Chapter XII. Raising Money

by Booker T. Washington

　　When we opened our boarding department, we provided rooms in theattic of Porter Hall, our first building, for a number of girls.But the number of students, of both sexes, continued to increase.We could find rooms outside the school grounds for many of theyoung men, but the girls we did not care to expose in this way.Very soon the problem of providing more rooms for the girls, aswell as a larger boarding department for all the students, grewserious. As a result, we finally decided to undertake theconstruction of a still larger building--a building that wouldcontain rooms for the girls and boarding accommodations for all.After having had a preliminary sketch of the needed buildingmade, we found that it would cost about ten thousand dollars. Wehad no money whatever with which to begin; still we decided togive the needed building a name. We knew we could name it, eventhough we were in doubt about our ability to secure the means forits construction. We decided to call the proposed buildingAlabama Hall, in honour of the state in which we were labouring.Again Miss Davidson began making efforts to enlist the interestand help of the coloured and white people in and near Tuskegee.They responded willingly, in proportion to their means. Thestudents, as in the case of our first building, Porter Hall,began digging out the dirt in order to allow the laying of thefoundations.When we seemed at the end of our resources, so far as securingmoney was concerned, something occurred which showed thegreatness of General Armstrong--something which proved how far hewas above the ordinary individual. When we were in the midst ofgreat anxiety as to where and how we were to get funds for thenew building, I received a telegram from General Armstrong askingme if I could spend a month travelling with him through theNorth, and asking me, if I could do so, to come to Hampton atonce. Of course I accepted General Armstrong's invitation, andwent to Hampton immediately. On arriving there I found that theGeneral had decided to take a quartette of singers through theNorth, and hold meetings for a month in important cities, atwhich meetings he and I were to speak. Imagine my surprise whenthe General told me, further, that these meetings were to beheld, not in the interests of Hampton, but in the interests ofTuskegee, and that the Hampton Institute was to be responsiblefor all the expenses.Although he never told me so in so many words, I found thatGeneral Armstrong took this method of introducing me to thepeople of the North, as well as for the sake of securing someimmediate funds to be used in the erection of Alabama Hall. Aweak and narrow man would have reasoned that all the money whichcame to Tuskegee in this way would be just so much taken from theHampton Institute; but none of these selfish or short-sightedfeelings ever entered the breast of General Armstrong. He was toobig to be little, too good to be mean. He knew that the people inthe North who gave money gave it for the purpose of helping thewhole cause of Negro civilization, and not merely for theadvancement of any one school. The General knew, too, that theway to strengthen Hampton was to make it a centre of unselfishpower in the working out of the whole Southern problem.In regard to the addresses which I was to make in the North, Irecall just one piece of advice which the General gave me. Hesaid: "Give them an idea for every word." I think it would behard to improve upon this advice; and it might be made to applyto all public speaking. From that time to the present I havealways tried to keep his advice in mind.Meetings were held in New York, Brooklyn, Boston, Philadelphia,and other large cities, and at all of these meetings GeneralArmstrong pleased, together with myself, for help, not forHampton, but for Tuskegee. At these meetings an especial effortwas made to secure help for the building of Alabama Hall, as wellas to introduce the school to the attention of the generalpublic. In both these respects the meetings proved successful.After that kindly introduction I began going North alone tosecure funds. During the last fifteen years I have been compelledto spend a large proportion of my time away from the school, inan effort to secure money to provide for the growing needs of theinstitution. In my efforts to get funds I have had someexperiences that may be of interest to my readers. Time and timeagain I have been asked, by people who are trying to secure moneyfor philanthropic purposes, what rule or rules I followed tosecure the interest and help of people who were able tocontribute money to worthy objects. As far as the science of whatis called begging can be reduced to rules, I would say that Ihave had but two rules. First, always to do my whole dutyregarding making our work known to individuals and organizations;and, second, not to worry about the results. This second rule hasbeen the hardest for me to live up to. When bills are on the eveof falling due, with not a dollar in hand with which to meetthem, it is pretty difficult to learn not to worry, although Ithink I am learning more and more each year that all worry simplyconsumes, and to no purpose, just so much physical and mentalstrength that might otherwise be given to effective work. Afterconsiderable experience in coming into contact with wealthy andnoted men, I have observed that those who have accomplished thegreatest results are those who "keep under the body"; are thosewho never grow excited or lose self-control, but are always calm,self-possessed, patient, and polite. I think that PresidentWilliam McKinley is the best example of a man of this class thatI have ever seen.In order to be successful in any kind of undertaking, I think themain thing is for one to grow to the point where he completelyforgets himself; that is, to lose himself in a great cause. Inproportion as one loses himself in the way, in the same degreedoes he get the highest happiness out of his work.My experience in getting money for Tuskegee has taught me to haveno patience with those people who are always condemning the richbecause they are rich, and because they do not give more toobjects of charity. In the first place, those who are guilty ofsuch sweeping criticisms do not know how many people would bemade poor, and how much suffering would result, if wealthy peoplewere to part all at once with any large proportion of theirwealth in a way to disorganize and cripple great businessenterprises. Then very few persons have any idea of the largenumber of applications for help that rich people are constantlybeing flooded with. I know wealthy people who receive as much astwenty calls a day for help. More than once when I have gone intothe offices of rich men, I have found half a dozen personswaiting to see them, and all come for the same purpose, that ofsecuring money. And all these calls in person, to say nothing ofthe applications received through the mails. Very few people haveany idea of the amount of money given away by persons who neverpermit their names to be known. I have often heard personscondemned for not giving away money, who, to my own knowledge,were giving away thousands of dollars every year so quietly thatthe world knew nothing about it.As an example of this, there are two ladies in New York, whosenames rarely appear in print, but who, in a quiet way, have givenus the means with which to erect three large and importantbuildings during the last eight years. Besides the gift of thesebuildings, they have made other generous donations to the school.And they not only help Tuskegee, but they are constantly seekingopportunities to help other worthy causes.Although it has been my privilege to be the medium through whicha good many hundred thousand dollars have been received for thework at Tuskegee, I have always avoided what the world calls"begging." I often tell people that I have never "begged" anymoney, and that I am not a "beggar." My experience andobservation have convinced me that persistent asking outright formoney from the rich does not, as a rule, secure help. I haveusually proceeded on the principle that persons who possess senseenough to earn money have sense enough to know how to give itaway, and that the mere making known of the facts regardingTuskegee, and especially the facts regarding the work of thegraduates, has been more effective than outright begging. I thinkthat the presentation of facts, on a high, dignified plane, isall the begging that most rich people care for.While the work of going from door to door and from office tooffice is hard, disagreeable, and costly in bodily strength, yetit has some compensations. Such work gives one a rare opportunityto study human nature. It also has its compensations in givingone an opportunity to meet some of the best people in theworld--to be more correct, I think I should say the best peoplein the world. When one takes a broad survey of the country, hewill find that the most useful and influential people in it arethose who take the deepest interest in institutions that existfor the purpose of making the world better.At one time, when I was in Boston, I called at the door of arather wealthy lady, and was admitted to the vestibule and sentup my card. While I was waiting for an answer, her husband camein, and asked me in the most abrupt manner what I wanted. When Itried to explain the object of my call, he became still moreungentlemanly in his words and manner, and finally grew soexcited that I left the house without waiting for a reply fromthe lady. A few blocks from that house I called to see agentleman who received me in the most cordial manner. He wrote mehis check for a generous sum, and then, before I had had anopportunity to thank him, said: "I am so grateful to you, Mr.Washington, for giving me the opportunity to help a good cause.It is a privilege to have a share in it. We in Boston areconstantly indebted to you for doing our work." My experience insecuring money convinces me that the first type of man is growingmore rare all the time, and that the latter type is increasing;that is, that, more and more, rich people are coming to regardmen and women who apply to them for help for worthy objects, notas beggars, but as agents for doing their work.In the city of Boston I have rarely called upon an individual forfunds that I have not been thanked for calling, usually before Icould get an opportunity to thank the donor for the money. Inthat city the donors seem to feel, in a large degree, that anhonour is being conferred upon them in their being permitted togive. Nowhere else have I met with, in so large a measure, thisfine and Christlike spirit as in the city of Boston, althoughthere are many notable instances of it outside that city. Irepeat my belief that the world is growing in the direction ofgiving. I repeat that the main rule by which I have been guidedin collecting money is to do my full duty in regard to givingpeople who have money an opportunity for help.In the early years of the Tuskegee school I walked the streets ortravelled country roads in the North for days and days withoutreceiving a dollar. Often as it happened, when during the week Ihad been disappointed in not getting a cent from the veryindividuals from whom I most expected help, and when I was almostbroken down and discouraged, that generous help has come fromsome one who I had had little idea would give at all.I recall that on one occasion I obtained information that led meto believe that a gentleman who lived about two miles out in thecountry from Stamford, Conn., might become interest in ourefforts at Tuskegee if our conditions and needs were presented tohim. On an unusually cold and stormy day I walked the two milesto see him. After some difficulty I succeeded in securing aninterview with him. He listened with some degree of interest towhat I had to say, but did not give me anything. I could not helphaving the feeling that, in a measure, the three hours that I hadspent in seeing him had been thrown away. Still, I had followedmy usual rule of doing my duty. If I had not seen him, I shouldhave felt unhappy over neglect of duty.Two years after this visit a letter came to Tuskegee from thisman, which read like this: "Enclosed I send you a New York draftfor ten thousand dollars, to be used in furtherance of your work.I had placed this sum in my will for your school, but deem itwiser to give it to you while I live. I recall with pleasure yourvisit to me two years ago."I can hardly imagine any occurrence which could have given memore genuine satisfaction than the receipt of this draft. It wasby far the largest single donation which up to that time theschool had ever received. It came at a time when an unusuallylong period had passed since we had received any money. We werein great distress because of lack of funds, and the nervousstrain was tremendous. It is difficult for me to think of anysituation that is more trying on the nerves than that ofconducting a large institution, with heavy obligations to meet,without knowing where the money is to come from to meet theseobligations from month to month.In our case I felt a double responsibility, and this made theanxiety all the more intense. If the institution had beenofficered by white persons, and had failed, it would have injuredthe cause of Negro education; but I knew that the failure of ourinstitution, officered by Negroes, would not only mean the lossof a school, but would cause people, in a large degree, to losefaith in the ability of the entire race. The receipt of thisdraft for ten thousand dollars, under all these circumstances,partially lifted a burden that had been pressing down upon me fordays.From the beginning of our work to the present I have always hadthe feeling, and lose no opportunity to impress our teachers withthe same idea, that the school will always be supported inproportion as the inside of the institution is kept clean andpure and wholesome.The first time I ever saw the late Collis P. Huntington, thegreat railroad man, he gave me two dollars for our school. Thelast time I saw him, which was a few months before he died, hegave me fifty thousand dollars toward our endowment fund. Betweenthese two gifts there were others of generous proportions whichcame every year from both Mr. and Mrs. Huntington.Some people may say that it was Tuskegee's good luck that broughtto us this gift of fifty thousand dollars. No, it was not luck.It was hard work. Nothing ever comes to me, that is worth having,except as the result of hard work. When Mr. Huntington gave methe first two dollars, I did not blame him for not giving memore, but made up my mind that I was going to convince him bytangible results that we were worthy of larger gifts. For a dozenyears I made a strong effort to convince Mr. Huntington of thevalue of our work. I noted that just in proportion as theusefulness of the school grew, his donations increased. Never didI meet an individual who took a more kindly and sympatheticinterest in our school than did Mr. Huntington. He not only gavemoney to us, but took time in which to advise me, as a fatherwould a son, about the general conduct of the school.More than once I have found myself in some pretty tight placeswhile collecting money in the North. The following incident Ihave never related but once before, for the reason that I fearedthat people would not believe it. One morning I found myself inProvidence, Rhode Island, without a cent of money with which tobuy breakfast. In crossing the street to see a lady from whom Ihoped to get some money, I found a bright new twenty-five-centpiece in the middle of the street track. I not only had thistwenty-five cents for my breakfast, but within a few minutes Ihad a donation from the lady on whom I had started to call.At one of our Commencements I was bold enough to invite the Rev.E. Winchester Donald, D.D., rector of Trinity Church, Boston, topreach the Commencement sermon. As we then had no room largeenough to accommodate all who would be present, the place ofmeeting was under a large improvised arbour, built partly ofbrush and partly of rough boards. Soon after Dr. Donald had begunspeaking, the rain came down in torrents, and he had to stop,while someone held an umbrella over him.The boldness of what I had done never dawned upon me until I sawthe picture made by the rector of Trinity Church standing beforethat large audience under an old umbrella, waiting for the rainto cease so that he could go on with his address.It was not very long before the rain ceased and Dr. Donaldfinished his sermon; and an excellent sermon it was, too, inspite of the weather. After he had gone to his room, and hadgotten the wet threads of his clothes dry, Dr. Donald venturedthe remark that a large chapel at Tuskegee would not be out ofplace. The next day a letter came from two ladies who were thentravelling in Italy, saying that they had decided to give us themoney for such a chapel as we needed.A short time ago we received twenty thousand dollars from Mr.Andrew Carnegie, to be used for the purpose of erecting a newlibrary building. Our first library and reading-room were in acorner of a shanty, and the whole thing occupied a space aboutfive by twelve feet. It required ten years of work before I wasable to secure Mr. Carnegie's interest and help. The first time Isaw him, ten years ago, he seemed to take but little interest inour school, but I was determined to show him that we were worthyof his help. After ten years of hard work I wrote him a letterreading as follows:December 15, 1900.Mr. Andrew Carnegie, 5 W. Fifty-first St., New York.Dear Sir: Complying with the request which you made of me when Isaw you at your residence a few days ago, I now submit in writingan appeal for a library building for our institution.We have 1100 students, 86 officers and instructors, together withtheir families, and about 200 coloured people living near theschool, all of whom would make use of the library building.We have over 12,000 books, periodicals, etc., gifts from ourfriends, but we have no suitable place for them, and we have nosuitable reading-room.Our graduates go to work in every section of the South, andwhatever knowledge might be obtained in the library would serveto assist in the elevation of the whole Negro race.Such a building as we need could be erected for about $20,000.All of the work for the building, such as brickmaking,brick-masonry, carpentry, blacksmithing, etc., would be done bythe students. The money which you would give would not onlysupply the building, but the erection of the building would givea largenumber of students an opportunity to learn the building trades,and the students would use the money paid to them to keepthemselves in school. I do not believe that a similar amount ofmoney often could be made go so far in uplifting a whole race.If you wish further information, I shall be glad to furnish it.Yours truly,Booker T. Washington, Principal.The next mail brought back the following reply: "I will be veryglad to pay the bills for the library building as they areincurred, to the extent of twenty thousand dollars, and I am gladof this opportunity to show the interest I have in your noblework."I have found that strict business methods go a long way insecuring the interest of rich people. It has been my constant aimat Tuskegee to carry out, in our financial and other operations,such business methods as would be approved of by any New Yorkbanking house.I have spoken of several large gifts to the school; but by farthe greater proportion of the money that has built up theinstitution has come in the form of small donations from personsof moderate means. It is upon these small gifts, which carry withthem the interest of hundreds of donors, that any philanthropicwork must depend largely for its support. In my efforts to getmoney I have often been surprised at the patience and deepinterest of the ministers, who are besieged on every hand and atall hours of the day for help. If no other consideration hadconvinced me of the value of the Christian life, the Christlikework which the Church of all denominations in America has doneduring the last thirty-five years for the elevation of the blackman would have made me a Christian. In a large degree it has beenthe pennies, the nickels, and the dimes which have come from theSunday-schools, the Christian Endeavour societies, and themissionary societies, as well as from the church proper, thathave helped to elevate the Negro at so rapid a rate.This speaking of small gifts reminds me to say that very fewTuskegee graduates fail to send us an annual contribution. Thesecontributions range from twenty-five cents up to ten dollars.Soon after beginning our third year's work we were surprised toreceive money from three special sources, and up to the presenttime we have continued to receive help from them. First, theState Legislature of Alabama increased its annual appropriationfrom two thousand dollars to three thousand dollars; I might addthat still later it increased this sum to four thousand fivehundred dollars a year. The effort to secure this increase wasled by the Hon. M.F. Foster, the member of the Legislature fromTuskegee. Second, we received one thousand dollars from the JohnF. Slater Fund. Our work seemed to please the trustees of thisfund, as they soon began increasing their annual grant. This hasbeen added to from time to time until at present we receiveeleven thousand dollars annually from the Fund. The other help towhich I have referred came in the shape of an allowance from thePeabody Fund. This was at first five hundred dollars, but it hassince been increased to fifteen hundred dollars.The effort to secure help from the Slater and Peabody Fundsbrought me into contact with two rare men--men who have had muchto do in shaping the policy for the education of the Negro. Irefer to the Hon. J.L.M. Curry, of Washington, who is the generalagent for these two funds, and Mr. Morris K. Jessup, of New York.Dr. Curry is a native of the South, an ex-Confederate soldier,yet I do not believe there is any man in the country who is moredeeply interest in the highest welfare of the Negro than Dr.Curry, or one who is more free from race prejudice. He enjoys theunique distinction of possessing to an equal degree of confidenceof the black man and the Southern white man. I shall never forgetthe first time I met him. It was in Richmond, Va., where he wasthen living. I had heard much about him. When I first went intohis presence, trembling because of my youth and inexperience, hetook me by the hand so cordially, and spoke such encouragingwords, and gave me such helpful advice regarding the propercourse to pursue, that I came to know him then, as I have knownhim ever since, as a high example of one who is constantly andunselfishly at work for the betterment of humanity.Mr. Morris K. Jessup, the treasurer of the Slater Fund, I referto because I know of no man of wealth and large and complicationbusiness responsibilities who gives not only money but his timeand thought to the subject of the proper method of elevating theNegro to the extent that is true of Mr. Jessup. It is verylargely through this effort and influence that during the lastfew years the subject of industrial education has assumed theimportance that it has, and been placed on its present footing.