The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-17
RirhnlollI 1lspatlt',
5 ,,f,Sn $ I. AUGusT II. 1874
! Mixed Schools.

Mixed Schools.
Yhe alarm, Of The people Of Washington
seems 10 have been entirely unnecessary.
.,rhe consolidated Boardof Trustees have de'
termined to proceed as before consolidation
,be separate Boards OF Trustees did, and %
make no attempt 10 put white children ano
black into the same schools. The genefs,
rnn,ic felt also some concern. the Dlstr'a O.
Columbia being territory where all SORTS o
,en,a,iye experiments had been MADE upon
the living BODY OF The community. II was
feared tina, II mixed schools were insosu'a
tod In Washington under the authority VI
]: commissioners appointed by General GRANT
/ there could not be mach room toF nope 'oa'
he would veto the civil rights Dlli Il ). "eie
passed by Congress next winter. NO QUE
uho, has not had some experience on tne
snhisc, knows how many people there
are even In this small city OF Kico
monfl who feel ans intense interest upof
tbis suhiec:. There are the principals
and the teachers in all the public schools
rho daily read every line that appears u
The papers in regard to the cipil.rlgbts olh
aud who know too well that their livelihood
depends upon the defeat of that infamous
biz. There are thousands OF parents VINO
are anxious TO send their children to the
pubjic;schoois, but W ho are also determined 10
aid in the work of destroying these schools
whenever Couefess shall attempt TO convert
them into mixed schools. All these classes
have watched the Developments in wash
inptop, and all breathe ireer, now that IL Is
sutbori,a,ively announced that there Is no
present danger of mixed schools even 10 tns'
n,,r which is not allowed to vote for Presl.
dent. A Washington letter in the Baltimore
san OF Saturday says:
"The consolidated Board of Trustees OF
Public Schools, after the members had re-
ca;ved their commissions and had taken the
oath of Office. this morning held confer
ence with The District commissioners. I here
were present w. r. Woodward, e. +. Nc
LelIau. Edward +. French, j. Ii. Brooks, b.
f. Lloyd. G. w. Dyer, Anthony hyde, w. w.
Curtis. C. B. Smith, Henry johnson, and
6, G. Brown. MIR. Dennison, speaking for
the commission, said that The commissioners
10 making the consolidation did SO only with
q view 10 lessen expenses and simplify the
general school system. They had no deSigo
10 establish or to take any step towards
establishing or encouraging mixed SCHOOLS,
aGd any project Of that kind would not only
eve no countenance from them, but IL
Woulf be very offensive to them should such
a proposition In any way enter 1ato the de-
alterations of the new board and be enter
tanned BY them in any form whatever"
MIR. DENsIsoN is one of the three commits
sioness appointed by General GRANT to gov
ern the District. 1t will be seen that he
talked very plainly to the trustees, some OF
whom are negroes. His decided language
indicates that he knows how General GRANT
stands upon this question. Mr.. DICKINSON
went on TO say:
.sAfter full consideration OF the subject
the commission had unanimously decided
against any change in the present system, and
any suggestion of such change on the part of
any member of the board would be viola.
ton Of the policy adopted By the commits
sion. They contemp plated no diminuiion in
the manner of teachers or of schools, but
thought that the economy OF administration
would be promoted by the joint purchase OF
school supplies. making contracts for repairs
of schoo.houseS, &c The board would
make all purchases. and would issue sup
plies 10 each class of the schools. A less
cumbrous system than the old one could not
fail to be more economical" -
Mr.. DEsNIsoN gave number OF reasons
for tie change in the constitution of the
Board which be and his TWO colleagues In
the commission had made, all going, how
ever, to SHOW that the establishment OF
mixed schools was far from their thoughts.
Of course, the. negroes in Washington are
dissatisfied. They thought that the question
had been settled, and mixed schools as good
as in operation. Their EMULATION was I'M
bounded. They were about to have their
children admitted to schools in which were
white children. General GRANTS commits
s;oners have vetoed this great wrong, and
,se accept it as showing, until the contrary
siall appear on as good evidence. that Gene
raj GRANT is opposed TO mixed schools.