The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.3, page 266, Oct. 1892, U. of Illinois Press

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The BOOKER T. WASHINGTON Papers To Robert Hannibal Hamilton ''Tuskegee, Ala.] October 4 t~8932 Mr. Hamilton: The Faculty desires me to speak to you regarding instrumental music. Our institution is entirely too far behind in this matter, and we shall be compelled to make greater progress in this line. At this present time, you will note that our institution has but three or four students in instrumental music while other institutions have two and three dozens. We are convinced that a part of the difficulty arises from the fact that in some way the individual students are not enthusiastic over their work and there is complaint among several who have taken lessons previously that they do not receive proper attention from you. Of course you can easily see how these complaints spread from one student to the other and prevents others from engaging to take music. We think that it will be a good plan to have you allow some of the more advanced students in instrumental music play the marches in the chapel or some of the familiar hymns. Putting them forward before the public in this way will go a long way toward encouraging them. Silvia Williams' is a girt who has considerable musical ability and in time will make a fine player. It will be a good plan to let her play . . . ~ the chapel. I think it will also be well to write to her mother concerning Sylvia continuing her course in music. There are many other suggestions I might make but I do not think it necessary to go further into details except to say that we are all in . . . and of the opinion that Celia McDonald2 who has such a superior voice should be given an opportunity to further cultivate her voice. If we do not take hold of her and bring her voice out some other institution will do so and get the credit for it. We hope that you will give these matters proper attention. B. T. Washington TLpS Con. ~o6 BTW Papers DLC. ~ Sylvia Jelean Williams of Montgomery attended Tuskegee Institute from taco through 1893, rising from the A preparatory to the B middle class. She did not graduate. 2 Celia Elvetus McDonald of Montgomery attended Tuskegee Institute in the junior class in 1887-88, the B middle class in 1888-89, and the A middle class from 1889 to 189~. She did not graduate. c66