New-York tribune., 1874-08-12
MENTAL CAPACITY AND ATTALNNE%TS or
TIE NEGRO

TESTIMONY OF THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY AssoCIA-
ToN-cAPABuITY OF THE CoLoRED YOUTH FOR
HIGH GRADE CULTURE-REPoRr OF
GEORGIA COMMITTEE ON THE sUBJECr.
TO me Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: THE TRIBUNE is usually SO accurate in
its representations OF the condition Of the eoored
people the South that quite surprised at some OF
the positions taken in editorial OF to-day headed "A
Word Cor the Black Man" I quote the following:
Their teachers boast that they quickly than the
fortunate then heI eoDP.n that having brought them to
had hoped them freed from slavery ea md
beg TO children
claimed, aud would lot f.Te better un!er pAacbAl rae
In another paragraph there Is further ntmatiOn OF
the alleged incapabity of the blacks for the higher
ranges OF study in the statement that the "coored
boys will be unable to receive or retain, as do
white lads, any sequence of ideas, or be moved by
logic"
The American Missionary Association has sent more
teachers into the South than other organzatiOn-
more perhaps, than all others united and It's expert
ence and observation this point ought be OF
value. We beg leave therefore say tnat all nfor
nation the subject is in direct opposition to the state
ments above quoted. The testimony OF the teachers Of
the Association does, with remarkable uniformity, con-
tradct the assertion that, "havng brought them to a
point they be coaxed driven no further"
On the contrary they affirm that when the opportunity
h given the eagerness 10 press forward uniform and
the progress steady IL be said il is true that the
upper classes in higher schools and colleges fall off
IN numbers they advance but this s in all col
leges the North. at least in the West There are
special Tor this In the OF the colored youth
Their extreme poverty often drives them from full
OF study and added TO this the temptations
which the education they have already acquired off
them enter lucrative employments public Offices.
Nor II true that the cOlOrcd youth are incapable OF as
uniform progress in the higher studies The
secretaries OF the Association make frequent tours OF
inspection the schools at the South and our uni
form observation is that the colored students rule
prefer mathematical studies and successful IN
them as in the languages or in primary departments.
In addition 10 this experience OF the teachers and OBJ
seryation Of the officers OF the Association it easy
| adduce the testimony Of white visitors, both from
the North and the South. We content ourselves with
that OF two committees appointed by the Governor OF
Georgia being above all suspicion Of partaity and
being published is accessible In 1871 the Governor OF
Georgia appointed committee Of ten persons TO attend
the examinations OF the Atlanta University, colOred
school under the OF the Association. After
m and close attendance on these examinations for three
days. the Committee made their report. We quote the
paragraph bearing on the point before us:
At every step the examination impressed with the sy
ofthr oDaar idea (which i common With ou and o otne ma
Jo' the undersigned have heretofore earasl 1i TIE members
II capable OF high grade Of intellectual GU
tue The m whih the sera anI geometrl aud
anag JaSIas S & il @ a vino e.p st,n s te nfe.caa
nrnne's Si 'ne an 1 w. c,r rarr rot,er. m N ,b.
mcs ay comprehend the construction Of dfcnt passages IN
The eassc NAM exhibited OF mental eauTe
vue Of their minds Lten ia training
| would 90 crriit 10 the members Of
The full force this testimony only be felt when
it Ia known that majority of this Committee belonged
TO the old sayehOldug case; that they were persons
| OF influence in the S;atc-Jos T. Brown, who was the
Rebel Governor or Georgia during the war pelng the
| Chairman. IL Will also add 10 the cOncluslVencss OF
TINS cy yidcnce when state that Gov. Brown, going 10
the cy animation, expressed his belief tnat II would
proyc the OF the theory ndt the colored peo
Die could succeed the primary studies, but would idil
i'm the higher Yet his public address at the close OF
he examination lie confessed himself To have been all
wrong IN that belief! Bat supplement TINS testi-
mnuy with mat OF the Committee appointed TINS year
by the Governor of Georgia to attend the examination
uf the same school. We quote from The Atlanta C0"s
tui,OH, Jane q. ls7t: 49,. ,.
TIE eIurcsrs OF TIE most astonishing sh1 sa'c ' 'hh
Indeed al prepared tor the erGton and pro-tney IN
Their sfud. uauieste students Of ten
men o. the eaf Of Virgil with ease
Of tie c.sss mathematics history, Hfeef
g.ogrsphr etc said few exceptions hey ararl
tare From the e,deuee submitted oia We
the question that uuder proper sud psint
proficient ta branches
embraced in tie susuai curric alum Of colleges
10 wish to make OUT "a case or 10 sisialR any
particular theory respecting the capacity OK the coOie'
race. 4 only wish fhe facts 10 he known as tty are
seen by for thirteen years have hai special
uncertainties of observation. NJ T. SrRGEBY.
Netc- iOrk, Aug. II, 1874 secretary Va "a VI a.