HIGHER EDUCATION

"To make a contented slave you must make a thoughtless one,…darken his moral and mental visions, and…annihilate his power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery….It must not depend upon mere force; the slave must know no higher law than his master's will." As long as ignorance prevails, blacks will remain "tools" of the "exploiting class."
 

Frederick Douglass

Education, it is somewhat a vague term, may mean much or little, according to the intent of using it. A newborn baby is simply a bundle of possibilities. The baby may or may not develop into a strong, healthy and vigorous body, an active mind with a sound moral and religious nature. Provided it has food, raiment, shelter, association with others, it may, in the process of time, acquire a certain degree of physical, intellectual and moral development.

This natural growth in its self may be titled education. After all, "we are born weak, needing strength; born destitute of all things, needing some form of assistance; born stupid, needing judgment. All that we have not at birth, but found needing as we grow, is given us by various forms of education." Ordinarily our use of the term education usually refers to that special process of our development of our minds and bodies with the acquisition of knowledge as the result of ones own conscious efforts or/and of instruction/training given by others. Teach a child how to count, mathematics; name fowls and other domestic animals, zoology; teach names and use of hands, eyes, etc., lesson in physiology; describing blooming flowers, botany; in taking walks, pointing out names and directions of places, geography; pointing toward the sun, moon and stars, astronomy; reproving a child for misconduct while rewarding for his good behavior, inculcates principles of conduct into the child's mind with morals being taught; speaking of Gods grace and glory and His love for us all, theology; direct the child's energies in some useful ways with chores about the house, fits him for an industrial form of education. In these efforts are found all the elements involved in the science and practice of education, differing only in degree, from the time a child begins with the informal parental tuition of 'training up a child' until he culminates in the higher classes of his growth (such as for one to attend Lincoln University as many here in Jefferson City, Missouri may chose doing) which would allow them more a formal type of instruction; aside from an isolated sort of instruction to a class or associated sort of training; from that of parents to the discipline of a teacher; study of natural things to the study of information as written in books. There is little radical change of topics or of methods; still studying language, geography, arithmetic, botany, zoology, etc. God bless the child whose earliest of years have been blessed with careful, loving, intelligent parents enabling that child to pass from his home life into school life with a desire in front of him to seek knowledge and with such foundation enable this once child turned man to profit in highest of degree afforded by the enlarged advantages of further schooling.

By no means is it easy to draw a sharp line through this process we call education by calling one 'lower' and the other 'higher' education. In being fundamental and important, it may very well be said, paradoxically, the 'lower' is actually highest; and, since the entire future development of ones soul depends so largely upon the start as a child in his earliest of years, the greatest significance attaches to those first few years of life. Therefore the foundations of the attainments in knowledge, discipline, and power are laid while young long before entering upon that commonly called higher studies. Its more for purposes of convenience, we are accustomed applying the term 'secondary' education to all those processes and results characteristic of education prior to entering upon a full college course of study; by 'higher' education we are usually referring to an education comprised within a college or university course. So when asking one may ask, "Shall I seek a higher education?," Generally meaning, shall I go to college to pursue university studies? 'Higher' is simply to mean better, as in better mental discipline, stronger grasp of fundamental principles, broader outlook, clearer judgment, firmer will; more knowledge, power, a nobler character. The chief outcome of culture is character; self-respect; love of the true, the beautiful, and good; firmness of will; sensitiveness of conscience; refinement of taste. Character is a quality of ones soul, independent of physical features. God looks upon the quality of the soul.

The worthiest conceivable outcome of education is development of the soul. Education properly conducted results in training all powers to their greatest, healthiest activity. The educated person is he who is able to make best use of his powers of observation, in the acquisition, at first hand, of elementary knowledge of nature; the educated eye sees, the educated ear hears, the educated palate tastes, the educated nose smells, and the educated hand touches as the uneducated cannot, thus making it a possibility for the educated soul toward enjoyment of a boundless range of rich experiences to which the uneducated soul is a stranger. All the glories of the oratorio are in germ training of the ear, all the boundless pleasures of form and color, architecture, painting, sculpture, landscape, are patent to the eye trained toward seeing them; likewise, reasoning powers, analysis, comparison, inference and judgment all reach their grandest development only through the process of education. Man is a rational animal; reasoning being one of his distinctive characteristics; he fulfills his position in scale of being in proportion as he finds himself in full possession of his reasoning faculties; whatever promotes the development of his mental powers adds toward his happiness and dignity; the same is true to a certain degree with regard to development of memory, imagination, power of expression, and moral nature. The glory of the elm tree is in the strength of its trunk and its wide-spreading branches; it does not attain its true dignity until fully grown. The glory of the human soul is in full stature and vigor of all its powers; so long as any of these are undeveloped, it falls short of its dignity. Education is the process by which these powers are developed, higher education is simply the higher degree of activity, exercise, growth, attainment, development. The fact that an elm tree is an elm tree entitles it to whatever of the soil, sunshine, and opportunity will secure toward its complete unfolding of all the possibilities of its nature which lie wrapped in the tiny seed. So too, the fact that we all are created by God, made in His own image, bearing His likeness, capable of high attainments, is sufficient reason why we should use the opportunity, at least, of bringing our powers (with God's help) to their normal unfolding.

The fundamental endowments of the human mind---the five senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing); the memory, imagination, and reasoning powers; desire for wealth, power, and knowledge; the conscience---all these are essentially the same in every human being; they are constituent elements of the soul; they belonging in common to all people.

The chief aim of culture is development of these fundamental faculties. Higher education aims to evolve power, capacity. The law of development of the senses, desires, reasoning powers, or moral nature, are the same for people regardless of their race. They grow by use; trained by exercise; called into activity by methods and means alike for all people.

The principle agent for unfolding of mental power is knowledge---of language, science, philosophy and history are utterly indifferent to the race of a student who consults them; the spelling book, the dictionary and encyclopedia all tell the same story to every class of inquirers. There is not one multiplication table for a white person and another for a black; the Ten Commandments were not published just for one fragment of the human race.

It has been just over a generation ago when black people were slaves, chattels, without personalities; to-day they are blessed with opportunities as never before and enjoyment of many privileges associated with having such liberty. More than ever recognized as men and as women, who, by virtue of their manhood/womanhood, are justly entitled to all the protection laws can afford to them and the shield of public opinion as well. By the ever slow process of education a class of black people have evolved having an enlarged capacity for culture than never before, a truer self-consciousness, keener sensitiveness, purer/loftier aspirations, and even greater possibilities of being blessed with further achievement, a newer more improved type of manhood/womanhood, destined with time by their God-given influence upon both their own race and the world to mark an even newer era in history. Hallelujah!

The State of Missouri having been a land of momentous court decisions involving the future of black people throughout history. Not only with regards to their general freedoms but also affecting growth and development to do with education.

Jefferson City being a capital city to Missouri it should come with little surprise how it should find itself caught in the middle.

1818 - The territory of Missouri petitions Congress for admission to the Union as a state.

1819 - An amendment to ban slavery in Missouri is proposed by a New York Representative named James Tallmadge.

1820 - Through efforts of Henry Clay a compromise (Missouri Compromise) was reached in an attempt to prevent the expansion of slavery beyond the South.

1854 - Missouri Compromise repealed by Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Pro-slavery forces had terrorized the region, using threats and violence in an effort to influence elections, to make Kansas a slave state (The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 dictated that the people of the territories would vote on whether to be free or slave).

This would lead to bloody conflicts between pro-slavery folks and those who were anti-slavery supporters. Then a man named John Brown steps into the picture, with his own  personal resistance toward the pro-slavery forces in Kansas. This brought him national attention as he entered into the conflict. He was a man born into a deeply religious family during 1800. His father, Owen, a strict Calvinist, hated slavery and believed that holding humans in bondage was a sin against God.

At 12-years of age John Brown had traveled through the Michigan wilderness to deliver a herd of cattle. He had lodged with a man who owned a boy slave. Brown was treated well, but the slave was beaten before his eyes with an iron shovel. The memory would forever haunt John Brown.

Then there was his dear friend Elijah Lovejoy, the pastor of a Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, Missouri (1834). Lovejoy had started a religious newspaper in St. Louis called the St. Louis Observer,  it advocated the abolition of slavery. In this paper Lovejoy published a full account of the lynching of a black American there in St. Louis, Missouri and the subsequent trial that acquitted the white mob leaders, his press was then destroyed by a white mob (1836), he moved to Alton, Illinois where he became an active member of the local Anti-Slavery Society there and edited another paper, the Alton Observer, three times Lovejoy's printing presses would be seized by white mobs and thrown into the Mississippi River. Lovejoy wrote in his paper:

"We distinctly avow it to be our settled purpose, never, while life lasts, to yield to this new system of attempting to destroy, by means of mob violence, the right of conscience, the freedom of opinion, and of the press."

Lovejoy received another press from the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society. When local slave-owners got word about the arrival of the new machine, they decided to destroy it too. A group of Lovejoy's friends attempted to protect it, but during the attack, Lovejoy was shot dead (1837). Becoming America's first 'freedom of the press martyr.' It was during Elijah Lovejoy's memorial service, the gentleman John Brown stood up and made a personal vow to end slavery.  

John Brown

1800-1859

1857 - Missouri gives rise to the inhuman Dred Scott Decision, which held that a black person had no rights which the white man was bound to respect. A judge named Roger Brooke Taney handed down this Stone Age decision, which put him easily in the class with James Crow ---giving him a high seat in benevolence slightly below that of a snake's bosom. The Taney/Dred Scott Decision created sparks and shook America.

1858 - John Brown leads a few men across the Missouri border from Kansas and attacks two pro-slavery homesteads, confiscating property and liberating slaves. President James Buchanan offers a $250 reward for John Brown's capture. Brown mockingly responded by offering $2.50 for the arrest of Buchanan.

1859 - John Brown then sets his target on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia -- a town surrounded by mountains, tucked at the bottom of a ravine created by a pair of rivers. The arsenal was a huge complex of buildings that contained 100,000 muskets and rifles.

John Brown had earlier tried to persuading his friend Frederick Douglass into joining him. John described the scenario:

"They would attack the arsenal at Harpers Ferry and capture the guns. Emboldened by the news, a spontaneous army of slaves would rush to join them. They would then drive south, and the revolution would snowball."

Of this meeting, Frederick Douglass would later write:

"I at once opposed the measure. It would be an attack upon the federal government and array the whole country against us. All his descriptions of the place convinced me that he was going into a perfect steel trap, and that once in he would never get out alive."

John Brown's latest plan would prove his last effort before being captured and found guilty by the state of Viriginia of murder, treason, and of inciting slave insurrection, he is then sentenced to be hung. It would mark a turning point in history, for with his death by hanging all hope of any peaceful end to the slavery issue would die as well. Henry David Thoreau would write of John Brown's death:

"Some 1800 years ago, Christ was crucified. This morning, Captain Brown was hung. He is not Old Brown any longer; he is an angel of light."

Truly, John Brown had marked the end of compromise over the issue of slavery, and it was not long after  his personal war over it would then become the whole nation's war.

1861 - Confederate batteries open fire on Fort Sumter; the first shots of the Civil War.

1865 - The war finally came to a close and with it so did the institution of slavery here in America.

1866 - Missouri creates a public institution of higher learning within the state, Lincoln Institute/Jefferson City, this would come to serve as the only public college within Missouri admitting black or colored folk. Later became known as Lincoln University as it is presently named, and remains one of a few historically black universities in existence today here in America (though not in its original state in the 'all-black or colored' students sense but rather it is still functioning nevertheless as a very basic university). A school founded in part by black soldiers after the close of the Civil War, a state-funded school, created at a time to keep blacks separate from whites educationally, therefore greatly impacting the direction, successes and/or failures as a university. As stated, "As long as ignorance prevails, blacks will remain "tools" of the "exploiting class."

1900 - A time when Lincoln University of Missouri/Jefferson City was labeled Lincoln Institute and its respective students were labeled as "colored" (though black really is not really a color) I bring to you the names of those who served very much their part of history (at least on my website) whether recognized or not by others.

Allen, Benjamin F. (colored), Vice President and professor of pedagogy history, and modern languages.

Anthony, Mrs. Libbie C., matron in dormitory for young women and instructor in laundry.

Bolden, A. B., (colored), student.

Boon, Ida, (colored), student.

Boone, Wm., (colored), student.

Boone, Ella, (colored), student.

Branham, Taressa, (colored), student. Residence 213 E. Dunklin.

Bredeman, John H., Superintendent Industrial Department. Residence123 E. McCarty.

Brown, Ella M., (colored), student.

Brown, Phona., (colored), student.

Brown, Robt., (colored), student.

Bruce, Charley, (colored). Boards 526 Locust, student.

Bruce Zenobia, (colored), student.

Burnett, Edward, (colored), student.

Bush, Nathanial, (colored), student.

Caldwell, Chas., (colored), servant, 901 E. Main, student.

Calloway, Rhoda J., (colored), student.

Carney, Carrie, (colored), instructor in vocal and instrumental music.

Carroll, Katie, (colored), student. Residence 427 Adams.

Carter, Nellie, (colored), student.

Cartwright, Wade, (colored), student.

Clark, Leslie, (colored), student.

Clinkscole, J., (colored), student.

Coleman, Archie, (colored), student.

Coleman, John S., (colored), student.

Coleman, Lena, (colored), student.

Collins, Zena, (colored), student.

Cooper, Willie, (colored), student. Residence rear 222 Madison.

Corsey, Stella, (colored), student.

Croing, Marshall L., (colored), student.

Daily, Oliver, (colored), student.

Damel, J.W., (colored), professor Natural Science. Residence 786 Clark avenue.

Davis, John B., (colored), student.

Davison, Geo., (colored), student.

Drake, Jessie, (colored), student.

Drew, Leslie, (colored), student.

Dupee, Mrs. Sarah H., matron in dormitory for young men and instructor in cooking.

Dyer, Ernestine, (colored), student.

Ellis, Lillie, (colored), student.

Ester, Eva, (colored), student.

Ewing, Libbie, (colored), student.

Ferguson, Julia, (colored), student.

Field, F. W., (colored), student.

Fields, Samuel, (colored), student.

Fields, Archie, (colored), student.

France, Pearl, (colored), student. domestic 425 Madison.

France, Marie, (colored), student. 525 Madison.

Fulbright, James, (colored), student. house-man 704 E. High.

Gains, Emma, (colored), student. Residence 811 E. Elm.

Garnett, Dr. Jas. H., Prof. Latin and Greek. Resident 630 Locust.

Gilbreth, Robt, (colored), student.

Gilmore, Sophrona, (colored), student. Domestic 215 E. Main.

Givens, P. C., (colored), student.

Goins, Rev. John (colored), pastor colored Baptist church. Residence 505 Monroe.

Gordon, Thomas, (colored), student.

Graham, Chas., (colored), student.

Green, Bertha, (colored), student.

Grimshaw, Mary E., (colored), instructor sewing department.

Hamilton, Wm., (colored), student. Boards 124 E. Miller.

Hampton, L. V., fireman, Lincoln Institute. Residence 619 Chestnut.

Handy, Dora, (colored), student.

Harper, John, (colored), student.

Harrison, Prof. W. H., principal colored school. Boards 215 E. Dunklin.

Harrison, Walter, student.

Henderson, H. J., (colored), student.

Hill, Sermon,  (colored), student.

Holman, Walter, (colored), student.

Howard, Alpha, (colored), student.

Howard, Wm. H., (colored), student.

Hubbard, Arizona, (colored), student.

Huff, Chas., (colored), student.

Hughes, Lula E., (colored), student.

Jackson, John H., (colored), President Lincoln Institute. Residence President's house, Lincoln Institute and professor of ethics, psychology and political economy

Jackson, A. S., (colored), student.

Jackson, Atwood, (colored), student.

Jackson, Harrison, (colored), student.

Johnson, Phil., (colored), janitor, Lincoln Institute.

Johnson, Leslie, (colored), student.

Johnson, Julia, (colored), student.

Johnson, Frances, (colored), student. domestic , 425 Madison.

Johnson, Carrie, E., (colored), student.

Johnson, Rev. H. T., (colored), student.

Jones, Mary, (colored), student.

Jones, Fannie, E., (colored), student.

Jourdan, Kate, (colored), instructor in drawing and music.

Jourdan, Julius, (colored), student.

King, Orpha, (colored), domestic, 321 Lafayette. Student.

Kirklin, Estella B., (colored), student.

Knoll, L. B., (colored), student.

Lane, Francis, (colored), student.

Lewis, Arthur, (colored), servant, Lincoln Institute. Residence 731 E. High.

Lewis, Sarah. A., (colored), student.

Lewis, Lizzie, (colored), student.

Logan, Slaton, (colored), student.

Logan, Lewis, (colored), student.

Logan, R. L., (colored), teacher, Public School (colored). Boards 746 Clarke avenue.

Logan, Dennis, (colored), student.  Boards 606 Cherry.

Longdon, E. M., (colored), student.

Longdon, Minnie, (colored), student. Residence 513 Monroe.

McCain, Fannie, (colored), student.

McGrider, L. L., (colored), student.

Magee, Fletcher, (colored), student.

Mance, Oliver, (colored), student.

Martin, Theo. (colored), student.

Mason, Arthur, (colored), student.

Mayberry, Gamma, (colored), student.

Merritt, Corrine, L., (colored), student.

Montgomery, Pearl, (colored), student.

Moore, Thos., (colored), student.

Nevens, Belle, (colored), student.

Norris, Wesley, H., (colored), student.

North, Vinita, (colored), student.

O'Niel, Oscar, (colored), student.

Parker, Fred R., (colored), student.

Parker, Viola, (colored), student.

Parks, W. H. J., (colored), house-man Scott House, student.

Parks, Mary H., (colored), student.

Patterson A. B., (colored), student. Residence 705 Maple.

Payne, Minnie, (colored), student.

Pigeon, Florence, (colored), student.

Pugh, Lewis C., (colored), student.

Ramsey, Jas., (colored), house-man 221 W. High. Student.

Randall, Estella A., (colored), student.

Rayland, Nellie, (colored), student.

Reynolds, Archie L., (colored), assistant Industrial Department Lincoln Institute

Richardson, Mary E., (colored), student.

Richmond, Callie, (colored), student.

Roberts, Octavia, (colored), student.

Roberts, Mary, L., (colored), student.

Rogers, Laura B., Laundress. Residence rear 107 Adams, student.

Rogers, Garfield, (colored), student.

Ross, Whitfield, (colored), student.

Rutledge, Winfred, (colored), student.

Sauls, Allen, (colored), student.

Sawyers, Lucillins, (colored), student.

Schwertch, Virgil, (colored), student.

Sexton, Wm., A., (colored), student. Residence 614 Lafayette.

Sexton, Paul, (colored), student.

Shackelford, Elmer, (colored), student.

Shores, Martha, (colored), student.

Sider, Lousie, (colored), student.

Sider, Albert, (colored), student.

Smith, Andrew, (colored), house-man, 429 E. High, student.

Smith Emory, (colored), student.

Smith, George F., (colored), professor of mathethics

Sorrel, Morris A., (colored), barber, student. Residence 612 Lafayette.

Southerland, Sallie, (colored), student.

Spann, R. S., (colored), student.

Spencer, Oscar. (colored), student.

Spotts, Geo. A., (colored), student.

Stanley, Arrie, (colored), student.

Stewart, Leroy, (colored), student.

Strawn, James G., (colored), student.

Summers, Fred, (colored), student. Residence 1005 E. Dunklin.

Taylor, Virgin, (colored), student.

Tilford, Andrew, (colored), student.

Tramel, Leonora, (colored), student.

Turner, Ralph, (colored), student.

Weedon, Richard, (colored), student.

West, Romeo, (colored), student.

Williams, Virgil, (colored), student.

Williams, Messia, (colored), student.

Williams, Addie, (colored), student.

Williams, Walter, (colored), student.

Williams, Wm. V., (colored), student.

Williams, Attah, (colored), student.

Willis, Josephine, (colored), student.

Willoughby, Charles, (colored), student.

Wilson, R. C., (colored), student.

Wilson, Cora, (colored), student.

Winfred, Estella, (colored), student.

Woods. Lucy, (colored), student.

Wright, Flora, (colored), student.

1938 - Missouri ex rel Gaines v. Canada

A case (Murray v. Maryland) two years earlier prompted state action here in Missouri where Sidney Redmond and other black attorneys in touch with a fellow named Charles H. Houston, an NAACP associate. They together prevailed upon Lloyd Lionel Gaines to seek admission to the law school of the all-white University of Missouri/Columbia. Gaines having been a well-liked honor student at Vashon High School in St. Louis, Mo. before becoming a student at Lincoln University here in Jefferson City, Mo. He worked his way through Lincoln University graduating in August 1935. The Gaines case against the University of Missouri/Columbia finally having reached the Supreme Court ruling in Gaines favor in 1938.

1939 - Lincoln University of Missouri/Jefferson City opens Lincoln University School of Law.

The court ordered the state (legally, through Canada, the registrar) either to admit Gaines to the all-white law school there in Columbia Missouri or provide him facilities of an equal value somewhere within the state of Missouri. Of course, University of Missouri/Columbia chose not to admit Gaines to their all-white school. Instead the state, hastily set-up some short-lived school to serve as part of Lincoln University/Jefferson City for Gaines and other potential black law students. The state then rented a building in St. Louis, Missouri, hired a faculty of four, brought a dean from Howard University, and purchased a law library of 10,000 volumes. Missouri (Lincoln University School of Law) and North Carolina (North Carolina Central School of Law/Durham) became the first states to establish black law schools as a direct result of the Gaines case. North Carolina's School of Law remains open even today, while Lincoln University's School of Law was open until 1943; reopening again in 1944 for only several more years.

Gaines was never available to attend the makeshift 'Jim Crow-styled' school erected as a result of his case, nor was he available to enroll at the all-white University of Missouri/Columbia law school. Instead, during the long litigation, Gaines attended the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, from which he reportedly disappeared, his whereabouts forever unknown to his contemporaries. There was speculation that he had become a victim of foul play as a result of his being the principal in the case. But some old fraternity brothers from high school and college reflecting on his dislike of publicity and social ritual, have suggested that Gaines possibly went into exile incognito.

1945 - State Board of Education, "representing," Lincoln U. of Missouri/Jefferson City. Looking "dapper."

Lincoln of Missouri, with the grace of God, continued on the vanguard striving toward providing an equal education for all its youth. Her original leaders having labored hard to provide a real higher education for Lincoln students.

1950's - "Worth thousands of words" ... some of the most beautiful ladies in the world during those 'Glory Days' when Lincoln U. students showed much love, soul and spirit, by God's grace, despite its past struggles, God continues blessing, even this day! Thank you Jesus!

1989 - The sport of football banned from Lincoln U., blame placed on school's inability to win games and/or the cost factor of having a football team, meaning Homecoming happenings were without any real source of college-related center of activity/entertainment most any/and all schools normally enjoy, without question, as a major part of the atmosphere of campus life. In my personal opinion, it is not even thinkable nor American to remove such a sport from any school in America. My prayers are certainly with any person or persons who would even consider such a hateful act, money or no money. What ever happened to sports being about fun/recreation and part of the spirit of a school anyway? Does anyone really know what that means anymore or does it have to have a dollar beside it these days? Money can't buy love or spirit (the life blood of any successful school environment).

1999 - "Thank you Jesus!"  Zechariah 4:6 - Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, sayeth the Lord of hosts.

Football returns! Beautiful new library constructed along with other campus improvements. All these " things" add up to being very nice and quite expensive, especially these days,  but nevertheless, it must always be remembered, Lincoln U. of Missouri is a school that was founded upon its faith (with works), having much to do with its "spirit factors," its "soul factors," more so than a place where all the rich kids go to school. God's word says "the body without spirit is dead," and I believe that can refer to an individual as well as any group of individuals, I say Lincoln U. was in fact and in deed very much alive back in the day, despite being in face of its struggles and lacking much material riches other schools have always been so blessed to enjoy. Hallelujah!

2001 - University of Missouri/Columbia Board of Curators vote unanimously deciding to rename the Black Culture Center the Lloyd L. Gaines - Marian O'Fallon Oldham Black Culture Center.

Well .... better late than never (smile).