The bulletin of Atlanta University, 1905 no. 152

              NUMBER  152 ATLANTA, GEORGIA                              FEBRUARY,   1905  For statement of the work of Atlanta University see last page. AUNT HARRIET'S OFFERING "Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all." Years ago Aunt Harriet lived in a little house on the bank of a brook that used to run along the western border of the Atlanta University campus. She looked upon the University as a sort of guardian angel, spreading its great wings out to protect her in her lowly home. Occasionally some of the students would visit her, and by a gift or deed of helpfulness give and receive a blessing. I can remember what delight we took as children in calling on Aunt Harriet. In her garden grew a strange kind of fruit known to us as the "smell-melon." It is about the size of an egg, mottled like a water-melon, and of most delicious fragrance. She was generous with these treasures, and each child usually left her garden with the precious booty to carry home and put in the bureau drawer to make the handkerchiefs fragrant. Sometimes we would have a sort of picnic lunch out under the trees in her yard. She would insist that one of us ask grace, but her beaming face was always the best benediction. The lane that ran by her house is now bordered with many other little houses and has assumed the august name of Sunset Avenue ; and the brook has been diverted into a culvert. Notwithstanding the grand name it now bears the lane that led to Aunt Harriet's house has lost something of its former charm, because she no longer lives there. But Aunt Harriet is still in Atlanta, and when the friends of Atlanta University gave a reception in honor of Edmund Ware's children last November in the First Congregational Church, the first guest to arrive was Aunt Harriet. She took her place with the others to go up and shake hands with those who were receiving. But when it came to shaking hands with the children she had known, she must have longer than the rest to say her "Howdies," even if it did keep the whole company waiting; and when she had concluded her simple hearty greetings, she placed in my hand a little  envelope.   At the first opportunity I opened Aunt Harriet's envelope, and in it I found two dimes and a nickel for Atlanta University. Edward T. Ware. HOW MANY REMAIN TO GRADUATE? We discussed this question in our November issue, our attention being called to it by an address of Pres. Tucker of Dartmouth College. At that time we noticed that, in Dartmouth College, about 60% of the total membership of four recent classes completed the course. In this institution about 55% of eight recent classes have done so. We have just received the last report of Pres. Francis P. Venable, of the University of North Carolina. In this report—as a whole one of great interest —he also discusses the same question. "The failure of students to complete the course," he says, "continues to be a great evil in this University and in Southern education in general." The figures which he gives, for four successive classes, from 1901 to 1904, show the per cent. of those entering to graduate to be successively 18, 22, 24, 26.6. We incline to think that Pres. Venable has reference to those who complete the course within four years: a mode of reckoning slightly at variance with that by which • we obtained the corresponding figure of 55.%,' which included all gaining our A. B. degree, some of them in a longer time than four years. It is possible, however, that his figures are on the same basis as our own. We are glad that Pres. Venable's figures, discouraging as they are, show something of again. The following are his comments, after giving the statistics: It is encouraging to note the steady, even though small, increase in the percentage of those entering who complete their course to graduation. Everything that the wisdom of the faculty can suggest is being done to remedy this tendency to drop out of collegiate training too quickly, but the trouble lies largely at home and in the sentiment pervading the community. It will require patient effort for a change in this regard. I deem it best to repeat, with emphasis, that portion of my report of last year: Such a loss is a very serious threat to the institution and to general scholarship. It is due in part to the poverty of our people which is still very great. It is due still more to a lack of high ideals as to education and scholarship, which makes the young men and their parents content with very moderate attainment and induces them to hasten into the work of life very poorly prepared for the struggle. Sons of the well-to-do are often called into their fathers' business or into some of the multitude of minor positions which open up in time of material prosperity. The academic course is cut short in order to begin a professional course. Technical and so-called practical courses are taken up, eschewing all preliminary training. There is an almost feverish unrest and impatience with the slow processes of mental training. PEONAGE UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN ALABAMA Such was the decision of the supreme court of that state, rendered July 21, 1904. We have recently secured a copy of this decision. It was rendered in the case of Toney v. State, being a reversal by the supreme court from a judgment of the lower court remanding the petitioner to custody. We quote a part of the decision, from 37 Southern Reporter, pp. 332-334: Authority for the warrant under which petitioner is imprisoned does not exist unless in an act approved March 1, 1901 (Acts 1900-01, p. 1208), which purports to apply in Russell and other counties of this state, and which declares : "That any person who has contracted in writing to labor for, or serve, another for any given time, or any person who has by written contract leased or rented land from another for any specified time, or any person who has contracted in writing with a party furnishing the lands, or the lands and teams to cultivate it, either to furnish the labor, or the labor and teams to cultivate the land, with stipulations, express or implied, to divide the crops between them in certain proportion, and who before the expiration of such contract and without the consent of the other party, and without sufficient excuse, to be adjudged by the court, shall leave such other party, or abandon said contract, or leave or abandon the leased premises, or the land furnished as aforesaid, and who shall also make a second contract, either parol or written, of a similar nature or character to any of said aforementioned contracts, though differing in some particulars in the terms, stipulations or period of time, with a different person, without first giving notice to such person of the existence of the said first contract, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction be fined Continued on page 4.