that he stands for and have been fighting for, for thirty years, are
coming more and more to pass, and although it seems hard for the present
generation to accept them, they must be accepted if we would make the
world safe for Democracy. He is a true patriot, a true democrat, and a
zealous Christian gentleman. Mr. Simpson has a family of five children,
three sons and two daughters, all of whom possess his spirit to a large
degree.

I first met Rev. R. C. Bedford at Tuskegee while I was there in school.
I loved him from the first time I saw him and I feel that this was
because of his deep and sincere interest in our people. Until I met Mr.
Bedford, I had always distrusted the white man and thought it was
impossible for any white man to be free from race prejudice. After my
graduation at Tuskegee, as I said before, I returned to Snow Hill and
seeing that Mr. Bedford and Mr. Simpson had something in common,
arranged to have Mr. Bedford come to Snow Hill and meet Mr. Simpson.
Their meeting resembled that of Jonathan and David, and I believe their
friendship was equally great. It continued until Mr. Bedford's death.
Mr. Bedford was one man who understood what it was to build up an
institution from nothing. He knew the hardships one had to undergo to
meet bills when there was no money appropriated for these bills. He knew
what it was to make brick without straw. Ofttimes when the burden was
heavy and the yoke rough, it was the encouraging words from Mr. Bedford
that gave me strength and courage to continue. While his particular
mission was to look after the Tuskegee schools, he loved every good work
and would always lend a hand to a good cause. He was thoroughly imbued
with the Christ-spirit.

I cannot express in words the great debt of gratitude that I owe the
immortal Booker T. Washington, for I owe all to him. It was he who
changed my view of life. He changed me from the visionary to the
substantial, from the shadow to the substance, from the artificial to
the real, and from words to deeds. Dr. Washington became a trustee of
Snow Hill Institute from its beginning and remained as such until his
death. He made three visits to Snow Hill, the last being November 18th,
1914. Dr. Washington always did what he could to help us in our work. He
seemed to appreciate the efforts that we were putting forth to uplift
our people. He could sympathize with us; he could understand that an
institution that had no permanent support, but had