The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-21
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
The Education OF the Negroes
PETERSBURG, September 10,

PETERSBURG, September 10, 1866.
A gentleman of this city is authorized
by northern association 10 employ south
ern teachers. male or female, 10 organic
and take charge of colored schools III 70,
tcrsburg and the vicinity, in preference ~
continuing the pupils under the 'h ST.
ton Of northern teachers. AS s'','s -
propositions have been doubtless in"u
other places. il becomes an intcres'''s s"
iect of inoniry. how should IT ne receive"
The experience of the past year oc'e'-
oned the fact that strong ahtipa'h.
isted between our white population ana .nc
Ysntcc teachers. So different are 'neit
r.snno,;r. habits and modes OF thongn'
,hot ,here j. no probability that inns anti
na,hr viii or can be removed Tor years 10
,.or,r even by exemplary conduct on the
49,, -, the latter. But unfortunately they
n.rc Cn;lty Of many indi>crctions, we'll cal
cplo,cd 10 produce i'll feeling. There il
reason 10 believe that very few OF those
who taught here the last session will be
willing 10 return but there are thousands
who have not tried the experiment that
will I've GLAD to occupy their places. So
that from year I" year the south VIII DC
visited by a new set, each ~ radical a> its
predecessor; and none remaining long
enough 10 learn anything from experience.
In advance OF public opinion il cannot
be expected that our young men and maid-
ems, or even those of more sober years,
will engage in the occupation Of instruct
ing negro children. And yet, if harno-
mons relations are To be pcrpetuatcd be-
tween the two races, the proper education
of the blacks becomes matter oil absorb
ing interest. To refuse to take the burden
on our own shoulders, and leave II I" be
horne hN strangers and aliens TO all our ira
ditonS. is impolitic in the extreme. II
there were persons of their own color quail
fed 10 teach, il would he manitestiy proper
that the task of instruction should dc'"Nc
upon them. But il is doubtful whether q
cmrp> OF efficient teachers can he organized
of such material. C"lorcd pupils learn 10
read ana write with facility. hut whether
,hrycan become sufficiently grounded even
in The elementary branches "t education as
Ia make successful teachers, i exceeding
" doubtful.
The time has fully arrived. il is believed,
when public opinion should begin to take
form and shape On this question. And OH
whom does the duty OF taking the lead tie
EtiNr WIKI So lHllCb Iolt' - vi '''N '''''
,ian churches il they would adopt ac-
five measures, establish sunday schools Tor
cnorrd children, and show an interest IN
promoting their moral and intellectual all
vanccment. their efforts could not fail to
i, crowned with success. Combined ac
ton on thu part of the several churches
would tend more than anything else I"
popularize the work and to remove the
barriers which now separate the two races
into two alien and antagoni>tic classes. All
Ills might be done without levelling the
social distinctions which have always pre-
v..i,i and must continue to prevail, for
tie mutual benefit OF both classes. The
,,lorcd people do not look for social
r4ualitv. They prefer to have an arts
1orracI If their own: 1T the same time II
respect l"r the white men, under Kind
treatment i, imprinted deeply Oh their
minds, SNuwDEN.