Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-27

Separate schools for ColOrsd Children
Iu the Legislative proceedings Of last
Wednesday, we find the following q
among the bills passed by the Senate ;
HHouse bin, requiring the School Board
Of Cleveland 70 provide separate schools
for ne colored children Of that city.
Not having seen the bill in question,
We do not know whether the above is
correct report Of the title or not but are
of the impression that by its provisions
the Board Of Education is authorized "
and not areouired" to establish such
schools. However this may be, we cOnsid-
er the bill one opposed to the interests of
the city, for the following reasons:
/. Our citizens arc heavily taxed for
the support Of common schools. To es-
tablish separate schools for colOred chill
dren will be to entail upon taxpayers the
additional expense of new school build
inRs and new teachers. As the schools are
at present conducted, and as they have
been ever since their organization, they
have been SO successful that the burden
of their support has been willingly borne,
but to so greatly increase the tax will be
to lay out money without any correspond
ing bene ft.
2. Il is an act of great injustice 70 the
cOlOred pupils Of Cleveland. These child
dren are now attending our schools, and
the universal testimony is that they are as
dooile and as orderly as any others. They
pursue the same si-d;~s and stand in the
same classes as their white fellow pupils,
and are laudably ambitious to take equal
rank with them in the paths of knowledge
and usefulness. They ask no special IA
vors; fair competition is all they claim.
In order to continue to give them this
chance which is most clearly their due,
schools carefully and thoroughly graded
must be established, similar to those which
they leave, comprising primary, interme-
diate, grammar and high schools In no
other way can any show of justice be done
them, and it is needless to say, this dupli-
cation will not be received with favor by
the taxpayer. It will not do to say that
one graded school will do for the entire
city, as the eolored children are so soalter-
ed as to make this an impossibility.
8. This course is calculated to beget and
foster the spirit of Ostracism of all the
cOlored race, and 10 engender that unrea-
sOnable hatred of all negroes which has
had such fearful exemplifcatiOn in the
city Of Detroit The surest way to widen
the division Of sympathy and regard be-
tween any two separated influences is to
increase the distance between them. Let
our boys and girls be brought up to look
upon the negro as an outcast, thing TO be
taboOed from white society and to have no
common rights or privileges with them
selves, and a sure foundation is laid for
future blind prejudice and partizan hatred
which viii yield its certain fruit in some
such disgraceful manifestation as that of
late Witnessed in that sister city. For the
honor Of cur city, let US not encourage any
such spirit amongst us.
We are informed that a petition against
the passage Of this bill, and containing
some seven hundred signatures, was sent
to Columbus early yesterday morning, too
late, unfortunately, to prevent its passage.
We are Of opinion, however, that the bill
was pushed to a vote sooner than was an
ticipatsd for the very reason that its AdEO-
Gates expected such a petition.