The number of negro college graduates, with their date of graduation, was ascertained to be as follows:

NEGRO GRADUATES FROM WHITE COLLEGES.

In corresponding with white colleges, for the purpose of procuring information bearing upon the subject of the inquiry, most of the colleges addressed confined themselves to furnishing a simple list of graduates; some, however, added information as to the standing and character of their negro students, information which is considered all the more valuable from its having been unsolicited; others made some statement of the conditions regarding the admission of negro students. The following extracts will serve to show the trend of these observations:

From the University of Kansas we learn (January, 1900): "I am pleased to state that this year we have twice as many colored students in attendance at the university as ever before; in all, 28. The rule is that no student shall be allowed to take more than three studies. If he fails in one of the three, it is a single failure;' in two of the three, a double failure.' The latter severs the student's connection with the university. There are 1,090 students in attendance at the present time. The semiannual examination was held last week, and as a result there are 200 single failures' and 80 double failures.' The gratifying part of it is that not one of the 28 colored students is in either number."

From Bates College, Scranton, Me., President Chase writes (February, 1900): "We have had about a dozen colored people who have taken the full course for the degree of A. B. at Bates College, one of them a young woman. They have all of them been students of good character and worthy purpose.' One was a "remarkably fine scholar, excelling in mathematics and philosophy;" he was "one of the editors of the Bates Student while in college. Another was "an honest, industrious man of good ability, but of slight intellectual ambition.” third was a good scholar, especially in mathematics." A fourth graduated “with excellent standing. He was a good all-around scholar, but excellent in the classics." A fifth "acquired knowledge with difficulty." A sixth did work "of a very high order," etc.

A

The secretary of Oberlin writes (February, 1900) in sending his list: "It is a list containing men and women of whom we are proud."

Colgate University, New York writes of a graduate of 1874 as "a very brilliant student,' "who was graduated second best in his class. It was believed by many that he was actually the leader.]

A graduate of Colby College, Maine, is said by the librarian to have been "universally respected as a student, being chosen class orator."

Wittenberg College, Ohio, has two colored graduates. "They were both bright girls and stood well up in their respective classes."

A negro graduate of Washburn College, Kansas, is said by the chairman of the faculty to be one of the graduates of the college in whom we take pride.'

The dean of the faculty of Knox College, Illinois, writes of two negro students, Senator Bruce, of Mississippi, and another, who graduated and was remembered because of his distinguished scholarship."

A black student of Adrian College, Michigan, ticians I ever had in class," writes a professor.

66

I was one of the best mathema

Adelbert College, of the Western Reserve University, Ohio, has a negro graduate as acting librarian, who is characterized as "one of the most able men we know;" while of another it is said, we expect the best."

Lombard University, Illinois, has "heard favorable reports" of its single negro graduate.

The dean of the State University of Iowa writes (December, 1899) of a graduate of 1898: "He distinguished himself for good scholarship, and on that ground was admitted to membership in the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He is a man of most excellent character and good sense, and I expect for him a very honorable future. He won the respect of all his classmates and of the faculty. As president of the Phi Beta Kappa Society I received him into membership with very great pleasure as in every way worthy of this honor. We have three colored people in the university at present; two in the collegiate department and one in law. You are aware that we have but a small colored population in Iowa. In all cases colored young men in the university receive the very best treatment from instructors and students.

* * *

66

Boston University writes of one graduate as a fine fellow." He is now doing post-graduate work at Yale, and the agent of the Capon Springs Negro Conference writes (November, 1900) that "I continually hear him mentioned in a complimentary way. On the other hand, two negro boys were in the freshman class not long ago and were both conspicuously poor scholars."

Otterbein University, Ohio, has a graduate who was a most faithful and capable student."

The dean of Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, writes (December, 1899) of their graduates: "The last two or three are hardly established in business yet, but the others are doing remarkably well. These men have been in each case fully equal to, if not above, the average of their class. We have been very much pleased with the work of the colored men who have come to us. They have been a credit to themselves and their race while here and to the college since graduation. I wish we had more such.”

The president of Tabor College, Ohio, says of two colored graduates: "They are brainy fellows who have done very much good in the world."

A graduate of Southwest Kansas College was one of the truest, most faithful and hard-working students that we ever had."

One of the most prominent Methodist ministers in Philadelphia said to the president of Allegheny College, Pennsylvania, speaking of a colored graduate: "Any college may be proud to have graduated a man like him."

The University of Idaho graduated in 1898 a young colored woman of “exceptional ability."

Westminster College, Pennsylvania, has graduated two negroes. "Both were excellent students and ranked high in the estimation of all who knew them."

Of a graduate of Hamilton College, New York, the secretary says: "He was one of the finest young men we have ever had in our institution. He was an earnest and consistent Christian, and had great influence for good with his fellow students. No one ever showed him the slightest discourtesy. On leaving college, he spent three years in Auburn Theological Seminary; was licensed to preach by one of our Northern Presbyteries, and then went to Virginia, near Norfolk, where he built a church and gave promise of great usefulness, when, about two years ago, he suddenly sickened and died.

*

*

At the larger colleges the record of negro students has, on the whole, been good. At Harvard several have held scholarships, and one a fellowship; there has been 1 Phi Beta Kappa man, 1 class orator, 2 commencement speakers, 3 masters of art and 1 doctor in philosophy. In scholarship the 11 graduates have stood: 4 good, 3 fair, 2 ordinary, and 2 poor.

At Brown one of the most brilliant students of recent years was a negro; he was among the junior eight elected to the Phi Beta Kappa.

At Amherst the record of colored men has been very good, both in scholarship and athletics. A colored man captained the Amherst football team one year and he is now one of the chief Harvard football coaches.

At Yale and Cornell colored men have held scholarships, and some have made good records.

Among the women's colleges the color prejudice is much stronger and more unyielding. The secretary of Vassar writes (December, 1900): "We have never had but one colored girl among our students, and as no one knew during her course that she was a negro, there was never any discussion of the matter. This young woman graduated from the college, and although it is now well known that she is a negro, the feeling of respect and affection that she won during her ED 1902- -13

college course has not been changed on the part of those who knew her here. There is no rule of the college that would forbid our admitting a colored girl, but the conditions of life here are such that we should hesitate for the sake of the candidate to admit her, and in fact should strongly advise her for her own sake not to come."

Barnard College, New York, the new woman's adjunct of Columbia, says (December, 1900): "No one of negro descent has ever received our degree, and I can not say whether such a person would be admitted to Barnard, as the question has never been raised; but there is nothing in our regulations that excludes anyone of any nationality or race."

Wells College and Elmira College, New York, both agree in saying that they never have had negro students and "do not know what would be the policy of the board of trustees if such a person should make application for admission.

A prominent Southern institution, the Randolph-Macon Woman's College, of Lynchburg, Va., writes frankly: "We entirely favor the education of negroes to any degree they may wish, but are not prepared to enter upon the work ourselves. We believe that in all boarding schools and colleges the races must, for the good of both, be educated separately."

In the West the sentiment is more favorable. The president of Rockford College, Ill., writes: "I think that no one of negro descent has ever received the bachelor's degree from this college. In 1889-90 such a lady came here from St. Louis. This one was here only about two years, I believe. She afterwards married. Persons of negro descent, if able to meet our requirements, would be received here. So far as I know, however, this is the only such student that we have had; but before she left us, she had made herself very popular with her fellow students."

The trustees of Mills College for women, in Alameda County, Cal., “decided some years ago that it was not best for us to receive such students."

66

In New England there is usually no barrier, although Mount Holyoke puts the statement negatively: We do not refuse admission to colored persons, but we seldom have application for this class of candidates."

*

*

*

They have one negro graduate from Smith College, we learn: "Our first colored student graduated last year with the degree of A. B. We also have two students of negro descent in our present senior class. No person is refused admission to Smith on account of color, provided she is able to meet our requirements for entrance. Miss was an excellent student, and very popular." Wellesley had quite a number of colored students, of whom two graduated. "Both these young women had more than average ability, and one did brilliant work."

Radcliffe College, the Harvard "annex," has two colored graduates, who are well spoken of.

In all Northern institutions there have appeared, from time to time, black students as well as white who lacked ability to do the required work. The negroes of this sort are of course always conspicuous. It is naturally much easier to convince an average American group of a negro's inferior attainments than of any unusual ability in any line. So that one such student has often done more by his failure to form public opinion than several others by their success. Then, too, there has been, in some instances, a tendency to coddle black students simply because they were black; in some cases scholarships have been granted them, and pass marks given which in strict competition they did not earn. Of course these cases are more than balanced by the opposite kind, where the prejudice and unconscious bias of students and instructors have made life so intolerable for some lonely black student that he has given up in despair, or done far poorer work than he might have done. In the older institutions all these phases are now passing away, and the black student is beginning to be received simply as a student, without assumptions as to his ability or deserts until he has given evidence in his work and character.

Besides the negroes who have graduated from these collegos, there has been a large number who have pursued a partial course, but taken no degree. They have dropped out for lack of funds, poor scholarship, and various reasons. Then, too, many institutions having no graduates have promising candidates at present. The registrar of the University of Illinois informs us that so far no negro has ever been graduated from the University of Illinois. One member of our present senior class is a negro, and he will doubtless be graduated next June. He is a good scholar, and is very much respected in the University. He is this year the editor of the student's paper."

Wabash College, Indiana, "has had frequently colored students enrolled in her classes, but none have completed their course. We have at present two colored students in attendance at college."

Dickinson College, Pennsylvania, "has never conferred a degree upon a negro. We have two at present time in attendance at the College: One, Miss member of the freshman class, and the other, Mr.

. a

a member of the junior class, and one of the brightest scholars and most highly esteemed gentlemen in attendance at our institution."

The universities of Wyoming, Montana, and California, have all had, at one time or another, colored students.

Syracuse University has three negro students now, "especially bright and promising."

The University of Vermont dropped two colored members of the class of 1897 "on account of inability to do the work."

Wheaton College, Illinois, has "had many colored students, and some good ones, but none of them has gained the degree of A. B."

Among the colleges who have never had any negro students it is not easy to learn how many would actually refuse such students. Most of the replies are noncommittal on this point, as in the case of John Hopkins. "No colored man has ever been a candidate for a degree here."

So, too, from Bryn Mawr they write:

President Thomas desires me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, and to say that no person of negro descent has ever applied for admission to Bryn Mawr College, probably because the standard of the entrance examinations is very high and no students are admitted on certificate."

The attitude of Princeton is thus defined (December, 1900): "The question of the admission of negro students to Princeton University has never assumed the aspect of a practical problem with us. We have never had any colored students here, though there is nothing in the university statutes to prevent their admission. It is possible, however, in view of our proximity to the South and the large number of Southern students here, that negro students would find Princeton less comfortable than some other institutions; but I may be wrong in this, as the trial has never been made. There is, as I say, nothing in the laws of the college to prevent their admission.”

In other places, usually smaller Western schools, the attitude is quite cordial. "I am sorry to say that we have no negro graduates as yet," writes Carleton College, Minnesota. Whitman College, Washington, says: We should be glad to receive any negroes if they were to apply, but there are few in this section of the country." The University of Oregon says the same thing.

To sum up, then: Negroes have graduated from Northern institutions. In most of the larger universities they are welcome and have, on the whole, made good records. In nearly all the Western colleges they are admitted freely, and have done well in some cases and poorly in others. In one or two larger institutions, and in many of the large women's colleges, negroes, while not exactly refused admission, are strongly advised not to apply. The summer schools at Harvard, Clark, and the University of Chicago, have several negro students.

BIRTHPLACE OF COLLEGE-BRED NEGROES.

The birthplace of 646 college-bred negroes is given as follows:

The most interesting question connected with birthplace is that of the migration of colored graduates—that is, where these men finally settle and work. If we arrange these 600 graduates according to sections where they were born and where they now live, we have this table:

This means that of 254 college-bred negroes born in the border States (i. e., Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Missouri, and the District of Columbia), 148 or 58 per cent stayed and worked there; 39 or 15 per cent went farther South; 26 or 10 per cent went Southwest; 12 or 5 per cent went to the middle West, etc. Or again:

Of 73 college graduates born North, 35 stayed there and 38 went South. Of 507 college graduates born South, 443 stayed there and 62 went North. These statistics cover only about one-fourth of the total number of graduates, but they represent pretty accurately the general tendencies so far as our observation has gone. It is therefore probably quite within the truth to say that 50 per cent of Northern-born college men come South to work among the masses of their people at a personal sacrifice and bitter cost which few people realize; that nearly 90 per cent of the Southern-born graduates, instead of seeking that personal freedom and broader intellectual atmosphere which their training has led them in some degree to conceive, stay and labor and wait in the midst of their black neighbors and relatives.

WOMEN GRADUATES.

The number of negro women graduates, not including the graduates of 1899, is as follows: