Kowaliga:
I.K.
Merchant, Secretary U.M.C.A. has inaugurated a very important part
of the work at Building Dixie Railroad, Kowaliga. (the railroad
was built to help the new school, Kowaliga.
Realizing that it is necessary for the young
people of the community to have diversions, his institution has
undertaken to supply this need. For the time being, the
schoolhouse is the mecca of all the young epeople of the
community, where they are getting such diversions as the
circomstances and conditions will permit.
He
nowhas in course of preparation, a plan to build a new Y.M.C.A.
building in this center of the sommunity, which will be devoted to
Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. work in separate parts of the building, with
a general and well equipped gymnasium on the ground floor.
The
cost of such a building, fully equipped would be about $8,000, and
they want to raise most of this money among their Souther friends
so that it will be a monument to the Souther people in the work
for negro education and Kowallga. It is inteded to name this hall
for the State in which the work is better accomplished.
The
school has a very fine librery, which has approximately one
thougsand books. These books were donated by friends.
The
Kowallga Institute is trying to give the negro children the
benefit of the elementary grades. After complting this curriculum,
if they wish to become teachers or leaders in different lines of
business, they are then sent to Tuskegee or other schools and will
help themn them in every way they can.
The
natural resources of both Elmore and Tallapoosa Counties are
numberous. White quartze is found in abundance, and it is hoped
that this can be used to good advantage some day. It makes ideal
building and road balast.
J.J.
Benson came to Kowaliga Community in 1869. Since that time he has
done much toward the farmers there to get the best benefit from
their farms. When the Kowaliga Institue was first organized, J.J.
Benson donated to the Dixie Industrial Company . He also built
that Nenson dam, and erected one of the first saw mills in this
country.
J.J.
Benson has serveral business rules of which he is the originator,
the principal one being never to incur more than one debt at a
time, and to this rule he attributes to his success.
He is
the father of three children, Mrs. D.r. Barabin, who resides at
Marianna, Arkansas,Mrs. F.G. Manjer, whose husbnd is in charge of
the Supply and Industrial Dept. at Tuskegee and Professor at Ft.
Benson.
He
should recieve the congratulation of everyone, for he is one of
the most successful negroes of the south.
Source: Montgomery
Advertiser, March 29, 1914 (transcribed as written on original
document); Submitted by Jo Ann Scott
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