The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.3, page 135, Mar. 1891, U. of Illinois Press

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MARCH · r 89 ~ could write the answers to my questions and relieve you of the task. The letter may be addressed to me as follows Respectfully M.St.,N.W. Washington, D.C. ALS Con. 3 BTW Papers ATT. Original destroyed. From Julia Strudwick Tutwiler~ Emily Rowland (Livingston, Ala.] March 7, 18 Dear Sir: I wish to write to you on a subject concerning the colored youth of Alabama which has occupied much of my thoughts for the past few years: You are aware that the Legislature of Alabama has now for the third time refused to give an annual appropriation of ten thousand dollars to establish a Reformatory. There are more than two hundred colored boys under the age of seventeen now ~ training for the lives of professional criminals; those called ''county convicts'' are at the mining-camps. Those called ''state convicts'' are at the penitentiary, where up to this time they have had no teacher and no training that would fit them for a better life than that of animals. Now these boys are to be hired out with the other convicts to the highest bidder, who furnishes at the same time the guarantees requires! by the state as to treatment etc. Now in your catalogue ~ see that you have a farm of 800 acres three miles from the Normal College. You have every facility for erecting buildings, you have great executive ability and enthusiasm for the uplifting of the colored race; why should you not hire these two hundred colored boys and establish an Industrial Reform school? Some of your teachers would doubtless give their services free of charge at night to these poor outcasts. Philanthropic fnends at the North Will assist you in an effort so Christ-like, with money, with clothing with counsel. You can afford to pay the same hire for them that any one else would pay, and might state in your bid that you will do this, and i35