While I was with the President, a white citizen of Atlanta, a Democrat and an ex-slaveholder, came into the room, and the President asked his opinion as to the wisdom of his going to Tuskegee.  Without hesitation the Atlanta man replied that it was the proper thing for him to do.  This opinion was reenforced by that friend of the race, Dr. J.L.M.  Curry.  The President promised that he would visit our school on the 16th of December.

When it became known that the President was going to visit our school, the white citizens of the town of Tuskegee—­a mile distant from the school—­were as much pleased as were our students and teachers.  The white people of this town, including both men and women, began arranging to decorate the town, and to form themselves into committees for the purpose of cooperating with the officers of our school in order that the distinguished visitor might have a fitting reception.  I think I never realized before this how much the white people of Tuskegee and vicinity thought of our institution.  During the days when we were preparing for the President’s reception, dozens of these people came to me and said that, while they did not want to push themselves into prominence, if there was anything they could do to help, or to relieve me personally, I had but to intimate it and they would be only too glad to assist.  In fact, the thing that touched me almost as deeply as the visit of the President itself was the deep pride which all classes of citizens in Alabama seemed to take in our work.

The morning of December 16th brought to the little city of Tuskegee such a crowd as it had never seen before.  With the President came Mrs. McKinley and all of the Cabinet officers but one; and most of them brought their wives or some members of their families.  Several prominent generals came, including General Shafter and General Joseph Wheeler, who were recently returned from the Spanish-American war.  There was also a host of newspaper correspondents.  The Alabama Legislature was in session in Montgomery at this time.  This body passed a resolution to adjourn for the purpose of visited Tuskegee.  Just before the arrival of the President’s party the Legislature arrived, headed by the governor and other state officials.

The citizens of Tuskegee had decorated the town from the station to the school in a generous manner.  In order to economize in the matter of time, we arranged to have the whole school pass in review before the President.  Each student carried a stalk of sugar-cane with some open bolls of cotton fastened to the end of it.  Following the students the work of all departments of the school passed in review, displayed on “floats” drawn by horses, mules, and oxen.  On these floats we tried to exhibit not only the present work of the school, but to show the contrasts between the old methods of doing things and the new.  As an example, we showed the old method of dairying in contrast with the improved methods, the old methods of tilling the soil in contrast with the new, the old methods of cooking and housekeeping in contrast with the new.  These floats consumed an hour and a half of time in passing.