“The greatest drawback, however, in the administration of big business is the lack of manpower. First and foremost success in business depends upon adequate man power.
Our schools are turning out only partially trained young people with no business experience whatever, and while many of them are good technicians they are for the most part helpless in their new jobs because there is little correlation between the classroom and
the business office. There is not in America today a solitary business college operated by Negroes which utilizes our business organizations as laboratories for its students. Business colleges ought to be operated in centers of Negro business where practical business men
could lecture and instruct the faculties who are endeavoring to train the business men of the future.”
“The early advocates of the education of Negroes were of three classes: first, masters who desired to increase the economic efficiency of their labor supply; second, sympathetic persons who wished to help the oppressed; and third, zealous missionaries who, 1/
believing that the message of divine love came equally to all, taught slaves the English language that they might learn the principles of the Christian religion. Through the kindness of the first class, slaves had their best chance for mental improvement. 2/
Each slaveholder dealt with the situation to suit himself, regardless of public opinion. Later, when measures were passed to prohibit the education of slaves, some masters, always a law unto themselves, continued to teach their Negroes in defiance of the hostile legislation. “
3/