ments and at crossroads across the south from Virginia to Texas.
But this method of spreading ideas and informa- tion was too slow for Carver’s purpose. He knew that black farmers were in crisis, and he wanted to ease their suffering sooner not later. So Carver created other ways to reach the farmers. His first year at Tuskegee, he set up an Experiment Station to show what could be done to enrich the soil and improve yields. One of his first experi- ments was to plow the old kitchen dump and plant crops such as onions, watermelons, and corn.
This experimental garden became a showplace of productive fertility. The yield was high, and the fruit and vegetables were large. So that his results would reach the people who needed the information, he invited Southern farmers (both black and white) to visit the school. These “Demonstration Days” began small but soon grew to include hundreds of people yearning to know more. Eventually the Demonstration Days became the Farmer’s Institute. Once a month, farmers and their wives would come to Tuskegee to receive information and instruction regarding a vast array of topics. They learned about soils and new crops, of course, and they also learned about homemaking: cooking, quilt-making, home-maintenance, and gardening. Basically, they received information about living more productive, healthier—and even more beautiful—lives. With regard to the importance of beauty, Carver had a lot to say, and his thinking was right in line with Booker T. Washington’s. Washington was keenly aware that his school would be judged in large part on its ap- pearance, and he wisely put Carver in charge of beauti- fying the campus. His first winter at Tuskegee, Carver began to transform the grounds. He had the land terraced, and in the spring (in addition to crops), trees, grasses, and flowers were planted.
As Tuskegee became more widely known, Northerners came to tour the campus and the surround- ing farms. Booker T. Washington appealed to Southern blacks to spruce-up their properties by painting and whitewashing their homes, recommending that if they could not afford to paint the whole house to at least paint the front. This effort built on itself, and each year the properties looked better than the year before. This effort greatly pleased Carver who felt that when one’s property was improved, so was one’s self- worth. There had been a notable absence of pride in the appearance of Southern black homes, largely because improving a property owned by a white landlord might increase one’s rent. But the sharp contrast between Southern black homes and the homes Carver had seen
and helped to operate in the north was troubling to Carver. He encouraged people to pay more attention to this issue—to paint their homes, to plant flowers for their simple beauty, to maintain their living space (inside and out) for their own comfort and pleasure. Carver also had a sense that beauty—especially the beauty of a well-tended garden—brought one closer to God.
“As part of his effort to disseminate information, he started publishing bul- letins . . . on topics such as soil conser- vation, crop rotation, and composting.”
As time passed and farmers’ successes accumu- lated, excitement grew. More and more people attended the Farmer’s Institute and joined in the demonstrations, bringing their products for show and discussion. From this new pride grew the Macon County Fair—and soon after many other county fairs. Produce was the focus of the first fair (in 1898), but the women soon got involved, adding quilts, canned goods, needlework and home-cured meat to the displays. In 1903, Professor Carver spoke at the fair, extolling the benefits of (what else?) sweet pota- toes and cowpeas.
In fact, Carver—a naturally quiet and modest man—had been a public speaker since his days at Ames. Back then, he would lecture at mycological gatherings (and of course in the classroom). But from his earliest days at Tuskegee, he spoke at small gatherings of farm- ers. Carver had a wagon that he drove into the country- side to reach people who could not attend Demonstration Days or the Farmers’ Institute. In it, he carried informa- tion about increasing profits and improving health— along with preserves, seeds, and even slips of roses to share. During these outings, Carver would often stay in the very modest homes of the people he was seeking to help. People were proud to have such an important man staying in their homes, and Carver was such a warm and unassuming person that any intimidation they might have felt quickly dissipated. He was not only admired but widely loved.
Carver’s speaking efforts and skills eventually reached a broad and prestigious audience. Widely known as a champion of the lowly peanut, Carver was invited one year to speak at the Peanut Growers’ Association. He astounded the (white) men who were in attendance with all he had learned and all of the products he had devel- oped. As a result of that presentation, he was invited to
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