up from slavery-第43部分

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h　was　so　near　his　heart。　I　said　that　if　a　man　in　his　condition　was　willing　to　think；　work；　and　act；　I　should　not　be　wanting　in　furthering　in　every　possible　way　the　wish　of　his　heart。

The　death　of　General　Armstrong；　a　few　weeks　later；　gave　me　the　privilege　of　getting　acquainted　with　one　of　the　finest；　most　unselfish；　and　most　attractive　men　that　I　have　ever　come　in　contact　with。　I　refer　to　the　Rev。　Dr。　Hollis　B。　Frissell；　now　the　Principal　of　the　Hampton　Institute；　and　General　Armstrong's　successor。　Under　the　clear；　strong；　and　almost　perfect　leadership　of　Dr。　Frissell；　Hampton　has　had　a　career　of　prosperity　and　usefulness　that　is　all　that　the　General　could　have　wished　for。　It　seems　to　be　the　constant　effort　of　Dr。　Frissell　to　hide　his　own　great　personality　behind　that　of　General　Armstrongto　make　himself　of　〃no　reputation〃　for　the　sake　of　the　cause。

More　than　once　I　have　been　asked　what　was　the　greatest　surprise　that　ever　came　to　me。　I　have　little　hesitation　in　answering　that　question。　It　was　the　following　letter；　which　came　to　me　one　Sunday　morning　when　I　was　sitting　on　the　veranda　of　my　home　at　Tuskegee；　surrounded　by　my　wife　and　three　children：

Harvard　University；　Cambridge；　May　28；　1896。

President　Booker　T。　Washington；

My　Dear　Sir：　Harvard　University　desired　to　confer　on　you　at　the　approaching　Commencement　an　honorary　degree；　but　it　is　our　custom　to　confer　degrees　only　on　gentlemen　who　are　present。　Our　Commencement　occurs　this　year　on　June　24；　and　your　presence　would　be　desirable　from　about　noon　till　about　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　Would　it　be　possible　for　you　to　be　in　Cambridge　on　that　day？

Believe　me；　with　great　regard；

Very　truly　yours；

Charles　W。　Eliot。


This　was　a　recognition　that　had　never　in　the　slightest　manner　entered　into　my　mind；　and　it　was　hard　for　me　to　realize　that　I　was　to　be　honoured　by　a　degree　from　the　oldest　and　most　renowned　university　in　America。　As　I　sat　upon　my　veranda；　with　this　letter　in　my　hand；　tears　came　into　my　eyes。　My　whole　former　lifemy　life　as　a　slave　on　the　plantation；　my　work　in　the　coal…mine；　the　times　when　I　was　without　food　and　clothing；　when　I　made　my　bed　under　a　sidewalk；　my　struggles　for　an　education；　the　trying　days　I　had　had　at　Tuskegee；　days　when　I　did　not　know　where　to　turn　for　a　dollar　to　continue　the　work　there；　the　ostracism　and　sometimes　oppression　of　my　race；all　this　passed　before　me　and　nearly　overcame　me。

I　had　never　sought　or　cared　for　what　the　world　calls　fame。　I　have　always　looked　upon　fame　as　something　to　be　used　in　accomplishing　good。　I　have　often　said　to　my　friends　that　if　I　can　use　whatever　prominence　may　have　come　to　me　as　an　instrument　with　which　to　do　good；　I　am　content　to　have　it。　I　care　for　it　only　as　a　means　to　be　used　for　doing　good；　just　as　wealth　may　be　used。　The　more　I　come　into　contact　with　wealthy　people；　the　more　I　believe　that　they　are　growing　in　the　direction　of　looking　upon　their　money　simply　as　an　instrument　which　God　has　placed　in　their　hand　for　doing　good　with。　I　never　go　to　the　office　of　Mr。　John　D。　Rockefeller；　who　more　than　once　has　been　generous　to　Tuskegee；　without　being　reminded　of　this。　The　close；　careful；　and　minute　investigation　that　he　always　makes　in　order　to　be　sure　that　every　dollar　that　he　gives　will　do　the　most　goodan　investigation　that　is　just　as　searching　as　if　he　were　investing　money　in　a　business　enterpriseconvinces　me　that　the　growth　in　this　direction　is　most　encouraging。

At　nine　o'clock；　on　the　morning　of　June　24；　I　met　President　Eliot；　the　Board　of　Overseers　of　Harvard　University；　and　the　other　guests；　at　the　designated　place　on　the　university　grounds；　for　the　purpose　of　being　escorted　to　Sanders　Theatre；　where　the　Commencement　exercises　were　to　be　held　and　degrees　conferred。　Among　others　invited　to　be　present　for　the　purpose　of　receiving　a　degree　at　this　time　were　General　Nelson　A。　Miles；　Dr。　Bell；　the　inventor　of　the　Bell　telephone；　Bishop　Vincent；　and　the　Rev。　Minot　J。　Savage。　We　were　placed　in　line　immediately　behind　the　President　and　the　Board　of　Overseers；　and　directly　afterward　the　Governor　of　Massachusetts；　escorted　by　the　Lancers；　arrived　and　took　his　place　in　the　line　of　march　by　the　side　of　President　Eliot。　In　the　line　there　were　also　various　other　officers　and　professors；　clad　in　cap　and　gown。　In　this　order　we　marched　to　Sanders　Theatre；　where；　after　the　usual　Commencement　exercises；　came　the　conferring　of　the　honorary　degrees。　This；　it　seems；　is　always　considered　the　most　interesting　feature　at　Harvard。　It　is　not　known；　until　the　individuals　appear；　upon　whom　the　honorary　degrees　are　to　be　conferred；　and　those　receiving　these　honours　are　cheered　by　the　students　and　others　in　proportion　to　their　popularity。　During　the　conferring　of　the　degrees　excitement　and　enthusiasm　are　at　the　highest　pitch。

When　my　name　was　called；　I　rose；　and　President　Eliot；　in　beautiful　and　strong　English；　conferred　upon　me　the　degree　of　Master　of　Arts。　After　these　exercises　were　over；　those　who　had　received　honorary　degrees　were　invited　to　lunch　with　the　President。　After　the　lunch　we　were　formed　in　line　again；　and　were　escorted　by　the　Marshal　of　the　day；　who　that　year　happened　to　be　Bishop　William　Lawrence；　through　the　grounds；　where；　at　different　points；　those　who　had　been　honoured　were　called　by　name　and　received　the　Harvard　yell。　This　march　ended　at　Memorial　Hall；　where　the　alumni　dinner　was　served。　To　see　over　a　thousand　strong　men；　representing　all　that　is　best　in　State；　Church；　business；　and　education；　with　the　glow　and　enthusiasm　of　college　loyalty　and　college　pride；which　has；　I　think；　a　peculiar　Harvard　flavour；is　a　sight　that　does　not　easily　fade　from　memory。

Among　the　speakers　after　dinner　were　President　Eliot；　Governor　Roger　Wolcott；　General　Miles；　Dr。　Minot　J。　Savage；　the　Hon。　Henry　Cabot　Lodge；　and　myself。　When　I　was　called　upon；　I　said；　among　other　things：

It　would　in　some　measure　relieve　my　embarrassment　if　I　could；　even　in　a　slight　degree；　feel　myself　worthy　of　the　great　honour　which　you　do　me　to…day。　Why　you　have　called　me　from　the　Black　Belt　of　the　South；　from　among　my　humble　people；　to　share　in　the　honours　of　this　occasion；　is　not　for　me　to　explain；　and　yet　it　may　not　be　inappropriate　for　me　to　suggest　that　it　seems　to　me　that　one　of　the　most　vital　questions　that　touch　our　American　life　is　how　to　bring　the　strong；　wealthy；　and　learned　into　helpful　touch　with　the　poorest；　most　ignorant；　and　humblest；　and　at　the　same　time　make　one　appreciate　the　vitalizing；　strengthening　influence　of　the　other。　How　shall　we　make　the　mansion　on　yon　Beacon　Street　feel　and　see　the　need　of　the　spirits　in　the　lowliest　cabin　in　Alabama　cotton…fields　or　Louisiana　sugar…bottoms？　This　problem　Harvard　University　is　solving；　not　by　bringing　itself　down；　but　by　bringing　the　masses　up。

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If　my　life　in　the　past　has　meant　anything　in　the　lifting　up　of　my　people　and　the　bringing　about　of　better　relations　between　your　race　and　mine；　I　assure　you　from　this　day　it　will　mean　doubly　more。　In　the　economy　of　God　there　is　but　one　standard　by　which　an　individual　can　succeedthere　is　but　one　for　a　race。　This　country　demands　that　every　race　shall　measure　itself　by　the　American　standard。　By　it　a　race　must　rise　or　fall；　succeed　or　fail；　and　in　the　last　analysis　mere　sentiment　counts　for　little。

During　the　next　half…century　and　more；　my　race　must　continue　passing　through　the　severe　American　crucible。　We　are　to　be　tested　in　our　patience；　our　forbearance；　our　perseverance；　our　power　to　endure　wrong；　to　withstand　temptations；　to　economize；　to　acquire　and　use　skill；　in　our　ability　to　compete；　to　succeed　in　commerce；　to　disregard　the　superficial　for　the　real；　the　appearance　for　the　substance；　to　be　great　and　yet　small；　learned　and　yet　simple；　high　and　yet　the　servant　of　all。


As　this　was　the　first　time　that　a　New　England　university　had　conferred　an　honorary　degree　upon　a　Negro；　it　was　the　occasion　of　much　newspaper　comment　throughout　the　country。　A　correspondent　of　a　New　York　Paper　said：

When　the　name　of　Booker　T。　Washington　was　called；　and　he　arose　to　acknowledge　and　accept；　there　was　such　an　outburst　of　applause　as　greeted　no　other　name　except　that　of　the　popular　soldier　patriot；　General　Miles。　The　applause　was　not　studied　and　stiff；　sympathetic　and　condoling；　it　was　enthusiasm　and　admiration。　Every　part　of　the　audience　from　pit　to　gallery　joined　in；　and　a　glow　covered　the　cheeks　of　those　around　me；　proving　sincere　appreciation　of　the　rising　struggle　of　an　ex…slave　and　the　work　he　has　accomplished　for　his　race。


A　Boston　paper　said；　editorially：

In　conferring　the　honorary　degree　of　Master　of　Arts　upon　the　Principal　of　Tuskegee　Institute；　Harvard　University　has　honoured　itself　as　well　as　the　object　of　this　distinction。　The　work　which　Professor　Booker　T。　Washington　has　accomplished　for　the　education；　good　citizenship；　and　popular　enlightenment　in　his　chosen　field　of　labour　in　the　South　entitles　him　to　rank　with　our　national　benefactors。　The　university　which　can　claim　him　on　its　list　of　sons；　whether　in　regular　course　or　honoris　causa；　may　be　proud。　

It　has　been　mentioned　that　Mr。　Washington　is　the　first　of　his　race　to　receive　an　honorary　degree　from　a　New　England　university。　This；　in　itsel