Bl

strictly academic work, the students were also learning bookkeeping, printing, and the various subjects associated with the music department, the Bible department, and Kent Home.3q The students at Bennett were also active in religious, athletic, cultural, and even political affairs. Corrothers stated that nearly all the students were Christians and were of excellent character; every Sunday morning they went in a body to the services of the Rev. P. O'Connell, and considered it a special privilege if they obtained perm mission to hear him at night.35 Athletic events at Bennett were inau- gurated by Corrothers. Bennett was then one of the few Negro schools

in the South with this activity. Even though most of the students were

poor, they raised $28.00 dollars with which\Corrothers ordered a wall

machine, punching bag and platform, and several pairs of Indian clubs

and dumbbells. Besides teaching the use of this sports equipment, Corrothers took the boys out for cross«country runs two or three eve- -nings a week.36 The students gave public programs, not only at commencement times, but also for sheer entertainment. In l89l, for example, they put on an evening of “Joint Literary and Musical Entertainment,M for which a program was printed. The titles of addresses, songs, and so

forth, are significant for throwing light on the aspirations and atti~

tudes of the time. Two songs “Hope Beyond“ and “Trusting” indicate

3“Ibid., pp. 250, 206.

35Corrothers, EB“ gi£., pp. l06ulO7, llh.

36Ib‘i d'o, Pp. 108‘1090