Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-09-21
A New Departure" at the
South.

While Democratic politicians
North and South, are quarrelin,
over "new departure" which in
| wolves the REIMBURSEMENT of cher
ished political prejudices, a "nev
departure" has been inaugurated a
Atlanta, Ga, which maY work
social revolution at the South, ant
eventually place the black man on .
personal as well as political equality
with his prosecutors. The occasion
was the commencement of Atlantis
University for colored students, Oh
the last of June, an account oi
which is given by correspondent
OF the Congregationalist. The in
stitution has been in operation but
about two years. At the request
OF the college, Governor Bullock
had appointed committee of ten
of the leading men Of Atlanta, OF
whom a majority were Democrats,
to attend the examinations and
make a full report of the character
and work of the school. Ex-Gov-
ernOr Brown, one of the ablest pol
iticians at the South, was chairman
of the committee. These gentle
men, with many others, were pre-
sent throughout the three days of
the closing exercise. They came,
as they all said, with no belief that
the negroes could become proficient
in the study of Greek and Latin, or
in the higher mathematics. On the
contrary, they expected to lave their
ideas Of the intellectual inferiority
of the black race confirmed. They
brought with them experienced
teachers, who strove to confuse the
pupils by cross-questions. "And
yet" says the correspondent, (Rev.
William B. Brown, d. D., Of New
ark, N. j. Latter sixteen hours of
as fairly conducted and thoroughly
searching examinations as I have
ever known, including the common
branches, and also Latin, Greek,
algebra and geometry, these gentle
men, every one Of them, magnani-
mously surrendered their cherished
and theories, and pub
licly confessed themselves converts
to the doctrine that the black race
and the white, as to their power of
acquiring knowledge, even in the
higher branches Of learning, stand
on an essential equality"
The proficiency Of the colored
students was so manifest and ex-
cited 30 much attention that large
numbers OF the leading citizens of
Atlanta attended the exercises on
the last day. At the class Of these
Governor Brown made o statement
in behalf Of the committee, in which
he said that their prejudices and
theories had made the negro race
inferior to the white, but these ex-
aminations had compelled them to
change their theories and conquer
heir prejudices. The Board of visi-
ors, also, in their report, gave simi-
ar testimony, as follows:
"At every step of the examina-
ion we we're impressed with the
allacy Of the popular idea (which,
n common with thousands of
'thers, q majority Of the undersign-
d have heretofore entertained, |
hat the members Of the African |
ace are not capable of high grade
+ intellectual culture. The rigid |
ests to which the classes in Algebra
nd Geometry, and in Latin and
ireek were subjected, unequivocal-
7 demonstrated that under iudici-
US training, and with persevering
tudy, there are many members of
be African race who can attain q
Ugh grade Of intellectual culture.
Here is a "new departure" for
he white race of the South more
emarkable than the "new depar-
are" set in motion by the great
'hio politician, and one which is
kelly to prove vastly more bene-
cial 10 the colored people, for if
,e Southern whites become con-
inced that the blacks are intellec-
,ally their equals, q great change
II the better must occur in their i
'eatment Of them.-Er. |,
-Planche, in his "Recollections,"
,s,noA. A. f>ll-. i