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Rugby, Ruth

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Howard UniversityDigital Howard @ Howard UniversityBooker T. Washington Collection – Manuscripts Booker T. Washington Collection1-1-1910A Ride With Booker T. WashingtonRuth RugbyFollow this and additional works at: http://dh.howard.edu/booker_manuPart of the Arts and Humanities CommonsThis Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Booker T. Washington Collection at Digital Howard @ Howard University. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Booker T. Washington Collection – Manuscripts by an authorized administrator of Digital Howard @ Howard University. Formore information, please contact lopez.matthews@howard.edu.Recommended CitationRugby, Ruth, "A Ride With Booker T. Washington" (1910). Booker T. Washington Collection – Manuscripts. Book 1.http://dh.howard.edu/booker_manu/11500 WordsMrs•E.A•Baldridge,Cliveden Ave»r Germant own, Phila.Pa.A RIDE WITH BOOKER T. WASHINGTON by Ruth Rugby:*r *A few years ago I had the pleasure of riding with Booker T.Washington, the great Negro educator, on a visit to his old homo in© Moorland-Spingarn Research CenterWest Virginia. He pointed out landmarks and spots of interest around which clustered many stirring and tender memories.Following the county road called Piedmont, and skirting the Kanawha River —  a combination of mountain and river scenery than whichthere is none more beautiful —  our first halt was made at a place© Moorland-Spingarn Research Center called before the War the "Licks," where it is said in pioneer daysherds of deer used to gather to lick the salt water that found its wayto the surface. Since then the name has been changed to the hithersounding one of Kanawha Salines."I too,” said Kr.Washington, "love to come hack occasionallyfor a lick of the salt and the pungent air I used to breathe as a boy."After a close scrutiny of the surrounding country he pointedout the spot upon which stood his mother’s cabin, the first home of© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centerwhich he had any decided impressions. Ho vestige of it remained and the cornfield was photographed with lir.’Washington looking upon the site of his boyhood heme.We drove along, now by river, now by mountain, passing the ruins of many salt furnaces, of which nothing was loft but huge logs and half tumbling stone chimneys to mark the spot where once all was activity. The coal industry had completely superceded that of saltRid© - 2making and only on© salt furnace was still In operation*When Booker Washington made salt and dug coal, there musthave occurred to him often while handling the whitest and blackest of© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centerminerals, the comparison of the white man and the black - the difference in their conditions and what constituted it. Perhaps he roasted that if he could not make black white, or white black, he could so improve the black as to make things more equal. While he worked the black dia­monds and shoveled the glistening salt crystals he was unconsciously shaping his own destiny. The diamond in the rough was to become the polished stone, and he himself the salt of the earth.In those days, to his young country-bred eyes looking uponmountain and river, came visions of what might lie beyond their bounds-© M oorland-Spingarn Research Cenlries* ’Often,” said he, ”l wondered what was upon the other side of the mountains.” The thought, the wish to know, nerved him to go forth. Cannot you picture this small sober lad, some years after the Civil War, standing upon the banks of the Great Kanawha in West Virginia —  "Great" as distinguished from the ”Little” Kanawha —  casting pebbles onto the clear surface, watching the ripples in ever widening circles -typical of his own life? Dropped like a pebble into the valley of the© Moorland-Spingarn Research CenterKanawha, the circle of his life widened and widened until finally its radius touched a foreign shore.Looking toward the house and thinking of the influence of its sweet mistress and the wholesome atmosphere that must have pervaded the place, I asked Ilr.Washington whether he thought heredity or environ­ment had the greater influence upon the character. After a sli$it de­liberation he answered: ”1 think environment•” ^As we drove through the sleepy village of Malden (bad den) where it is said the boys can throw a brick around a corner and hitRide - 3the object aimed at, enjoying the reputation of being veritable "Davids” in slinging stones - the old question presented itself: "Can any good come out of Nazareth?" It was answered in the affirmative by the sight of the earnest man sitting opposite.Driving homeward, someone told the story of the burial away back in the hills of an old colored woman named Aunt Peggy Rushlribow. While the preacher was pronouncing the last words of the service, he heard several dull thuds on the ground. With the "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust" still on his lips, he looked around to see two sisters lay out a large snake that had crawled up to get a chance at another poor woman, but whose heel had verified the prophecy and bruised theserpent *s head. At the end of the story, Mr.Washington characteristi-© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centercally asked in his boyish way, "What Is that the sign of?" No one seemed to know, and naturally the conversation turned to signs and superstitions, Mr.Washington remarking that he had always avoided Fri­day. As many of his white brethren do the same he was not alone in this.Stopping to water the horses another suggestive proceeding was Indulged, that of eating watermelon in the good old-fashioned way of fitting the slices to the curves of the mouth. Hie remainder of the feast was distributed among some hungry looking pickaninnies whosebig eyes pleaded for "only de rlne", but from the attack made by the© M oorland-Spingarn Research Centertravelers things looked for awhile as If there ’Wan’t gwlne to bo no rine."Speaking of his trip abroad, Mr.Washington said that the thing that most Interested him in France was the people. He |over tired watching them. While in Paris he attended the Grand Pre and witnessed his first horse race. In England he was most impressed with the farm where women are taught agriculture. When graduated they take charge of large estates and manage them.Ride - 4Booker Washington was very fond of patriotic songs, and hiseye kindled as he described the singing of the Marsellaise by the© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centerpeople of Prance, He was visibly affected by the singing of the StateSong of West Virginia:"is it any wonder then That my heart with rapture thrills As I stand once more with loved ones On the West Virginia hills.Chorus*Oh, the hills, the beautiful hills,How I love the West Virginia hills."Continuing the journey we passed many old homesteads fast falling to decay. Said Mr.Y/ashington: "How small everything looks to me now; places that used to seem so big, mountains so high, rivers so deep and wide have all dwindled."As man grows in mental stature and takes on more of the© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centedivine nature, is it not given him to see with truer eyes the realproportion of things, and their relative values as well?The conversation growing rather serious, a turn was riven it and a laugh enjoyed at the expense of Mr.Washington, who noticed a sow with a litter of pigs feeding beside the road and remarked: "The pig is my favorite animal." He added, with a laugh as he saw the ludicrousside of it: "Hot a very high order of life, but nevertheless I raise© Moorland-Spingarn Research Center pigs at Tuskegee and my wife raises ducks."Thus, I reflected, hogs take to mud and ducks to water; mud and water have an affinity, therefore, Mr. and Mrs. dashing to j^have something in common, even in the selection of their pets. By what pro­cess evolution might be brought about for the hog I could not see, but no doubt Mr.Washington, by some intricate reasoning, settled the matterRide - 5to his own satisfaction and saw a future even for this wallower inthe mire* Or perhaps he took a purely material view as his mind re-■“) MoorTano-Spirigarn Research Centerverted to the days when "Mammy” gave him "cracklin’ bread" made from crisp pieces of fat left at the lard rendering*The next stop was made at the old home of Genernl<#Lewis Ruffner, where Booker Washington worked as a house servant* Many changes had taken place, but Mr*Washington stood for his picture under an old locust tree where often his boyish feet had rested, and for another at the spot where an old cider mill used to stand* "Such apples," said —he, "as used to grow in the orchard I shall never taste again.” The© Moorland-Spingam Research Centerold vineyard was gone, but on a sunny side of the hill was a part of the peach orchard where the "commeal” peaches grew*In the end, as in the beginning, the impression one always got of the "Sage of Tuslcegee" was his earnestness and simplicity, so marked in manner, speech and dress. About him was none of the smart Alecism that characterizes the average educated Negro* He was a man with a purpose, and that outlined in his face* Facts were the things upon which he built* No visionary skeleton work for him* His people can never accuse him of forcing them to make bricks without straw, for at Tuslcegee they grew the straw first*This century is seeing wonderful things* From despised, dewn-© Moorland-Spingam Research Center ' 'trodden races have arisen some of the greatest reformers* /ho mayquestion that this savior of his race was called to the work he has done; that of promoting the Universal Brotherhood which today is quick­ening the pulse of the world, making more hearts to beat in unison, more heads to think alike, and more hands to clasp in the cordon cause of humanity.THE END600 WordsMrs.E.A.Baldrige,Cliveden Ave.. / Germantown,BOYHOOD OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON by Ruth RugbyIn the closing years of slavery a little brown-skinned babe© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centeropened his eyes to the light ’mid the green fields of Virginia, un­conscious alike of his color or of the yoke which rested upon him, but destined to be an instrument in the removal of the scars of that yoke from the shoulders of his people.During the early days after the Civil War many negro emigrants crossed the Allegheny Mountains and sought homes in the valley of the Kanawha, famous at that day for its salt industry. Among them was themother of Booker Taliaferro Washington. He was then but a child with© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centeronly a vague understanding of the stirring times in which he lived.His earliest recollection of his birthplace, Hales Ford in Franklin County, Virginia, was of tumbling around the hard ground floor of his mother’s cabin, of hearing the people talk in whispers of the war be­ing waged around them, of the colored folks being summoned one day to the big house where a strange man stood on the porch reading a paper,of all the negroes clapping their hands and shouting "Glory HalleluiahJ© Moorland-Spingarn Research CenterPraise de Lord!, of his asking his mother questions and being told that they were free.Then came the journey to West Virginia and the setting up of the first home under freedom’s flag. The first school Booker Washing­ton attended is standing today in the village of Malden, West Virginia, at that time the commercial center of the valley. It was used both asBoyhood - 2a church and school and has since been turned into a dwelling. Over the school presided a colored preacher by the name of Lewis Rice, for whom Booker Washington had a warm place in his heart for as long as he lived.As the years rolled on, young Washington, feeling more and© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centermore his limitations, was impelled to seek not only the betterment of his fortunes, but larger opportunities for education. With an indom­itable will and energy as his only capital he went to Hampton, Virginia, which was then the Mecca of the ambitious colored youth of the dis­mantled South. He arrived with only fifty cents in his pocket. How well that small amount was invested only those who have followed his career can know. It was at Hampton, most likely, that the thought first formed in his mind that was to crystalize into the magnificent monument to his zeal and industry that is known as Tuskegee, Alabama.Although Virginia was one of the great slave states, it is© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centeronly fair to say that when she was dispossessed of her human real es­tate, within her boundaries was established one of the first schools for their training, an impetus already having been given agricultural and other industries by her well conducted plantations.To many a southern slave-holder may be attributed the arousing of the spifcit of progress in the hearts and heads of the slaves. The North gave the negro his freedom, but to the South he owes a debt of l^^ti^dp, t^t tJarqvigt* all the years has been accruing interest. No man so much as Booker Washington has done anything toward reducing the principal. Truly the bread cast for him upon the water is returning after many days. He left the Kanawha Valley a young inexperienced lad with a homemade cap upon his head. He returned crowned with the leaves of his own mountain laurel, the acknowledged leader of his race, with the eyes of the world upon him.THE ENDMrs .E.f .Baldridge,1:11 Vryr H11 yfld fm  ■ ve  ..Germantown, Fhila.Pa 450 wordsTHE WOMAN WHO TRAINED BOOKER WASHINGTON by Ruth RugbyViola Knapp was a Vermont woman who went South to toach Inthe early Fifties. It was while engaged In this capacity in Louisville,• r © Moorland-Spingarn Researc h CenterKentucky, that she b e c a m e  acquainted with General Lewis Ruffner, pioneer- slave-owner In Virginia. She was employed as governess In the Ruffner home and afterward became the second wife of the General, wielding a power for good which was nowhere more telling In Its effect than among the negroes who yet remained about the plantation*Young Booker "fashing to nn as he had named himself, was givena place as house servant and was thus brought directly under the eye© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centerof tire mistress. He was an apt pupil, but the lessons taught him were not all between the covers of a book. He learned to sweep and dust a room, and, as he relates In his book, wUp From Slavery," this was one of the tests for neatness when he applied for entrance to Hampton In­stitute at Hampton, Virginia*Viola Knapp, by long residence in the oouth, had added to her practical Northern judgement the best qualities of the Southern woman and was as fine a specimen of womanhood as may be met within a century.During her life, Booker Washing-on never failed to visit her, and when© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centeropportunity offered never tired of praising her, speaking reverently of her many virtues, both In his public and private utterances.To Viola Knapp Ruffner, he attributed much of his success. It was she who first awakened within him a thirst for knowledge, inspiring and encouraging his ambitions, teaching lessons of order, neatness andTrained - 2high endeavor, by word, precept and example* Par reaching has been© Moorland-Spingarn Research Centerthe influence of the noble Vermont woman who lived to see the resultsof her labor* Some people still remember when she came as Viola Knapp,in the flush of womanhood, to be governess in the RuffneiChome, andafterwards its Northern mistress*One can imagine what it meant to this Yankee girl to go intothe heart of a slave state whose people and customs were so at variancewith her own* She was an exotic, a Christinas rose, transplanted fromthe cold, puritanical atmosphere of New England to the warm, enervating© Moorland-Spingarn Research Center air of the South, yet instead of languishing she at once adapted her­self to the place and its people. Of strong constitution, fine character and striking personality, she gave forth a power which imparted its momentum to even the poor negroes who yet remained upon her husband*s estate•Booker Washington was the ready medium for the transmission of much of the force which expended itself for Hie betteimient not only of his own people, but the world*THE EH)V

A Ride With Booker T. Washington

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A Ride With Booker T. Washington

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