"One afternoon when Miss Davidson was busy setting up blackboards she heard, 'Miss Davidson, look quick ! Yondoh come Mistah Washington with a hoss!'
"She hurried to the door and stood staring as the principal came up the path leading a horse that stumbled and swayed with age. Washington's sober face was beaming.
"'Here we are, Miss Davidson,' he called out when he saw her. 'The school 's first animal! One of the white citizens of Tuskegee gave me this !' He halted and surveyed his gift with happy affection.
"Miss Davidson stepped outside. She walked around the horse , slowly inspecting it . She paused suddenly, waved her hand before the animal 's eyes, and exclaimed, 'Why, Mr. Washington, this poor creature 's blind!'
"Washington frowned. His voice was nettled. 'What if it is? It's got four legs, hasn't it?' And without another word, he led the horse away.
"Miss Davidson looked after him soberly. She wondered where the principal would house his livestock. She and her students were using the stable."
P.141-142, "July 4, 1881," BOOKER T. WASHINGTON EDUCATOR OF HAND HEAD AND HEART (1955) by Shirley Graham
Monday, May 7, 2018
BOOKER T AND HIS HORSE
"One afternoon when Miss Davidson was busy setting up blackboards she heard, 'Miss Davidson, look quick ! Yondoh come Mistah Washington with a hoss!'
"She hurried to the door and stood staring as the principal came up the path leading a horse that stumbled and swayed with age. Washington's sober face was beaming.
"'Here we are, Miss Davidson,' he called out when he saw her. 'The school 's first animal! One of the white citizens of Tuskegee gave me this !' He halted and surveyed his gift with happy affection.
"Miss Davidson stepped outside. She walked around the horse , slowly inspecting it . She paused suddenly, waved her hand before the animal 's eyes, and exclaimed, 'Why, Mr. Washington, this poor creature 's blind!'
"Washington frowned. His voice was nettled. 'What if it is? It's got four legs, hasn't it?' And without another word, he led the horse away.
"Miss Davidson looked after him soberly. She wondered where the principal would house his livestock. She and her students were using the stable."
P.141-142, "July 4, 1881," BOOKER T. WASHINGTON EDUCATOR OF HAND HEAD AND HEART (1955) by Shirley Graham