New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-05
MIXED SCHOOLS At THE SOUTH.

WHITE CHILDREN LARGEh THAN EVER BEFORE.
TO the Editor Of The Irkbune.
SIR: The letter of Senator BrOwnlOw TO the
hon truman Smith, which appeared in THE TRIBUNE
the Sth nst like the letter of the stAr gentleman
same sunect has attracted atten, ion. Both letters
were aimed at the Civil Rights bill now pending in
Congress- ana special stress laid upon the feature Of
inc Oil which proposes 70 equality of privileges
W the pupils OF both the public Of the
country The assertion made that the passage Of the
o VIII emu the free school systems in tils Southern
otaes ana would seem to be the hope th.it fear Of
TINS result VIII deter Congress from anal massage
ts measure that prompts the making Of this assertion
~ SAou'o DC observed that no proofs are GIVEN by
either MT Brown0w Mr.. Smith In support of their
theory. They do not point to q single instance Of o
SCHOOL system having become failure by reason Of its
impartial application to the pupils Of both races
HAD they pointed to louisiana the only Southern State
wherein the question Of mixed schools has been squarey
tested, they would have had proof not OF the sound
ness Oh ther logic but OF its utter usoundness There
during the years from 1868 1871 the period which
was state superintendent of Education tho issue Of
mixed schools came. and squarely and fearessly
met Inc Constitution Of 1868 provided that the public
SCHOOLS or the State should be open alike to blacks and
whites ana the oath OF Office In that wealth pro-
vdes that every public officer shall that citizen
dened any civil or political right because Of color
or previous condition. II, when the trial Of mixed
schools was made. the school system had been de-
stroyed. Mr. Brownlow and Mr.. Smith would claim that
they had an unanswerabe argument support Of their
position Seeing that the schools mixed, and that
the school system. instead Of beng injured, became
more OF blessing than ever, may not claim this TO be
very strong argument In favor OF the Civil Rights Bill
Has either OF these gentlemen offered good one
There was all the clamor against civil rights the
Louisiana schools by the Democratic press and its sup
porters that there is in Tennessee against the
pending bill in Congress There were louisiana at
a,uha
in the schools as did the Democrats They Joined with
their party opponents the belief that the mixture Of the
two races IN the schools would be attendedby harm
than good. The hatred Of tho friends Of free schools
was 80 intense that creation ransacked for terms Of
reproach severe enough both their temper and
the occasion which they deemed very grave. When
the question boiled down to a very nice point,
and when was carefully rejecting to the wisdom of
excluding any of the colored applicants to schools
because OF their COLOR must confess that /. was
serious matter; the more for this reason Admit
ting, for arguments sake that black child might
better be excluded from white school, what to
do with children who half white and half blacki
Again, what was to be done with those applicants
VINO were three-quarers white and one-quarter
black! Again, thinking OF the future, asked, " liz
exclude these children now then help put them
and their pOsterty brand Of disgrace which has its
birth in wrong, which is at war with the spirit OF
equality that inspired tho makers the Declaration
OF Independence, aud above ALL utterly in con-
ct with the spirit aud teachings Of Christianity as TO
render worthy Of my opportunities and RESPONSE
biities, ana deserving only of the contempt OF all
lust men If | were guilty il. With these
thoughts and feelings l issued order
through the newspapers to the effect that from GER
tain date all the public schools should he open he
children of the various districts, regardless of
color previous condition On the publication OF this
order was advised to leave the State of louisiana In
n writ item
effect that unless left would be assassinated and
one letter contained picture or coiu. This ntmi-
dation did not move me.
The day came for the opening OF the schools. As
pected the coored children came with books in hand.
The whites were ahead OF them. Seeing the coored
children admitted, the white pupils all left Il speak
now of those schools where this test made sat
in my cab auxlousy beholding the result Of my own
course. For awhile confess was full of sorrow.
thought had been guilty of indscretion which bor
dered closely crime and yet felt az II was squarey
meeting an issue imposed upon by my oath OF office.
Well the white pupils left. and the colored ones took
their places. This the result one day.
Now for another aspect of the case. Tie day on
which this took place. saw, at the close OF schoo |
hours. the children whOhad left and those who took
their places-the whites and the blacks - playing
together, usual the under the widespread
ing live oaks. This sight prompted Inc TO ask some oil
the white pupils why they away from school IN the
mornIngi The answer was: "Our parents told us 10
leave If colored children we're admitted" Then asked
why do you play with colored chdrenp The answer
was, =" Because want to-we do so all the time
This convinced me that there was really anagonism
between the children the except that which
spra ng from older persons who possessed OF the
bitter preiudices derived from slavery hrst ana rom
the subsequently. The next day cane with the e1
element somewhat abated and then, very soon, the
whites seeing prospect OF change of policy sent
their chidre back to school, and the year actuay
closed with a larger number of white pupils in the
schools than ever before.
Little over a year ago, when in New-Oreans l took
pains to visit sope largest and best schools OF the
city, then under the charge Of the Hon. Mr. brown my
successor of tue children OF the DesI "h'e
citizens of the city sitting alongside OF coIored cdreh
and may aid that the latter we're as neatly Gnu anu
as well behaved the former ascertained tneh thao
there were colored pupils in every public school IN
NewOrleans. and that there was 10 tioupe "ha'e'ei
from that source
Now I would like to ask Mr.. Truman Smith and MI
Brownlow il 1t be true they assert that the passage
Of the Civil Rights bill will break up the free scnoos OF
the South WHY were not the free schools OF LOUISIANA
broken up under operation OF exactly the same pn
ciple as that embraced by the Civil Rights Dillf
The truth (and difficult determine NJ that
,be oppostion TO this nil springs from Southern pas
sion Tor q hobby with the negro III lt-nol from tne
negro by reason OF his color on .9e na be southern
,cks than the whites OF the North. The prejudice IS
against the negro being Republican IN party politics.
Let Civil Rights bill pass and thus emu me nego
nuestion IA one OF party poics, aud you VIII nnu an
end 10 the Kind OF tumult common III he south
the idea that the passage OF the bill VIII emu Ae rec
noos of the s,uth is without other foundation than
tha on which has rested the opposition 10 einahcipa
non the right 10 bear in courts the rlgl 10 sl
@ i,r,es the irht 70 vote and the right 10 hold office
When each OF steps was taken we were ou tnht
the people Of tue South would De inJureu' us
graced. degraded. ., -, ,ho
Probably Gen. Beaureglrd was as Jealous on tns
,na lion MIR Brownlow There can be no doubt that
me was lust as capab either OF these honorable gen
temen "a forming rngment as 10 "nat "as oe To-
,na GOOD OF the two races the south what does zen
Rrlure gard sayf Witness the following report ol
- NJ which he WAS cnalINlan