John F. Slater Fund.—One of the most widely known funds devoted exclusively to Negro education, is the John F. Slater Fund. The work made possible through this gift, is one of the notable achievements in the education of Negroes in the United States. The fund, amounting to $1,000,000, was given in 1882, by John F. Slater of Connecticut, for the purpose of “uplifting the lately emancipated population of the Southern States and their prosperity.” In recognition of the public spirit of the donor, the United States Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a medal. At the time of the final distribution of the Peabody Fund in 1914, the Peabody trustees voted to transfer a sum amounting to about $350,000 to the John F. Slater Fund, “the income to be used for improving the rural schools for the Negro race.” The total amount of the Slater Fund is now about $1,750,000.
In 1915–16 the Slater Fund appropriated $67,250 for Negro schools located in 13 Southern States. Of this amount $25,425 was given to supplement the work of institutions owned by State or county authorities. The total number of schools receiving aid in 1915 was 68, of which 17 are county training schools, and 19 others are owned by city, county, or State. Approximately $3,000 has been given to aid summer schools for teachers.
The general purpose of the appropriations made by the trustees of the Slater Fund, has been the encouragement of industrial courses. The number of schools receiving aid has varied from year to year. The following statement indicates the number of schools and the amounts appropriated in different periods:
| Time. | Number of Schools. | Amount. |
|---|---|---|
| 1882–83 | 12 | $16,250 |
| 1883–84 | 18 | 17,106 |
| 1884–85 | 29 | 36,764 |
| 1889–90 | 37 | 42,910 |
| 1894–95 | 16 | 42,400 |
| 1900–1901 | 11 | 43,330 |
| 1904–5 | 27 | 53,550 |
| 1909–10 | 40 | 69,750 |
| 1914–15 | 68 | 69,250 |
The variation in the number of schools reflects the different policies of the fund as well as the changes in the amount of money to be distributed. The present policy is that of increasing cooperation with public school authorities in all efforts to improve and increase the supply of public school teachers. Dr. Dillard, the director of the Slater Fund and the executive officer of the Jeanes fund, has been very successful in arousing the interest of public authorities in Negro schools. Realizing that the majority of elementary school teachers receive their education in their own or neighboring county, he is directing as much as possible of the Slater Fund to the improvement of public schools centrally located in the counties, so that courses of training for teachers may be established. The usual conditions observed in the organization of these schools are: first, that the property shall belong to the State or county; second, that an appropriation of at least $7.50 shall be made annually by the county for the maintenance; third, that at least eight grades of instruction shall be provided, including some industrial work and simple instruction in teaching methods. In 1912, there were three schools of this character. In 1915, the number had increased to 17. With the aid of the General Education Board and other agencies, it is probable that before the close of 1917, there will be over 40 county training schools for Negroes in the Southern States.
Anna T. Jeanes Fund.—The origin of the Jeanes Fund is so significant of the spirit and purpose of its present policy, that space must here be taken to relate some of the incidents connected with that event. In 1906, Dr. Frissell appealed to Miss Anna T. Jeanes for a contribution to the work of Hampton. Miss Jeanes was an elderly Quaker lady of Philadelphia. As Dr. Frissell described the hardships of the teachers in rural schools, she said: “Thee interests me,” and proceeded to write a check to aid the work of small rural schools. Dr. Frissell, expecting to receive not more than a hundred dollars looked at the check and saw, to his great surprise, that it was for $10,000. He said: “Well, you certainly are interested. Would you like to have Booker Washington call on you to explain the need of small schools in Alabama.” Miss Jeanes replied that she would and soon afterwards she gave another ten thousand to Dr. Washington. At the suggestion of Mr. George Foster Peabody, then the Treasurer of the General Education Board, she gave $200,000 more to be used according to plans to be determined upon by Dr. Frissell and Dr. Washington.
When she was convinced of the successful use of this gift, she said to Dr. Frissell: “I am going to show thee my will.” Reading it, he saw that she had bequeathed practically all her estate for the improvement of little county schools for Negro children. The will also provided that the funds were to be administered by a trustee board to be appointed by Dr. Frissell and Dr. Washington. Dr. Frissell assured her that it could be done, and asked whom would she like to have on the board. She replied: “Andrew Carnegie.” Plans for forming the board were immediately decided upon. Mr. Carnegie, Dr. Washington and Dr. Frissell organized a board of trustees, which consisted of five southern white men, five northern white men and five Negroes. Mr. Taft, then President of the United States, became a member of the board, and Dr. Dillard of Virginia was elected as the executive officer.
When the arrangements were complete, Miss Jeanes consented to see a few of the members of the board. This meeting was dramatic in its simplicity. There were present Mr. George Foster Peabody, President Taft, Dr. Dillard, Dr. Frissell, and Dr. Washington. Miss Jeanes was very feeble, her arm, swollen with pain, was supported by pillows. When she had signed away her estate of $1,000,000 she said to Dr. Frissell and to Dr. Washington in turn: “Dost thee remember when thee came and I gave thee $10,000 for the little country schools? And then I gave thee $200,000 more. And now I am giving all for these little schools. This is a great privilege. I am just a poor woman, and I gave it not to save my soul from hell; but because I wanted to.”
The trustee board in charge of this fund is composed of five southern men, five northern men, and five men of the colored race. In 1915, the trustees expended $34,475 for the improvement of Negro rural schools in Southern States. Practically all of this money is used to pay the expenses of county supervisors and industrial teachers These are usually young colored women who visit the public schools of the counties for the purpose of aiding and encouraging the schools in all phases of their work. The more important service of these traveling teachers, working under the direction of the county superintendent, is to introduce into the small country schools simple home industries; to give talks and lessons on sanitation, personal cleanliness, etc.; to encourage the improvement of schoolhouses and school grounds; and to conduct gardening clubs and other kinds of clubs for the betterment of the school and the neighborhood.
The teachers are appointed by the county superintendent and their work is supervised by that officer. Effort is made by the representatives of the Jeanes Fund to have the country authorities and the colored people undertake as much as possible of the salary and expenses of these teachers. In 1913, the counties contributed from public funds for this purpose, $3,400; in 1914, $6,255; in 1915, $12,183, and in 1916, $17,913. In 1915–16 Jeanes-Fund teachers were maintained in 164 counties distributed through 16 Southern States. It is to be hoped that all of these States will follow the example of Maryland in its provision of State aid, so that every county with a considerable number of Negroes may have county industrial teachers.