CHARLES DUBE

Natal Native Teachers’ Union: Presidential Address

by

Charles L. Dube

Fellow workers,

It is great pleasure to be assembled here at Amanzimtoti Institute. This Institute has sent out great men to work for Africa. Its work will live as long as man exists. The natives of Natal and Zululand are greatly indebted to the Missionary Societies who for many years sacrificed a great deal in order to civilize and Christianize the Bantu. The State is starting its proper work of establishing and maintaining native schools. We hope that kind of work will gradually increase, for the Natives today are quite prepared to meet the new challenges.

It would be proper to mention that Mr. Gebers has, to our great regret, resigned his post as Inspector of Schools. I believe it is right for this Union to record Mr. Geber’s invaluable service to the Natives. I also regret to inform you that Mr. James Xaba, the Vice-President, has left our Union. We wish him well in his high calling.

I am sorry to say my limited time does not permit me to visit the Winter Schools, but I can certainly assure you that these vacation schools are for your improvement. People in civilized countries pay dearly for these vacation courses. Many have been able to obtain certificates and diplomas through the aid of such schools. I mention this, because some people say these schools are places for killing time and wasting money. The new Teacher’s Journal has also shown that the Winter School, with its able lecturers, is doing good work to help the teachers in general.

It is a mistaken pride of school boys to say they want to be educated for the kind of work that will not make them sweat. I am glad to see that Dr. Loram is endeavoring to encourage manual work in schools. Many parents believe that the work which will make their children sweat is not the right kind, and it is only Jim and Mary. All work is honourable. People in America are asking their educated young men to go out of town and do farm work. The Dutch people of South Africa are doing all they can to go out in the country and till the soil. In our training schools and colleges Dr. Loram has introduced Industrial Work. All this is of great advantage to the Natives. You can surely say you have a Hampton and Tuskegee at your door. If the teachers, both male and female, will do what they can to seize their present opportunities they will soon see that the whole race is making good progress. People who can use their hands and brains will hold their own in this world. There is great demand for farmers, boot-makers and saddle-makers, carpenters and blacksmiths, printers and masons. As regards women, there is a great demand for cooks, first-class dress-makers, etc. Although it is true we do not wish our girls to work in the towns, many will be compelled to do so. The handicrafts should enable anyone to do his or her work with independence, pride, and honour to the race and country.

Many Europeans write to the newspapers and say the Natives should not try to do in a century what took them hundreds of years to accomplish. That logic does not hold at all. During these hundreds of ears they were busy paving the way for other nations. The American Negroes have advanced wonderfully within eighty years, when they were slaves and were treated as beasts, now they are a flourishing people. The Africans of Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast have also advanced marvelously, and have their own magistrates, judges, and councillors. We are proud of men of our own race such as Professor Jabavu, Advocates Seme, Monsioa, Msimang and Mangena, Doctors Mahlangana, Nembula, Rubusana, Tantsi, Kakaza, and Sibita the late. The example of these men goes to show that with little more freedom in education the natives can and will advance rapidly. You may say these men I have mentioned have taken the trouble to cross the seas; yes, they have that great advantage, but I would like to point out that there are men who have made their names popular without having crossed the seas. Such men as Ngazana Lutuli, Skweleti Nyongwana, Mark Radebe, W. W. Ndhlovu, Sol. Plaatje, Bud Mbelle and many others. I do not mention the above names for any political purpose, but I wish to encourage our teachers to try hard and improve themselves. With a little more push in our every-day life we shall lift ourselves into our proper places.

We have effected a Teacher’s Union, and now it is the duty of us all to make this Union a strong and real organization. Some do not wish to join us because they do not wish to pay their yearly fees. Ladies and gentlemen, we shall never be a race if we fail to organize ourselves and work together for the good of our own people. Let us not be a selfish kind of educated people. We must establish a strong Union so that those who will come after us can enjoy and continue the good work we have initiated. My idea is to try to inspire each teacher, so that we can improve ourselves morally and mentally, and in so doing we shall be serving our race well. Ill-advised people resort to mean strikes and riots before they think of how much harm they themselves are doing to their employers and the country.

We are living in a wicked age; we must be very careful as leaders of our people to set a good example. “Example is better than precept,” and it is to the teachers that the student looks for those impressions upon character that mean so much to them in after life. Think of the beautiful characters that came to South Africa in the early days of the history of the country; and of the golden train of impressions they have indelibly laid along the weary paths they trod. We can follow the gleam, and we, too, can leave a clear shining track behind us that will help to keep others on the road to the heights of civilization and Christianity.

In conclusion, I would urge the value of organisation. We must organise and organise and keep organised, for without organisation there can be no order or power. Look to the ant, is he not the grandest example of an organizer the human race can learn from. In summer he is organising for winter. In winter he reaps the reward of his organisation. And when we organise we must work for certain specific objectives, and these must always be our goal. The most energetic and intellectual organisers are surely to be found amongst the ranks of the teachers, and it is to you teachers and to the advanced students that we look for the greatest possible assistance. In that and in your work as a whole I feel confident you will not fail in your duty to yourselves, your schools and your country.

Ohlange Institution,
Phoenix.

Native Teachers’ Journal, October, 1920.