Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/175

 THE NEGRO RACE AND EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION I 59

With almost mathematical precision it can be demonstrated that the reform of the most vicious characteristics of African life will be the certain consequence of a few simple changes in economic organization ; and we may, indeed, anticipate an unfold- ing of new and better social energies, when the ground has thus been cleared of the worst impediments to progress.

As the African natives are specially deficient on the side of the mechanical arts, the development of industrial education is of great importance. The African missions, especially those of the English Protestant church, have been much criticised for their methods of education. Thus, Archdeacon Farler, in his report on eastern Africa, says that the instruction given by these missions is too scholastic; other travelers and explorers are most severe in their judgment of the characteristics and behavior of the "missionary-made man." Dressed in European frock-coat and top-hat, and displaying with pride a smattering of English educa- tion, the " civilized " natives love to swagger about in the coast towns, despising manual work and the customs of their race. They have stripped off the restraints of their native religion and are far from having adopted the morals of Christianity. In order to avoid the continuance of conditions like these, the mis- sions are being urged to educate the natives to an appreciation of the dignity of labor in the handicrafts, to instruct them in their native language, and to encourage the maintenance of all local customs that are not barbarous. Some of the missions have already achieved much in industrial education and in the manual training of natives. State industrial schools are also being estab- lished, both in the French, the German, and the British colonies. By nature, the African negro is averse to labor, which he thinks ought to be performed by women and slaves. He is only too ready to apply to himself the English definition of " gentleman." To many colonial publicists the gradual methods of education appear too slow and uncertain in their results ; in order to develop the great natural resources of Africa and to teach the mass of the natives proper industrial methods, they believe that some system of forced labor will have to be introduced; and withal the agitation for the abolition of the native system of slavery in