured　from　our　own　farm。　Human　nature　I　find　to　be　very　much　the　same　the　world　over；　and　it　is　sometimes　not　hard　to　yield　to　the　temptation　to　go　to　a　barrel　of　rice　that　has　come　from　the　storewith　the　grain　all　prepared　to　go　in　the　potrather　than　to　take　the　time　and　trouble　to　go　to　the　field　and　dig　and　wash　one's　own　sweet　potatoes；　which　might　be　prepared　in　a　manner　to　take　the　place　of　the　rice。

I　am　often　asked　how；　in　the　midst　of　so　much　work；　a　large　part　of　which　is　for　the　public；　I　can　find　time　for　any　rest　or　recreation；　and　what　kind　of　recreation　or　sports　I　am　fond　of。　This　is　rather　a　difficult　question　to　answer。　I　have　a　strong　feeling　that　every　individual　owes　it　to　himself；　and　to　the　cause　which　he　is　serving；　to　keep　a　vigorous；　healthy　body；　with　the　nerves　steady　and　strong；　prepared　for　great　efforts　and　prepared　for　disappointments　and　trying　positions。　As　far　as　I　can；　I　make　it　a　rule　to　plan　for　each　day's　worknot　merely　to　go　through　with　the　same　routine　of　daily　duties；　but　to　get　rid　of　the　routine　work　as　early　in　the　day　as　possible；　and　then　to　enter　upon　some　new　or　advance　work。　I　make　it　a　rule　to　clear　my　desk　every　day；　before　leaving　my　office；　of　all　correspondence　and　memoranda；　so　that　on　the　morrow　I　can　begin　a　NEW　day　of　work。　I　make　it　a　rule　never　to　let　my　work　drive　me；　but　to　so　master　it；　and　keep　it　in　such　complete　control；　and　to　keep　so　far　ahead　of　it；　that　I　will　be　the　master　instead　of　the　servant。　There　is　a　physical　and　mental　and　spiritual　enjoyment　that　comes　from　a　consciousness　of　being　the　absolute　master　of　one's　work；　in　all　its　details；　that　is　very　satisfactory　and　inspiring。　My　experience　teachers　me　that；　if　one　learns　to　follow　this　plan；　he　gets　a　freshness　of　body　and　vigour　of　mind　out　of　work　that　goes　a　long　way　toward　keeping　him　strong　and　healthy。　I　believe　that　when　one　can　grow　to　the　point　where　he　loves　his　work；　this　gives　him　a　kind　of　strength　that　is　most　valuable。

When　I　begin　my　work　in　the　morning；　I　expect　to　have　a　successful　and　pleasant　day　of　it；　but　at　the　same　time　I　prepare　myself　for　unpleasant　and　unexpected　hard　places。　I　prepared　myself　to　hear　that　one　of　our　school　buildings　is　on　fire；　or　has　burned；　or　that　some　disagreeable　accident　has　occurred；　or　that　some　one　has　abused　me　in　a　public　address　or　printed　article；　for　something　that　I　have　done　or　omitted　to　do；　or　for　something　that　he　had　heard　that　I　had　saidprobably　something　that　I　had　never　thought　of　saying。

In　nineteen　years　of　continuous　work　I　have　taken　but　one　vacation。　That　was　two　years　ago；　when　some　of　my　friends　put　the　money　into　my　hands　and　forced　Mrs。　Washington　and　myself　to　spend　three　months　in　Europe。　I　have　said　that　I　believe　it　is　the　duty　of　every　one　to　keep　his　body　in　good　condition。　I　try　to　look　after　the　little　ills；　with　the　idea　that　if　I　take　care　of　the　little　ills　the　big　ones　will　not　come。　When　I　find　myself　unable　to　sleep　well；　I　know　that　something　is　wrong。　If　I　find　any　part　of　my　system　the　least　weak；　and　not　performing　its　duty；　I　consult　a　good　physician。　The　ability　to　sleep　well；　at　any　time　and　in　any　place；　I　find　of　great　advantage。　I　have　so　trained　myself　that　I　can　lie　down　for　a　nap　of　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes；　and　get　up　refreshed　in　body　and　mind。

I　have　said　that　I　make　it　a　rule　to　finish　up　each　day's　work　before　leaving　it。　There　is；　perhaps；　one　exception　to　this。　When　I　have　an　unusually　difficult　question　to　decideone　that　appeals　strongly　to　the　emotionsI　find　it　a　safe　rule　to　sleep　over　it　for　a　night；　or　to　wait　until　I　have　had　an　opportunity　to　talk　it　over　with　my　wife　and　friends。

As　to　my　reading；　the　most　time　I　get　for　solid　reading　is　when　I　am　on　the　cars。　Newspapers　are　to　me　a　constant　source　of　delight　and　recreation。　The　only　trouble　is　that　I　read　too　many　of　them。　Fiction　I　care　little　for。　Frequently　I　have　to　almost　force　myself　to　read　a　novel　that　is　on　every　one's　lips。　The　kind　of　reading　that　I　have　the　greatest　fondness　for　is　biography。　I　like　to　be　sure　that　I　am　reading　about　a　real　man　or　a　real　thing。　I　think　I　do　not　go　too　far　when　I　say　that　I　have　read　nearly　every　book　and　magazine　article　that　has　been　written　about　Abraham　Lincoln。　In　literature　he　is　my　patron　saint。

Out　of　the　twelve　months　in　a　year　I　suppose　that；　on　an　average；　I　spend　six　months　away　from　Tuskegee。　While　my　being　absent　from　the　school　so　much　unquestionably　has　its　disadvantages；　yet　there　are　at　the　same　time　some　compensations。　The　change　of　work　brings　a　certain　kind　of　rest。　I　enjoy　a　ride　of　a　long　distance　on　the　cars；　when　I　am　permitted　to　ride　where　I　can　be　comfortable。　I　get　rest　on　the　cars；　except　when　the　inevitable　individual　who　seems　to　be　on　every　train　approaches　me　with　the　now　familiar　phrase：　〃Isn't　this　B