The plan of having the students make the furniture is
still followed, but the number of pieces in a room has been
increased, and the workmanship has so improved that little fault
can be found with the articles now. One thing that I have always
insisted upon at Tuskegee is that everywhere there should be
absolute cleanliness. Over and over again the students were
reminded in those first years--and are reminded now--that people
would excuse us for our poverty, for our lack of comforts and
conveniences, but that they would not excuse us for dirt.
Another thing that has been insisted upon at the school is the
use of the tooth-brush. "The gospel of the tooth-brush," as
General Armstrong used to call it, is part of our creed at
Tuskegee. No student is permitted to retain who does not keep and
use a tooth-brush. Several times, in recent years, students have
come to us who brought with them almost no other article except a
tooth-brush. They had heard from the lips of other students about
our insisting upon the use of this, and so, to make a good
impression, they brought at least a tooth-brush with them. I
remember that one morning, not long ago, I went with the lady
principal on her usual morning tour of inspection of the girls'
rooms. We found one room that contained three girls who had
recently arrived at the school.
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