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Wm. Goodell Frost
•
Lincoln Institute. Lincoln. Ky.
WilliaIIl Goodell Frost, Ph.D., President
L INCOL INSTITUTE received its name on the 1st of
February, 1909. Berea College was forced to build this
school because of the state law prohibiting the education
of egroes and white in the ame school. Berea Colleg wa
originally for white students, but after the Civil War it admitted
Negro students also.
Lincoln Institute will be religious
but non-sectarian; industrial and normal,
of the Hampton-Tuskegee type,
but providing scholarships for some
selected students at other institutions
for higher education. It is to be located
on some large land domain not
close to any town, but with good railroad
facilities, so as to be acce sible.
The institute is to be managed in its
inception by Berea College, but it will
have its own board of trustees as soon
a. po sible. Pending the completion
of the" Adjustment Fund," Berea has been sen~ing former
colored tudents, at her expense, to Fisk University and other
schools. While beginning with industrial education, Lincoln
Institute does not propose to top there. Its training of
teachers will be the great feature from the start, and other
things will be added as means and needs appear.
Address at the Clifton Conference.
August 19. 1908
President WilliaIIl Goodell Frost
I FEEL that we are hearing very important testimony, nothing
new, but emphasizing the old, and it give me greater confidence.
It gives me confidence that a great gujding spirit ha
been leading us.
I am a believer in the colored race. Berea College wa
founded before the Civil War for white people, but it original
purpose has rather been lost. J. Cameron was on the board in
South Carolina. He lived in the first building at one time. He
had to leave, and the hou e wa made into a slave school. A
341
great many of the lave holders sent their children to this school
and after th war they admitted colored students, as orthern
chool would do.
The mountain whites were tlio e who owned land, but not
laves. There are about 12,000 Jegroes in Kentucky, but
Berea wa the fir t organized school that admitted colored student.
And by and by the student became teachers. I was
a ked once if I thought it wa worth while. Worth while! I
could give you example after example of people who have been
saved to themselves and the community through this training.
The demand for colored teacher has been immense. We
have not yet begun to fill it. Four years ago a law that was
passed in Texas was pas ed in Kentucky, and while we have had
our real difficulties, we have found that it wa best to defer to
public sentiment by establi hing a new work for colored pupils.
We have set apart portions of land for colored people. 'Ve are
ending graduate from our school to Knox Dwver ity, and they
have been a help wherever they go. Kentucky is a hard state
to work in. Thi matter of e tabli hing new schools and maintaining
them is an immense re ponsibility, and I want to ask
your prayers that we may do the wise and right thing.
We have now 340,000 pledged towards new buildings, and
with $60,000 more pledged, we shall begin an active work. We
shall try to get nearer the center of the state. We want to
procure ten thousand acre , but it will take time.
Tills matter of Bible institutes ha been a very vilal one. We
have had something of the kind, .but it i rather hard. We have
eleven distinct denominations on our board of trustee and teaching
force. We have no bishop nor any council to look after,
and the Bible i the great thing..Sunday morning, our students
attend church round about, as they wi h to do. Sunday-school
follows, and we try to make it interesting and in tructive. We
have a regular instructor, and he i commi sioned to teach the
Engli h Bible and to do 0 that alI may become pupils who will.
We have the International Lessons and like them. We have
a Bible clas besides, and oon we shall have a course of tudy
that we have laid out, taking Hebrews and the life of Jesus and
Paul, and perhaps the Epi ties. Many have ignified their intention
to take up this cour e. Many of our tudent after leaving
teach in the public chools. Berea studenl~ carryon much
important religiou work.
We have felt the need of uch a work as you speak of. I hope
if you inaugurate it that one of them will come to Berea and
