▁alarm ing ▁difference ▁in ▁school ing . ▁But ▁when ▁William ▁was ▁four teen , ▁his ▁mother ▁passed ▁away , ▁leaving ▁him , ▁not ▁only ▁alone ▁but ▁dest itute . ▁ ▁Know ing ▁that ▁his ▁mother ▁had ▁intended ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁T usk eg ee , ▁he ▁pack ed ▁his ▁things . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁several ▁friends , ▁William ▁got ▁himself ▁situated ▁and ▁found ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁odd ▁jobs ▁to ▁make ▁ends ▁meet . ▁ ▁He ▁didn ' t ▁quit ▁school , ▁though , ▁which ▁stra ined ▁his ▁time ▁and ▁his ▁budget . ▁ ▁He ▁entered ▁the ▁T usk eg ee ▁Institute , ▁founded ▁by ▁author , ▁Book er ▁T . ▁Washington . ▁ ▁So on ▁it ▁became ▁apparent ▁that ▁young ▁William ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁br ink ▁of ▁dest itution ▁as ▁he ▁would ▁enter ▁school ▁we aring ▁the ▁most ▁ra gg ed ▁and ▁dirty ▁clothes . ▁ ▁This ▁got ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁Mrs . ▁Book er ▁T . ▁Washington , ▁who ▁arranged ▁for ▁the ▁boy ▁to ▁borrow ▁clothes ▁from ▁a ▁local ▁store . ▁ ▁Str ugg ling ▁to ▁make ▁ends ▁meet , ▁Bo oh er ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁gradu ate ▁from ▁high ▁school ▁and ▁college ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁ ▁While ▁in ▁T usk eg ee ▁Institute , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Joseph ▁F ry e ▁prize . ▁ ▁Book er ▁T . ▁Washington , ▁seeing ▁the ▁potential ▁and ▁dedic ation ▁of ▁the ▁young ▁man , ▁offered ▁a ▁job ▁to ▁Bo oh er ▁at ▁the ▁school . ▁ ▁Bo