The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-03
THE NEW ORLEANS BULLETIN SUNDAY MAY 1s-suppIEMENT

lmost aggravated case of social aversion o
the part of the whites toward the cOlOre
race in our Southern States.
Much need not be said as to the sOcis
relations of the two races i'll the NOrther
: States. Several generations having passe
since the abolition of slavery in thOs
States, there would naturally be an abatt
ment of the feelings described above an
the recent contest between the sections
while widening this social gulf at tn
p South, tended to lessen it at the North. l
order to stimulate opposition to slavery,
was thought proper to exaggerate the dot
trines Of human liberty, equality and fra
ternity. to such an extent that the negr
became the pet of large class OF the pee
pie. and the leveling influence Of these sen
timents was felt extensively. This tendeuc
progressed the more readily, because TIL
negro was not recognized as power Il
Northern society. He was in nobody
way He competed for nothing, formed
no combinations, and controlled no Stat
or CITY, But in spite OF all this, the socia
repugnance between the races has not beer
obliterated anywhere, and is SO strong ever
in the city Of New York, that the Negro
children on their way to school are Cor unit
very lately were) stoned i'll the streets by
the white boys and they could no more bt
mixed in its public schools than they cOuld
in the schools of Richmond. In Boston the
mixture is barely tolerated, and the schools
wherein it practically exists are avoided by
large classes of the people. And as for pro
mscuous social intercourse, it is to be found
nowhere Oh the continent.
1t was no part of the plan of this paper
to discuss the propriety of the aversion
which the whites feel to intimate associa-
ton with the blacks. But, as was intimated
in the beginning, it is not simply a matter
of prejud ce, of pride, or of taste. if all
these could be overcome, there is mOrai
reason which OF itself prevents co-educdtioh
everywhere that negroes are numerous.
They move Oh a far lower moral plane tlan
the whites. as a class. Without going into
particulars, it is enough to say that the
average character and habits OF these peo-
pie render it highly proper in the whites to
refuse to associate their children with them
in the intimate relations Of school. 1t is
only in kindness to IN amiabe people that |
refrain from giving revolving details.
1t is well known that the promiseuous
association of moral us well as social grades
Of children constitutes the most objection
able feature in the public school idea, and
school boards are compelled to shape their
districts, particularly in cities, so as to
cable from the more decent; but even I'M
der the best arrangements it has been found
impossible to make the public school sys-
TEN anywhere acceptable to all the people
in any community. In the late slave States
difficulties of this sort are peculiarly
troublesome because of the influence of
slavery in creating wide social differ
ences, which a. best dislnclne an intlu-
entail part Of the Southern people to sup
port any general school system. If to this
be added well founded moral objections,
to say nothing of physical pecuiarities, the
attempt to mix the races, which might
otherwise be considered vain and foolish,
should be regarded as base and malicious.
While 1t is true that public schools may
possibly be made propagating houses for
advanced social and political ideas, it is
also true that just so far as they are SO used
they are perverted and weakened, and may
readily, and, III some cases, properly be de-
stroyed by the operation. The object of
schools is to instruct the children in certain
branches of knowledge, and all school ar
rangements should be designed so as to con-
tribute to this special result, and should be
flexible SO that they may be adjusted ac-
cording to local circumstances. 1t is well
known to school authorities that there are
many established doctrines in education
IS.
Theoretically, for example, all schools
should be graded, but even where the num-
bers are sufficient for a graded organiza-
ton. the previous habits Of the people may
render the scheme imperative. In most
communities school economy is greatly pro-
NOTED by the teaching of boys and girls to-
gether; but if the local sentiment is so set
against co-education of the sexes that they
will not allow their children to attend
school where it is practiced, it must not be
attempted, except in very cautious and
gradual way. And yet there are ALWAYS
zealots camoring for the enforcement Of
sound theories, irrespective of circum-
stances.
No doubtwe shall soon have a war against
the separation of the sexes in education
We already hear that such separation is an
insult to the understanding and feelings of
the female sex, uSt as We hear that it is an
insult to the negroes to separate them from
the whites: the lobbyists not seeing that
the champions Of the male sex might re-
verse the statement, just as the champions
Of the white race might do. The mere fact
of separation in either case means
nothing but common sense school economy
which employs tie most effective methods
Of educating the people of both sexes and
both races; inst railroad contractors put
parts of the work, because if put together
they bruise each other, instead of building
the railroad.
And inst here we in a moment the
absurdity of the doctrine that the separa-
ton Of races in education is an infringe
ment of the civil rights of either race
for if it infringes upon the rights of either.
ii does on the rights Of both equally. !
TO admit such an idea is to break down
III the distinctive arrangements Of school
1t would pronounce unlawful, |
lot only the refusal to admit boys into a
girls school, and rie rersa but also the !
sradation of pupils according to advance
nent, and the refusal to admit or retain
pupils who do not comply with the regula-
ions For the matter of separate schools |
or the races does not differ essentially |
rom other school regulations intended to
facilitate the educational object aimed at
With far less reason during the late war
here were colored regiments. and even Ger
nan. Irish and Scotch regiments. In truth, !
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