This institution is conspicuous in being the only place of its kind in the United States, established, owned and managed by a colored man. Indeed we believe it is the only one in the world.
The works of this man are a credit to any community in which they exist, and we advise the youth of to-day to imitate the example of Dr. John R. Francis.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOLS, BOYDTON INSTITUTE,
AND CHRISTIANSBURG INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.
In this chapter I wish to mention the school-work done for the race by the United Presbyterian Church. This matter should have appeared with the other Presbyterian work, but for the fact that I was unable to secure the data when the first edition was published. I shall also mention in this chapter some other school-work that came too late.
KNOXVILLE COLLEGE.
Knoxville College is located at Knoxville, Tenn., and is under the control of the Board of Missions to the Freedmen of the United Presbyterian Church of North America. By arrangement with the University of Tennessee the college is also the industrial department of the university for colored students. For this purpose the university has added largely to the equipment of the agricultural department and mechanical department, provides for the salaries of the professors of these departments, and sets aside $600 annually to pay for the labor of students in these departments. Thus they are enabled to earn somewhat of their expenses, and especially is each one taught a trade. Aside from the funds received from the university as indicated above, the college is supported by voluntary contributions of the church.
The faculty of the college, including matrons and instructors in the industrial department, numbers twenty-five. The president of the college is Rev. R. W. McGranahan, D. D., who has been in that position since 1899, succeeding at that time Dr. J. S. McCulloch, who had served the institution as president for twenty-two years.