One day, when we
were holding a meeting to secure funds for its erection, an old,
ante-bellum coloured man came a distance of twelve miles and
brought in his ox-cart a large hog. When the meeting was in
progress, he rose in the midst of the company and said that he
had no money which he could give, but he had raised two fine
hogs, and that he had brought one of them as a contribution
toward the expenses of the building. He closed his announcement
by saying: "Any nigger that's got any love for his race, or any
respect for himself, will bring a hog to the next meeting." Quite
a number of men in the community also volunteered to give several
days' work, each, toward the erection of the building.
After we had secured all the help that we could in Tuskegee, Miss
Davidson decided to go North for the purpose of securing
additional funds. For weeks she visited individuals and spoke in
churches and before Sunday schools and other organizations. She
found this work quite trying, and often embarrassing. The school
was not known, but she was not long in winning her way into the
confidence of the best people in the North.
The first gift from any Northern person was received from a New
York lady whom Miss Davidson met on the boat that was bringing
her North.
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