this. I enclose herewith a blank for that purpose. Visits to
the school should also be made from time to time. You should
begin to prepare now to be here during the coming
commencement exercises in May in order that you may see what
is being done at the institution and to meet your former
classmates. Already the officers of the General Alumni
Association have begun preparations for your welcome.

I urge upon you the importance of keeping up the habit of
study and of reading good books and papers. The accompanying
circular on "How to Buy Books" gives valuable suggestions
about how to secure the best books cheaply. I take this
occasion to inform you that already we are making
preparations for our 1913 Summer School. It is hoped that
every graduate who is teaching will attend this or some
other good summer school.

I trust that wherever you are located you will do all that
you can for community uplift. Be active in church and
Sunday-school work, help to improve the public schools,
assist in bettering health conditions, help the people to
secure property, to buy homes and to improve them. In doing
all these things, you will be carrying out the Tuskegee
idea.

Very truly yours,

[Signed] BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, Principal.

The questions were slightly varied from year to year. The following
were those sent out with the 1915 letter--the last to bear the
signature of the Institute's founder.

Please favor me by answering these questions and returning
the blank as soon as you receive it.

1. Your full name when at Tuskegee?

2. What year were you graduated from Tuskegee?

3. Your present home address?

4. If you are not at home, your temporary address for the
winter of 1915-1916?

5. If you have married, your wife's name before marriage?
Was she ever a student at Tuskegee?
Is she living?

6. Your present occupation? If in educational work, give
your position in the school.

7. How long have you followed it?

8. What are your average wages or earnings per day, week, or
month?

9. What other occupation have you?

10. Average wages per day, week, or month at this
occupation?

11. Kind and amount of property owned?

12. Tell us something of the work you are doing this year.