After having given a good deal of
thought to the subject, we finally had the plans drawn for a
building that was estimated to cost about six thousand dollars.
This seemed to us a tremendous sum, but we knew that the school
must go backward or forward, and that our work would mean little
unless we could get hold of the students in their home life.
One incident which occurred about this time gave me a great deal
of satisfaction as well as surprise. When it became known in the
town that we were discussing the plans for a new, large building,
a Southern white man who was operating a sawmill not far from
Tuskegee came to me and said that he would gladly put all the
lumber necessary to erect the building on the grounds, with no
other guarantee for payment than my word that it would be paid
for when we secured some money. I told the man frankly that at
the time we did not have in our hands one dollar of the money
needed. Notwithstanding this, he insisted on being allowed to put
the lumber on the grounds. After we had secured some portion of
the money we permitted him to do this.
Miss Davidson again began the work of securing in various ways
small contributions for the new building from the white and
coloured people in and near Tuskegee. I think I never saw a
community of people so happy over anything as were the coloured
people over the prospect of this new building.
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