I do not believe that they were really convinced of the fact until they saw the picture for themselves.
My acquaintance with Mr.Tanner reenforced in my mind the truth which I am constantly trying to impress upon our students at Tuskegee--and on our people throughout the country, as far as I can reach them with my voice--that any man, regardless of colour, will be recognized and rewarded just in proportion as he learns to do something well--learns to do it better than some one else--however humble the thing may be.

As I have said, I believe that my race will succeed in proportion as it learns to do a common thing in an uncommon manner; learns to do a thing so thoroughly that no one can improve upon what it has done; learns to make its services of indispensable value.

This was the spirit that inspired me in my first effort at Hampton, when I was given the opportunity to sweep and dust that schoolroom.

In a degree I felt that my whole future life depended upon the thoroughness with which I cleaned that room, and I was determined to do it so well that no one could find any fault with the job.

Few people ever stopped, I found, when looking at his pictures, to inquire whether Mr.Tanner was a Negro painter, a French painter, or a German painter.