[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5233]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   A TRIBUTE TO THE BEREAN INSTITUTE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2007

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, the Berean Institute's long 
and esteemed history began with the vision of one man, Reverend Matthew 
Anderson. Reverend Anderson began his work at the Gloucester Mission in 
North Philadelphia in 1879. In 1880, the Berean Presbyterian Church was 
founded, from a hall meeting room on Fairmount Avenue, with no funds, 
but with an abundance of unshaken trust in God. In 1888, he founded the 
Berean Building and Loan Association. Later renamed the Berean Savings 
and Loan Association, it enabled African Americans to borrow money to 
buy homes. With the migration of many African Americans coming from the 
south that needed special training, Rev. Anderson founded Berean Mutual 
Training and Industrial School.
  In 1899, Rev. Anderson was able to gain support to found a school for 
the economically disenfranchised. In 1904, the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania incorporated Berean Manual and Industrial School, a 
corporate charter. In the early years, Berean offered training in 
plumbing, custom and merchant tailoring, dressmaking, carpentry and 
home management. Today, the Berean Institute which still resides on the 
same grounds as the original complex conducts programs in such areas as 
accounting, computer repair, and cosmetology for over 100 full-time and 
part-time students.
  The Berean Institute is regarded as one of the leading business 
schools in Philadelphia and serves a broad-cross section of students 
that come from local as well as distant places to learn. Rev. Anderson 
was succeeded by his widow Mrs. Blanche W. Still Anderson, followed by 
Ms. Louise B. Yergan, Mr. Jeffery O. Jones, Mr. Charles Preston, Ms. 
Lucille P. Blondin, and by the Berean Institute's current president, 
Mr. Andrew Carn. The leadership reins have also been shared by the 
board of trustees. The Berean Institute experienced considerable growth 
under former chairman Dr. William H. Gray. Dr. Gray was succeeded by 
Dr. Robert Johnson-Smith, Dr. Leonard W. Johnson, and Berean's current 
chairperson Kim Staudt. Under its exceptional leadership, the Berean 
Institute continues its service and diverse programs that provide 
education and training for many students who would be otherwise left 
out.
  The Berean Institute celebrated its 108th year of service on Friday, 
February 23, and looks forward to the future to continue the vision and 
service of Reverend Matthew Anderson.

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