REV. W. B. WEST, D. D., Orator, Writer, President of Texas College, C. M. E. Church, Tyler, Texas.

Sketch from Negro Education: A Study of the Private and Higher Schools

PHILLIPS UNIVERSITY. President : W. R. Banks.

A secondary school with small elementary enrollment, hampered by a complicated curriculum. The school was founded in 1895 by the Texas Conference of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. Its name was afterwards changed from Phillips Academy to Texas College, and recently to Phillips University. It is controlled and supported by a board of 17 colored trustees elected by the conferences. Attendance.—Total, 110; elementary 35, secondary 75 (3 reporting college subjects), male 38, female 72; boarders, 82.

Teachers and workers.—Total, 10; all colored; male 6, female 4; elementary 3, academic 3, music 1, sewing 1, typewriting 1, matron 1.

Organization.—Elementary: The three upper grades are fairly well taught.

Secondary: The secondary work is divided by a confusing arrangement into three courses—college preparatory, with 38 pupils; academic, with 21; and normal, with 13. Three pupils were in so-called college subjects. The principal subjects are: Latin, 3 or 4 years; Greek, in the college preparatory, 2 years; English, 1 to 4 years; mathematics, 4; elementary science, 1.5 to 3; history, 1; Bible, .5 psychology and education, and a little agriculture, sewing, music, and typewriting. It is apparent that this elaborate program of subjects is wasteful, if not impossible for the small teaching force.

Financial, 1914-15.—No systematic books were kept at the time cf visit, and no facts concerning the finances for 1912-13 or 1913-14 were available. The new president gives the following as the more important financial items for the year 1914-15:

Income, excluding noneducational receipts $3, 765
Expenditures, less noneducational receipts 7, 172
Indebtedness 15, 000
Value of plant 70, 000

Sources of income: Church conferences and collections, $3,500; tuition and fees, $265. The noneducational receipts were from the boarding department and amounted to $2,750. Items of expenditure: Supplies for boarding department, $3,728; teachers' salaries, $3,150; fuel, light, and water, $816; repairs, $78; other expenses, $2,150.

Indebtedness: Of the indebtedness, $3,500 was money borrowed to meet current expenses and the remainder was in old debts for buildings and other purposes. The entire property is mortgaged.

Plant.—Land: Estimated value, $12,000. The land comprises 100 acres, about a mile and a half from town. None of the land is cultivated by the school, but the farm of 65 acres is rented out. The other land is used for campus and grounds.

Buildings: Estimated value, $53,000. Phillips Hall, a large four-story brick building, value $30,000, contains girls' dormitory, dining hall, and domestic-science department. The boys' dormitory, value $15,000, is a good three-story brick structure recently erected. There are several small frame structures, used for classrooms, school store, and other purposes.

Movable equipment : Estimated value, $5,000. Of this, $4,000 is in furniture; $500 in farm equipment and live stock; $500 in water tanks and heaters.

Recommendations.—1. That the organization be simplified. The secondary department should comprise one main course, including such studies as teacher training, elementary science, history, social studies, physiology, and sanitation, and other subjects should be arranged on a limited elective system.
2. That the theory and practice of gardening and simple industrial training be introduced.1
3. That a system of accounting adjusted to the needs of the school be installed and the books audited annually by an accredited accountant.

Date of visit: March, 1914.

1 See recommendations in summary chapter, p. 33. ' Formerly Texas College. > Elected since date ol visit. It is reported that the new administration is simplifying the courses.

1 See recommendations in summary chapter, p. aa.

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