Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-05-18
Canr.,Ied Nixcd schoo,s

FpITOR STAR: \ plentiful lack of kuoyy!-
edge and u..coTg+a landing OF the principles which
uHGtTle the public school systeIn is prevalent IN
cine OF the heads of the people. else there gou,d
lot be 80 maBy false ideas banded about the
mixed school hobby. They seemed to lie
based on the alSurditv that to have senara+e
Co.oT6d and white schools is a violation OF tie
great and essential law of equal rights Rlt
tie principle Of equal rights does not enter into
The subject at all. No one can seriously argue
that 10 place white children in one school and
black children in another is a violation of the
rights of either; for If one should so maintain il
would devolve on him TO show which party is
offended thereby, and that is manifestly mpossi-
be. The whole matter is one of convenience
and the SubseIylenCe OF the best interest -
OF all, just a. we have separate schools
for girls and Tor boys, for scholars of differ
EFT grades OF attainments, for the deaf
and dumb, fer the blind, for the study of
law, or OF meulCine. or OF theology. No one
ever imagined any of these regulations OF insri-
tutiODs 10 be Inconsistent with equal rights
One sPeciCus argument sonnet mes offered for
mixed schools in ibis District IS, that the color
ed schools have Tot 80 good accommodations As
the white schools. 1 think the staten is nm
true; but If II Is true let the remedy be direct;
let the accommodations be made as good for
one race as for the other. None but Guacks would
undertake 10 cure one disease by prescribing for
another. Let us have no Guardians in lecisla-
ton any more than in medicine Public in
sTucuOn Is not one OF the essential duties of
govern ment. The system is solely one of pub
lie policy, as best promotive OF the public inter-
ests- Ii Is, in truth, an encrOachment on private
rights thus to take the instruction of Children
out OF the hands OF parents and guardians; and
:! II were not generally acGuiesced in, the mol
icy would be a very doubtful one. But the pao-
PIE OF this country are nearly unanimous in the
behef That II l. proper system. And vet
because of the very fact that il is the public
assumption OF private rights, the government,
whether general, or local. should be very eau
uOuS TO offend private feelings and even private
prejuGices AZ little possible. Hence il is an
parent that the public school Is an institution OF
compound nature. 1t is 10th pHblic and pri-
Nate; III Is public so far as its management and
regulation are concerned; il is private inasmuch
as II l. a social institution, wherein associates
are chosen and intimaces fOrmed lasting through
HE. and powerfully influencing the destines of
many. The choice OF associates is one of the
most important and delicate duties deyolying on
INDIVIDUALS and families il is vital i'm its iniIu
ehcts ana results; and the principle of voluntary
selectlon should be violated as little as possible
by the government. The great question involved
IN tne proposed compulsory mngling of the
%hlte ana colOred races in the public schools is
this: Ought the general goyernmen MT or apy gov
ernme nj, as a matter OF good policy, to enforce
social intercourse between the white and colore6
races For compulsory mingling OF the two
races in the pull lie schools undeniably means
| this. IL so, We shall be compelled 10 have first
/ social amalgamation. and then its inevitahle
consequence, actual blood malgamation The
| TO canvass, and have a voice in the SOLUTION If
i do not believe in such amalgamation and
| question II any considerable number OF the
people OF this country, either white or black do
| While recognizing one God and one humanity
| i believe that the great divisions of the humsn
| race, the Caucasian, the Monaghan, the INDIAN
and the Negro, possessing widely different phys
ical, ii not mental characteristics ought not tc
amslgamate. Some facts bearing on the
results of such amalgamation are given in
/ the Smithsonian report for 1870, by Ed.
ward ID. Blyden, of Liberia, pure
| blooded negro himself. Men should stud,
this subject little before they rush int
enforced amalgamation. Ii il should be argued
J that amalgamation would not result from mixet
| schools, that is q dilemma which has but two
| horns III harmony between the races and ANAL
| gsmStion shall not result therefrom there will
OF course, be discord, aud a probable destruc-
ton Of all the benefits of public instruction. n
not Of the system itself, and the Question will
come up. whether the people win vote TO be
/ taxed for public instruction il mixed schools
| shah be enforced.
| Every sensible person believes in equal rights
| for all, for right can not be gainsaid. There
fore, there can not be legally any distinction OF
/ rights on account of "race, color, or previous
| condition." But the perfection Of legislation l.
| to admit no such distinction; whereas repeated
legislation TO say that there shall be no distiRc-
| ton of rights, Is To create q supposed or false
| distinction, which silence would let die. het us
have true craftsmanship, not demsgogueism. In
I legislation. u,