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40  THE CRISIS

in the dust and dirt.  Dr. Hamilton was a man of infinitely kind heart, and taking pity on the slave, bought him for $100.00.  When they made out the bill of sale, Dr. Hamilton asked what the name of the boy was, and the slave trader, not knowing, stuttered out a word they took for George.  The boy's eyes were sore, and the hard traveling had made him stiff and sore.  Dr. Hamilton took him on his horse and before they reached the Doctor's plantation, the eyes were cured and the boy was himself again, as a result of the Doctor's attention to him.  Later the boy told the Doctor that his name was George Washingon.  The Doctor asked him why he selected that name, and he replied that he selected it because George Washington was a good man.

" Dr. Silas Hamilton decided to come north, about ten years later.  When he reached the first free soil, probably at Indiana, he gave all his slaves, 21 in number, their freedom, and went their bond.  George Washington, however, then a young man, pleaded with his master that he might keep him and let him serve him as long as he lived.  Dr. Hamilton consented and brought George with him to Otterville, Jersey County, Illinois, which was then the largest town in Jersey County.  Here George worked for his master without compensation, until Dr. Hamilton died, leaving George in his will $3,000.00. George Washington died when he was about 41 years old, and between the death of his master and his own death, he devoted himself to the care of his property.  He worked about upon different farms, and finally bought a farm of his own.  He was a deacon in the Methodist Church at Otterville, and was the only colored man that was ever a member or deacon of that church.  He was highly respected by the white people and the few blacks that lived in his community.  His word was said to be as good as his bond.  Many quaint stories are told of the predicaments and embarassing circumstances that he got into, but his common sense and loyalty always bore him out well.

" When George Washington died, he left a non-cupative will, and his estate was valued.  according to the records of the Probate Court of Jersey County, at about $15,000.00.  The trustee of the will, however, was careless, and appropriated the property to his own use.  My father taught school in Jersey County, and was principal of the public school at Otterville, and studied law at night, and was admitted to the bar; and he learned of this George Washington and the money he had left, and of the misappropriation of it.  His first suit at law was to recover this money, and devote it to the purpose for which it was intended.  After several years of litigation the fund was secured and after a monument costing $1,500.00 was erected in Otterville near the old free public school, to George Washington's dead master, Dr. Silas Hamilton, there remained about $7,300.00 in the trust fund.  That was approximately 30 years ago.  When my father died two years ago this fund had not only helped in the education of approximately 100 colored boys and girls, but had increased in value to about $23,000.00. My father left a request that $3,000.00 of his own estate should be paid to the George Washington Education Fund. The free public school above referred to is the first free school in Illinois admitting children regardless of color or previous condition of servitude, and was built by funds donated by Dr. Silas Hamilton.

"At present we are not sending any children to school because the George Washington Education Fund owns land in the Nutwood Drainage District, and the drainage assessment each year reduces the net income below $1,000.00.  By decree of the Court the fund must show an income of not less than $1,050.00 a year before the education of young men and women is permitted. This condition of affairs has been true for about three years, although we maintained the boys and girls in school that we had previously made provision for."

William Mason, a colored freshman in the arts college Ohio State University, has won a first prize in an oratorical contest.  He will now meet the champion orators from three other universities.

Miss Roberta B. James, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. James of Cleveland, O., was one of the six honor graduates of the Central High School.  She is seventeen years of age and one of the youngest members of the class of 79.  She was the faculty's

THE HORIZON   41

[[image]] MISS R. B. JAMES [[/image]] 

choice for commencement speaker together six class mates.

The Home Mission Society of the Northern Methodist Church has offered $275,000 for a school in New Orleans for Negroes to be controlled by the southern white Methodists.

MEETINGS.

The Georgia State Convention of Negro doctors will be held this month in Savannah.

The 36th annual session of the Southern Illinois Teachers' Association convened in Cairo.  Over a thousand teachers were present.

Among the speakers of the colored Alabama Teachers Association were Julius Rosenwald, William G. Wilcox, James H. Dillard, Mrs. Booker T. Washington and Dr. George Haynes.

The colored teachers of Oklahoma held their tenth annual session at Boley.  They passed resolutions condemning the present school law.

The Alabama Sociological Congress, a white organization with colored members, met in Birmingham.

The sixth Worth County, Ga., Negro fair has been held.

The Iowa federation of colored women's clubs holds its second annual session in Ottumwa this month.

The 6th annual meeting of the Middle Tennessee Colored Teachers' Association was held in Nashville in April.

CHURCHES
PAUL OBODOECIE EMECETE, a native of British Nigeria, has been admitted to the catholic priesthood at Lagos, West Africa.

The Rev. C. M. C. Mason, for thirty-five years rector of All Saints Episcopal Church, St. Louis, and the oldest priest in the diocese, is dead of pneumonia.  Bishop Donald S. Tuttle presiding bishop of the Episcopal church together with his Coadjutor, Dean and twenty-four local rectors officiated at his funeral.

Dr. C. A. Finley of East Cavalry Baptist Church, Philadelphia, had been tendered a reception on the fifteeth anniversary of his pastorate.  He was given a purse of $225.

The colored catholics have had a celebration in New Orleans and were addressed by Cardinal Gibbons.  

Colored Baptists of Texas will raise $86,000 this year for educational purposes.

A conference of the Colored M. E. Church attended by eight bishops and ten general officers was held at Houston, Texas.  

The thirty-fifth anniversary of the pastorate of the Rev. J. M. Armistead of Zion Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Va., has been celebrated by a series of meetings.  

St. James Presbyterian Church of New York City has become self-supporting and raised $1,500 at a recent rally.  The Rev. F. M. Hyder is the pastor.

Charles Street A. M. E. Church, Boston, has celebrated its fortieth anniversary.

POLITICS.

FOUR bills against the interest of colored Americans have already been introduced into the 65th congress: two by Representative Vinson to prohibit inter-marriage of races and to provide Jim-Crow street cars; one by Mr. Austin to provide a permanent colored military school; a fourth by Mr. Vinson to segregate colored clerks.

Two other bills have been introduced by Mr. Austin both of which are of possible benefit: One to construct a national home for aged and infirm colored people and the other to incorporate a Colored Association of Railway Employees.

It is said that migration will give 30,000 new colored voters to the state of Ohio this year.