The weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1872-1882, 1872-09-21
THE DEDICATION OF THE SUMNER
SCHOOL BUILDING.
The Finest COlorcd School Structure in
the United States.
FROM THE CoLoRED CITIZEN.

| The beautiful hall attached to th
Sumner school building was filed t
the utmost on Monday afternoon wit
the most intelligent audience of colore
people that probably any city in th
Union can afford.
Superintendent Cooks remarks wer
replete with historical research and tn
modesty of his manner engaged tn
most earnest attention to the end
Mr.. Fleming and General Chipma,
were very neat and happy in their ad
dresses.
Every one who heard it must agre'
with us that the address of Rev. j. b
Reeves was, in many respects, one tn
finest efforts Of his life, not only in it
delivery but in the elegance of its de
diction, and the grandeur of though
it encompassed-a complete report o
which it would please us at any time t,
publish.
Henry johnson presided in his usua
genial way, and indeed seems to hav.
an aptitude for the functions of a,
Introduce.
Ex-trustee Syphax, a splendid con
versationalist, probably never thought
before how much eloquence was in
him when the occasion required it
He spoke Interestingly of the past
and present labors of trustees and the
manner in which the original plan TO,
building was formed.
On accepting the keys Mr.. Wormley
spoke as follows:
REMARKS OF TRU sTEE wORSfLEY
To General Chapman, as the repres-
entative of the Governor, and ladies
and gentleman: I have accepted the
very pleasant duty of delivering
into your hands the key Of the Sumner
school building. I desire before ]
proceed further in the discharge ot
this privilege to beg the patience and
attention Of yourself and the friends
of popular education here assembled
while I shall recede a moment for the
purpose Of giving a few thoughts con-
cerning the history of this magnificent
structure. Some two years or more
ago ] was appointed trustee of the
colored public schools for Washington
and Georgetown, and in amusing the
responsibilities attending the position
I made up my mind to do oil in my
power to educate the children of this
District as fast as possible, and together
with the employment Of the best
teachers I coupled the thought of the
best buildings as being the best posi-
BILE to educate the children under our
care, because I knew that while the
teacher would do her duty to the letter,
the building would, in just measure,
educate the taste for cleanliness, beau-
ty and order; that giving to the chill
dren fine rooms to meet in, where they
could see paintings upon the walls,
and all things in harmony with the
education they were receiving, and
in the future they were to have such
means of education as fine buildings in
place of the old barns. stablerooms and
barracks in filthy alleys, they would
be inspired to draw pictures for the
decoration of their own ceilings, and
grow flowers for their parlors, and
thus be educated to make use of the
hours heretofore given to idleness and
rice, and so often thrown away during
he schooldays Of childhood.
This building, then. stands here to-
lay to testify to my earnestness for the
of my race, and speak louder
% you, sir, than I can find words to
express my desire to see accepted the
saying: ''That of ono blood
Fe were all made" and to that I say
o one common Father are We respon-
ible, ond therefore I have done all I
'ould do to erect, with my late asso-
late, 8 house that none need be
to enter and, so fur as / am
from which none shall be
urned away while there is room to
ccommodate; be he white or black,
Ugh or low, rich or poor, if they seek
or education they shall be welcome;
nd in keeping with the building we
ave chosen the name of Sumner, the |
exponent Of the worth OF an
ducation now living in this country.
,harles Summers name, with Us,
neans ..education, "and this monument
70 have erected in the capital Of thisna-
ion TO speak Of and for him when his
shes shall have gone back to itsmoth:
+ earth. This my dear Governor, is
he proudest day Of my HE
When I look back but q: few years |
60 when I attended school,. in the
aaament Of that old church, just
cross t,e Gold, -lnows almost covered
18th the improvement, Of to-day and pdl[i.
e'@- - =,