New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-30
Oberlin.

WASHINGTON, ID. u, NOV. 20, 1871.
To the Editor Of the Nea0 National Era:
In reading this weeks issue of your very val
liable and much appreciated paper my eye fell
upon Letter from Oberln, Ohio
Being particularly interested in the college
of that quiet and much-beloved village, l read
with great interest the letter from I" Don Car
los,' hoping to hear something Of interest
from our Alma Mater.
was very forcibly struck with that portion
Of the letter which referred to the very embar-
RAISING position in which the colored students
of that college are placed.
What the writer says about the faculty not
permitting the colored students to teach in the
preparatory department is. alas, too true.
The faculty has always urged that it was
'inerpedient' for colored students to teach.
We have in mind student who made appli-
cation. He was acknowledged to be good
student and fully competent to teach but he
was oolored, and his application went the same
way as those of his similarly afflicted brothers
When one of the faculty was asked why this
student was not accepted as teacher, he replied
"He was so small in stature, and could not
command the respect Of the students, and then
he is colored." These are nearly the very
words that were used. Subsequently, white
student equally as small, if not smaller, and
not at all the formers equal in scholarship, OBJ
tanned a class or classes, and taught for three
years to our knowledge, and may be teaching
there to-day. The colored student graduated
there, but when he desired to study for his pro-
iession ne was compelled to 90 elsewhere be-
cause he could not support himself there as
earth is over, and he has gone to reap his re-
ward, he is still held dear in the hearts of his
fellow students.
No one loves his Alma Mater more dearly
than L, and no one prays more earnestly for
her success than /, but wherever there is q
wrong am always ready to cry out against it.
Oberlin teaches her children to cry ont agans
wrong and oppression wherever it is to be
found, and in laying bear this We but follow
out her instructions.
Oberlin has done a good work, and led the
van in those dark days of oppression and mis-
rule. She has, indeed, won worldwide re.
nown by adhering to the right and battling
manfully for the maintenance of truth and
justice. All her children are DESTROYS that she
keep her garments unspotted, and retain the
name and honor she has so nobly achieved un
sullied. For this reason we denounce the base
prejudice she is fostering.
We are not unfriendly toward our Alma Ma
ter; we love her dearly, and for this reason We
tell her of this gross error. No student hon
ored and loved his teachers more than we, ant
we still honor and esteem them for the good
and profitable instructions they gave us but
we do now, and have always spoken against
this unjust treatment of the colored students
simply because they are colored.
Oberlin has received thousands of dollars
and thousands are still bsing given, with the
under standing that colored students have thu
same advantages as the whites. They do no,
have the same advantages as the whites, from
the very fact that they are not allowed to teact
as their more favored fellow.students. We re
member distinctly when the 'lady slightly col
ored'-referred to by Don Carlos-taught
there, and we hold that the faculty are respon
sible for not continuing to employ one coloret
teacher. The students stood it then and would
have been standing it to-day. / assure you
that we heartily indorse all that don Carlos
says on the subject.
The ear of progress is moving forward it i,
gaining new impetus daily; and if Oberlin can
not fall into line in its movements she will b,
crushed beneath its ponderous wheels.
l. One WHO HAS SUFFERED.