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ondition no matter how long I have been absent from it。 During all the financial stress through which the school has passed； his patience and faith in our ultimate success have not left him。
As soon as our first building was near enough to completion so that we could occupy a portion of itwhich was near the middle of the second year of the schoolwe opened a boarding department。 Students had begun coming from quite a distance； and in such increasing numbers that we felt more and more that we were merely skimming over the surface； in that we were not getting hold of the students in their home life。
We had nothing but the students and their appetites with which to begin a boarding department。 No provision had been made in the new building for a kitchen and dining room； but we discovered that by digging out a large amount of earth from under the building we could make a partially lighted basement room that could be used for a kitchen and dining room。 Again I called on the students to volunteer for work； this time to assist in digging out the basement。 This they did； and in a few weeks we had a place to cook and eat in； although it was very rough and uncomfortable。 Any one seeing the place now would never believe that it was once used for a dining room。
The most serious problem； though； was to get the boarding department started off in running order； with nothing to do with in the way of furniture； and with no money with which to buy anything。 The merchants in the town would let us have what food we wanted on credit。 In fact； in those earlier years I was constantly embarrassed because people seemed to have more faith in me than I had in myself。 It was pretty hard to cook； however； with stoves； and awkward to eat without dishes。 At first the cooking was done out…of…doors； in the old…fashioned； primitive style； in pots and skillets placed over a fire。 Some of the carpenters' benches that had been used in the construction of the building were utilized for tables。 As for dishes； there were too few to make it worth while to spend time in describing them。
No one connected with the boarding department seemed to have any idea that meals must be served at certain fixed and regular hours； and this was a source of great worry。 Everything was so out of joint and so inconvenient that I feel safe in saying that for the first two weeks something was wrong at every meal。 Either the meat was not done or had been burnt； or the salt had been left out of the bread； or the tea had been forgotten。
Early one morning I was standing near the dining…room door listening to the complaints of the students。 The complaints that morning were especially emphatic and numerous； because the whole breakfast had been a failure。 One of the girls who had failed to get any breakfast came out and went to the well to draw some water to drink and take the place of the breakfast which she had not been able to get。 When she reached the well； she found that the rope was broken and that she could get no water。 She turned from the well and said； in the most discouraged tone； not knowing that I was where I could hear her； 〃We can't even get water to drink at this school。〃 I think no one remark ever came so near discouraging me as that one。
At another time； when Mr。 Bedfordwhom I have already spoken of as one of our trustees； and a devoted friend of the institutionwas visiting the school； he was given a bedroom immediately over the dining room。 Early in the morning he was awakened by a rather animated discussion between two boys in the dining room below。 The discussion was over the question as to whose turn it was to use the coffee…cup that morning。 One boy won the case by proving that for three mornings he had not had an opportunity to use the cup at all。
But gradually； with patience and hard work； we brought order out of chaos； just as will be true of any problem if we stick to it with patience and wisdom and earnest effort。
As I look back now over that part of our struggle； I am glad to see that we had it。 I am glad that we endured all those discomforts and inconveniences。 I am glad that our students had to dig out the place for their kitchen and dining room。 I am glad that our first boarding…place was in the dismal； ill…lighted； and damp basement。 Had we started in a fine； attractive； convenient room； I fear we would have 〃lost our heads〃 and become 〃stuck up。〃 It means a great deal； I think； to start off on a foundation which one has made for one's self。
When our old students return to Tuskegee now； as they often do； and go into our large； beautiful； well…ventilated； and well…lighted dining room； and see tempting； well…cooked foodlargely grown by the students themselvesand see tables； neat tablecloths and napkins； and vases of flowers upon the tables； and hear singing birds； and note that each meal is served exactly upon the minute； with no disorder； and with almost no complaint coming from the hundreds that now fill our dining room； they； too； often say to me that they are glad that we started as we did； and built ourselves up year by year； by a slow and natural process of growth。
Chapter XI。 Making Their Beds Before They Could Lie On Them
A little later in the history of the school we had a visit from General J。F。B。 Marshall； the Treasurer of the Hampton Institute； who had had faith enough to lend us the first two hundred and fifty dollars with which to make a payment down on the farm。 He remained with us a week； and made a careful inspection of everything。 He seemed well pleased with our progress； and wrote back interesting and encouraging reports to Hampton。 A little later Miss Mary F。 Mackie； the teacher who had given me the 〃sweeping〃 examination when I entered Hampton； came to see us； and still later General Armstrong himself came。
At the time of the visits of these Hampton friends the number of teachers at Tuskegee had increase considerably； and the most of the new teachers were graduates of the Hampton Institute。 We gave our Hampton friends； especially General Armstrong； a cordial welcome。 They were all surprised and pleased at the rapid progress that the school had made within so short a time。 The coloured people from miles around came to the school to get a look at General Armstrong； about whom they had heard so much。 The General was not only welcomed by the members of my own race； but by the Southern white people as well。
This first visit which General Armstrong made to Tuskegee gave me an opportunity to get an insight into his character such as I had not before had。 I refer to his interest in the Southern white people。 Before this I had had the thought that General Armstrong； having fought the Southern white man； rather cherished a feeling of bitterness toward the white South； and was interested in helping only the coloured man there。 But this visit convinced me that I did not know the greatness and the generosity of the man。 I soon learned； by his visits to the Southern white people； and from his conversations with them； that he was as anxious about the prosperity and the happiness of the white race as the black。 He cherished no bitterness against the South； and was happy when an opportunity offered for manifesting his sympa