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10-1932

The Prairie View Standard - October 1932 - Vol. XXIV No. 3

Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College

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VOL. XXIV. Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College, Prairie View, Texas, October 1932. No. 3.

ENGINEERING THROUGH THE AGES DORMANT YOUTH

By C. L. Wilson, B. S., M. E., Professor of By Rev. Lee C. Phillip, S. T. M., College Minister- Mechanic Arts It was said that "Necessity is the mother of in­ Without doubt, engineering is the oldest of our vention," but when this is applied to the Negro youth modern-day professions. Ever since man began to seek of today I am forced to ask this question, has she be­ for himself comfort other than those afforded by Na­ come sterile or is she practicing birth control ? ture alone, he has been an engineer. His early wants The trend of the educated Negro youth, as it ap­ (food, water, protection from storms, clothing, etc.), pears t-o me, is toward an individualism of self-aggran­ led him to devise methods for obtaining these desires dizement. He is not concerned about the things which by his own ingenuity. Surely man has always had the vitally affect his entire relationship to the world in creative mind of an engineer to plan and build the early which he lives, but he takes a "laissez faire" attitude structures and projects that are revealed to us by and is contented. If education has any dynamic in it, history. and it has, is it to give us a complacency that will make Possibly the first true engineer on earth was a man, us satisfied with the trends of society which are closing who, by divine inspiration, built an ark of gopher wood, in on us -on every side, or is it to make us sensitive to 500 feet by 83 feet by 50 feet with one window and one the injustices that we suffer as members of a minority door and three floors. It floated for 150 days and finally group? This education should so stir our souls that we landed on Mount Ararat. Its construction must have cannot rest until we have created something which will required great ingenuity and imagination, because of make it possible for us to share in th-ose things which the very primitive tools at the builder's disposal. are necessary for the development of a symmetrical Next, man in a vain attempt to reach heaven, personality. built the Tower of Babel. Although nothing is known, Is it possible that we can be truly educated and not by way of dimensions, as to the greatness of this al­ be acquainted with the conditions of our brothers in most prehistoric project, it showed that man had im­ •other parts of the country? Is it true that we can say aginative power several thousand years before Christ. "all is well" when right in our doors there are those The construction of a dam across the Nile about 5000 who are depending on us to share with them the light B. C. and the Egyptian Pyramids, (constructed 4000 to that has come to us through education to relieve them 2500 B. C.), whose structural work still puzzle the en­ from their oppression? "No chain is any stronger than gineer, are ancient engineering feats of great import­ its weakest link." There is no way for the Negro race ance. King Cheops, when building his Pyramid, em­ to come into its own until the educated have fused their ployed 100, 000 workmen and it took ten years to build intelligence with the whole of the ignorant masses. All the road upon which the stones were dragged. is not well so long as one black man has not the right Probably man's first want after he had passed the to speak and be heard as a man in any sphere of life. Direct Appropriation and Pastural Stages and reached Promising lads were taken from a famine stricken that of Agriculture was his desire for water with which country and carried into a land of plenty where they to irrigate his plants. He devised methods whereby he were to be educated. They were given delicious food could transfer water from one place to another with the and entertained luxuriously. There was -one lad who least possible effort. The ancient Egyptian engineer was not so gay as the others who had forgotten their continually faced this problem. Consequently, canals, home conditions. One day as they all were feasting at hydraulic works, and water ways, which have contrib­ a banquet he burst out hysterically, "I can't! I can't! uted much to the advance of civilization, were of im­ "Why are you sad when you have everything that life portance to the ancients. Some examples of early water­ can afford in the material sense?" asked his master. ways are as follows: The system of five canals radiat­ The lad replied, "I cannot enjoy these luxuries when ing from the waters of Diahlah north of Bagdad, built my brothers and sisters are starving for the bare ne­ by Nebuchadneezer 700 B. C.; and the Aqueduct of cessities of life." Justinian I, 550 A. D. Should this not be our attitude as educated youth? There are hundreds of early projects built by man How can we enjoy temporary good things when there which could be mentioned to show what an ancient pro­ are millions who are giving their life's blood for the fession engineering really is. Some of the outstanding bare necessities of existence? feats are: the Grand Canal of China, 700 miles in Can we drink, dance and make merry when the (Continued on page 3) (Continued on page 3) 2

dependable people, a prosperous and progressive citi­ ENGINEERING-^ uses, and its possibilities are still in an undeveloped The Prairie View Standard zenship. state. Most of us are familiar with the progress of en­ (Continued from page 1) Published monthly during the school year except WE OWE THE NEGRO CHILD ENCOURAGEMENT gineering science the beginning of the 19th century. July and August by Prairie View State Normal and length; the great monuments of Yucatan, Peru, and Man has demanded faster means and methods of trans­ Mexico; the tunnel under the Euphrates; and the drain­ Industrial College, Prairie View, Texas. (Oklahoma Eagle) portation. The engineer has -obeyed the demands of his ing of Lake Capaias. As a race we must not lose interest in our tots, fellowmen by producing the steam locomotive, the auto­ Entered as second-class matter March 2, 1911, at Leaving antiquity behind, there is one of the early because it's from them that a strong race must come. mobile and numerous types of aircraft and "lighter the postoffice at Prairie View, Texas, under the act of natural philosophers to whom we will refer. Hero, of These little fellows need our every attention and en­ than air" machines. With these faster methods of trav­ March 3, 1879. Alexandria, who lived A. D. 100, was one of the best couragement, and whenever we neglect them in the least el, come more dependable methods of communication. known technicians in classic literature. His whirling In this case the engineer produced the telegraph, tele­ W. Rutherford Banks Principal way, we are guilty of a crime that the Savior frowns "Aeolipile" is the earliest representation of a machine phone, and radio. The demands for highways and build­ Napoleon B. Edward Executive Secretary upon. They are "men and women of tomorrow" and moved by steam. This work excited much interest in ings have brought about new and improved methods should, on all occasions get the glad hand from the the subject of mechanics and in the power of steam in steel and concrete construction. Acceptance for mailing at special rates of postage grown-ups in the Negro race. The time has arrived and marked the invention of the steam turbine. The de­ In summary, one might say that the engineer has provided for in Section 103, Act of October 3, 1917; when their little feet will patter on their daily march velopment of the turbine, however, was forced to wait transformed the world about him. Through his efforts authorized July 13, 1918. to the school room, and their voices filled with glee, will for advance in the fields of machine design and ther­ we live in a "world of speed." It is a world of steel and be heard. They should afford each of us a wonderful SUBSCRIPTION - 50 CENTS PER YEAR modynamics. concrete; we are fantastically guided on our way by picture of inspiration; their early start at a warfare "on communications undreamed of by our predecessors. ignorance that will in a very few years, prove a bless­ Somewhat of a jump in history is necessary to ECONOMIC LIBERTY What will the next century bring? ing, should win for them a whole-hearted co-operation. reach the next consideration; the immense engineering Education is a panacea for many of our ills, and problems and undertaking in the Roman Aqueducts. Although the depression is felt everywhere and by DORMANT YOUTH- no Negro parent should allow his child to be deprived The remains today of these ancient structures show all people it is to a great degree a personal matter. The of the chance to attend school. how they crossed rivers, tunneled under hills and tra­ Standard believes that depression depends largely upon None of our conditions should be bad enough to versed valleys. (Continued from page 1) the intelligence and thrift of individuals composing the cause us to neglect youth in giving them a chance bo The erection of the "Old London Bridge" was the wine that we drink is being made from the blood of social and economic group. secure an education. An educated race is certainly the most formidable enterprise of the kind undertaken dur­ related bodies? Plainly speaking, if the individual who is employed Negro's salvation and when we fail to provide for the ing the Middle Ages. No less than thirty-three years I hope that our education will not make us acqui­ will spend less than his income, if he will spend less Negro child that he .may be thoroughly trained we must were required for the erection of this important bridge, esce in the Status Quo, but will so bestir our souls that than he earns and put something away against the be classed as "poor excuses." Don't cheat the child completed 1209. That it was properly constructed is we will give ourselves to the task of making the condi­ deprivations and uncertainties of depression, he will though you are forced to sacrafice yourselves and com­ sufficiently proved by the fact that traffic "of London tions of the struggle fair and the prospects of the strug­ find as the years go by that he will be able to stand. pelled to do without many things. There is not a more was safely borne across it for some 600 years. gle hopeful for the masses. But we control our own wealth and income. No man precious gift within your reach than making provisions, In 1592, the first pump machine was used in Lon­ Youth, yea, Negro youth, arise from your slumber shall forbid us the right to dispose of our own goods. whereby your child will be able to attend school. Let don. In that year Peter Maurice, a German engineer, and THINK! Nobody should dare say that we shall or shall not save the streets in all towns be cleared of Negro children proposed to erect a machine on the Thames for the the fruits of our toil. This is our privilege under oral and let them be found at school where they may drink more effectual water supply of the city; upon approval, VESPER PROGRAMME and written law. Nevertheless it is highly essential and from the fountain of knowledge, served by able instruc­ he erected it in the river near London Bridge, and, Sunday Evening, October 30, 1932 very moral that we think and build for tomorrow. If tors. through pumps and valves, raised water to such a height we would go forward, we must turn our faces to the 1. Song—Negro National Anthem Assembly that it served to supply water to the uppermost floor front and march on. This is true no less in the cfvil 2. Vocal Solo Mr. O. J. Baker THE ENROLLMENT of the loftiest building in the city. than in the military pursuits of life. Extravagance is "Thank God f-or a Garden"—Teresa Dell Riego facing about. It is a step backward. It is the twin of After close study of all the possible factors affect­ Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was the founder of 3. Introduction of Speaker Mr. G. W. Reeves poverty and a close companion of ignorance and crime, ing and effecting the enrollment this year at the college, our Modern engineering sciences. He developed his 4. Address Mr. John W. Rice high and low. On it no great institution can be built; Principal W. R. Banks makes the following statement: originial knowledge from the apprenticeships served "What the Future Holds for the Young no government can rest; our social structure totters "The low enrollment this year is attributable to with Abbaco, Agirapulo, Alberti and Taseauelli. Later College Negro" and the aims and objectives of an enlightened civiliza­ two causes: Viz., (a) Unemployment of Negroes in citi­ he investigated and formed theories on the following: 5. Trio—"Sunrise Reminds Me of You" tion totters and falls. es, and (b) distressful agricultural conditions. In the work, center of gravity, moments, pulleys and levers. Mrs. E. W. Gilmore, Miss P. M. Watkins It has been said that wealth is not the most pre­ past we have had a heavy enrollment from the rural Georgius Agrieola (1495-1555) inaugurated our Mr. C. S. Wells cious thing in life. This may be true, but the posses­ sections of Texas. Now that the bottom has dropped modern methods of metallurgy. He discovered and re­ The principal speech was the address "of Mr. John out of the prices of agricultural commodities students sion and wise use of it is essential to peaceful, happy corded processes for separating, smelting and assaying W. Rice, secretary of endowment for the Odd Fellows drawn from these sections consequently have no means and progressive living. ores; he was the first assayer, without a doubt. of Texas. Miss P. M. Watkins presided. There is another bondage which holds our group of raising sufficient money bo enter colleges this year. We have already made some reference bo steam. In Mr. Rice stressed the following points: (1) The with grips stronger than iron bars. That is economic It is to be noted that the present enrollment comes very this field an inventor who needs no introduction is Negro must face the world as men and not as Negroes. bondage. But in most cases where it exists we are both largely from cities where there are more or less steady James Watt, who lived from 1736 to 1819 and is to be (2) The need for economic security. (3) Transforming slave and master. By the ruthless and reckless expendi­ payrolls." recognized as an inventor, and probably the real in­ our present social institutions into creative enterprises. ture of our earnings, little or much, we enslave our­ ventor of the steam engine. One of his greatest contri­ selves, impoverish our children and cut them short of Members of the faculty in large numbers are plan­ butions was the invention of the condenser. Among other things, Mr. Rice discussed the ne% the promises and blessings of a noble and enriched civi­ ning to attend the Colored Teachers' State Association So far we have not mentioned electricity, the great­ cessity of thrift weeks or thrift months programs to lization. The Standard ventures the belief, that if we which convenes in Fort Worth, Texas, November 24 to est agency of advancement in engineering science. It stimulate the race in the feasibility and habit of sav­ would be economically free, the power is in our own November 26, inclusive. Prof. G. W. Reeves, associate is civilization's best friend. The first electric light was ing regularly. He sp-oke admonishingly against living hands individually as well as collectively. The keen professor of education, has been appointed by Principal produced in 1810, by drawing carbons or terminals of a above our means and spending in excess of our incomes. edge is ready and at hand to sever the binding cords of W. R. Banks to assist, locally, in enrolling all teachers battery "of 2000 cells a short distance apart. Next, Edi­ Able and fearless speaker, Mr. Rice in his address made ignorance, indolence and extravagance, and thus through and employes. Principal Banks is urging that all mem­ son invented the incandescent light in 1879. Since then a deep and lasting impression on students and teachers toil and thrift, though little by little, build a strong and bers of the faculty enroll and attend the association. electricity has been adapted to hundreds of different alike who gathered early in the chapel to hear him. 4

TEXAS NEGRO PRESS ASSOCIATION Texas Interracial Commission which meets in Dallas, WILL CONVENE Texas, Friday and Saturday, November 4-5. The gen­ eral theme for the Interracial Committee will be the TO THE NEGRO PRESS OF TEXAS: "Interracial Aspects of the Present Educational and The second annual session of the Texas Negro Economic Challenge." To be called to address these two Press Association, organized at Beaumont, Texas, No­ outstanding educational and civic bodies is an unusual vember 27, 1931, will convene this year in connection recognition and distinction for one of the race. Thor­ with the Colored Teachers' State Association at Fort oughly educated and versed in educational, social, and Worth, Texas, November 25, 1932. All officers and em­ economic affairs, Principal Banks will unquestionably ployees engaged in journalistic work in the State are make a worthy contribution both at Dallas and Fort urgently requested to attend this meeting. Among other Worth. things the Constitution and By-Laws for the press will be considered and a formal program will be rendered. LOCAL ALUMNI CLUB Professor W. H. Burnett, distinguished educator, orator and publicist, Terrell, Texas; and Mr. Valmo During the first meeting this year the Local Alum­ Bellinger, noted capitalist and publisher of the San An­ ni Club elected the following officers: tonio Register, San Antonio, Texas, have been selected R. W. Hilliard, President. as leading speakers on the program to be held in con­ J. M. Alexander, Vice president. nection with the general program of the Colored Teach­ Miss Ruby L. Rush, Secretary. ers' Association at Fort Worth, Texas, Friday after­ Mrs. H. G. Dickei'son, Reporter. noon, November 25, 1932 as follows: L. C. Moseley, Treasurer. 1. Prelude. L. C. Phillip, Chaplain. 2. Discussion—The Editor: (a) Qualifications; (b) Miss Mattie Whiting, Pianist. Duties; (c) Responsibilities—Led by Mr. Valmo Bel­ November 11 is Alumni Day when there is a gene­ linger, San Antonio, Texas. ral home coming of graduates from all sections of the 3. Music. country. The Local Club made arrangement under the 4. Discussion—Does the Negro Press Have (a) A direction of President Hilliard to accommodate and en­ Well Defined Policy, and (b) Does it Operate in accord­ tertain them, with the generous assistance of the fol­ ance with that Policy?—Led by Prof. W. H. Burnett, lowing committee for the day: Mrs. J. M. Colter, chair­ Principal, Terrell High School, Terrell, Texas. man; O. L. Lawrence, C. G. Oler, J. E. Dailey, Madams Note.—An Executive Session of the Press Associa­ I. A. Reese, C. L. Wilson, and C. S .Wells. tion will be held subject to announcement to consider (a) the tentative Constitution and By-Laws and (b) PANTHERS LOSE AND TIE such other matters as may properly come before it. NAPOLEON B. EDWARD, President. The Panthers, though true to their colors, and W. L. DAVIS, Secretary. fighting every inch of the way, have been forced to ac­ cept two defeats on the gridiron thus far this season. BEARS Vs. PANTHERS They were defeated at Alabama State College, 7 to 9, in an almost evenly matched encounter October 7. Thousands of visitors -from all sections of Texas The Panthers lost the second time at the State Fair in and even beyond the confines of the State are expected Dallas, Texas, on Negro Day, October 17, the scores to witness the pigskin contest at Prairie View between being 13 to 0 in favor of the Wild Cats of Wiley Col­ the Bears of Bishop College, Marshall, Texas, and the lege. The score against Arkansas State College was a Panthers of Prairie View State College, Armistice Day, tie, nothing and nothing. Friday, November 11. The Panthers, however, are still undaunted and . Principal W. R. Banks has inaugurated every pre­ have fighting fire in their eyes. There is a long way to liminary and precautionary measure to care for the go yet before the conference season ends, and it is pre­ visitors when they arrive on the campus Armistice Day. dicted by devotees of the Panthers that they will re­ The Bears are strong contenders and the Panthers gain lost ground and retain the championship which will be put to the supreme test in football tactics they won last year, so gloriously. throughout the encounter. Both teams have undergone systematic training and each is thoroughly hopeful of DR. J. M. FRANKLIN victory. Dr. J. M. Franklin, college surgeon, accompanied , PRINCIPAL W. R. BANKS ADDRESSES WHITE by his wife attended the clinic held recently for phy­ TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND sicians and surgeons at Saint Louis, Missouri. INTERRACIAL COMMISSION Dr. Franklin is an able, progressive physician. He is ever alert and abreast of the times in his chosen pro­ Principal W. R. Banks has been invited to address fession in medicine and surgery. His work at the Rock­ the White Teachers' State Association at Fort Worth, efeller Hospital at Prairie View has been outstanding, Texas, November 26. The Principal will also be one of placing him unquestionably among the best physicians the main speakers during the annual session of the and surgeons of the country.