but it must be the classes that move them if progress upward
is to be the order. We must build up an honest, thrifty yeomanry, but we
must multiply rapidly our educated men to lead and work and influence in
these various fields.

The fact that the Negro scholar is needed for this work shows the
demand. We have not enough of them to-day. If Dr. Angell of Michigan
University does not consider, when speaking of the Anglo-Saxon, that one
college bred person in a thousand in his state "is unwise or
inexpedient," why should friend or foe of the Negro consider less than
3000 college bred men and women out of an entire population of nearly
10,000,000, "unwise or inexpedient?" It would be laughable if it were
not so pitiful to think of the hue and cry about too much learning for
the Negro. The trouble with the race is not too much learning but not
enough. A little learning is surely a dangerous thing. Short cuts are
too many and do not really educate. They utterly fail to give drill and
discipline absolutely necessary to that culture, which comes only after
hard labor of years. All honor to Dr. Curry when he so bravely declared
that the talk of the hopelessness of education or of too much education,
or of the inappropriateness of academic education is vain, adding
emphatically, "The Negro wants all he can get, and all he gets he
profits by."

No; the race is in no danger of going "college mad." Although the early
schools for it were generally established upon the broad university
plan, yet their work has been largely basic; and they have done far more
in laying foundations than in producing a surplus of graduates from
higher courses. It is an absurdity to claim there can be too many of the
race with learning enough and discipline enough to make themselves
useful leaders.

There is room for all kinds of work. There is need of the practical, the
industrial, and it is honorable to work with the hands. It will help in
weeding out idleness. But at the same time it is easy to ignore and
crush higher aspirations. The quiet shaft of ridicule oft-times does
more than argument, and many things that are very desirable and
necessary are often overshadowed by the skilful juxtaposition that
shifts them where they are but dimly seen, while other things stand
forth in a strong light and are thus looked upon as all important. So
the merry quip and jest at the Latin and Greek studied by the Negro
bring far more than a passing laugh--they _real