Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-10-29
Mixed Schools at The South.

Mixed Schools at The South.
Inc following is a part OF letter by
Mr. Conway, late Superintendent of
Education in Louisiana, on the exper-
iment OF mixed schools in that State. lie
Claims that the issue came up and was
sqdarely met during the period of his
superlntendency, from 1868 to 1872. He
says:
There was all the clamor against civ
II rights as to the Louisiana schools, bv
the Democratic press and its supporters,
that there is now in Tennessee against
the pending bill in Congress. There
were IN Louisiana, at that time, Repub-
licans who as bitterly opposed quality
in the schools as did the Democrats.
They Joined with their party opponents
III the belief that the mixture OF the two
races IN the schools would be attended
by more harm than igood. The hatred of
the friends OF free schools was 80 intense
That creation was ransackcd for terms OF
reproach severe enough to suit both their
temper and the occasion which they
deemed 50 very grave. When the aues
ton was boiled down to a very nice
point. and when | was carefully reflect
ing As to the wisdom of excluding any
OF the colorcd applicants to our school.
hecause of their color, | must confess il
was a serious matter; the more so for
this reason: Admitting for arguments
sake, that a black child might better be
excluded from white school. what was
l to do with children who were half
white and half black? Again, what was
70 DC done with those applicants VINO
were three-quarers white and one quar-
Ter black: Again, thinking of the future,
asked, III | exclude these children
now, then l help put upon them and
their postcrity brand of disgrace
which has its birth in wrong, which is
at war with the spirit OF equality that in.
spifed the makers Of the .Declaration of
independence, and, above all, one SO
utterly IN conflict with the spirit and
teachings OF Christianity AS TO render
me unworthy OF my opportunities and
responsibilities, and deserving only OF
the contempt OF all just men il | were
guilty OF 1t. With these thoughts and
feelings | issued an order through the
newspapers, to the effect that from
certain date all the public schools should
be open to the children of the variou,
districts, regardless of race, color, or
previous condition. On the pubica.
ton OF this order was advised TO leave
The State OF Louisiana. In one day
received as many as one hundred no
tees to the effect that unless left |
would be assassinated; and one letter
contained picture of Inv coffin lE.s
intimidation did no: move me.
The day came for the opening of the
schools. As expected, the colored chill
dren came with books in hand. The
whites We're ahead of them. Seeing
the colored children admitted. the
white pupils all left. Il speak now OF
those schools where this test was made. J
l sat in my cab anxiously beholding the
result OF my own course. For while |
confess | was full of sorrow. thought
had been guilty of an indiscretion which
bordered closely on crime, and vet felt
as If was squarely meeting an issue
imposed upon me by my oath of office.
Well, the white pupils left, and the col
ored ones took their places. This was
the result OF one day.
Now for another aspect OF the case.
The day on whicn this took place saw,
at the close OF school hours, the children
who had left aud those who took their
places-the whites aud the blacks
playing together, as usual, on the green,
under the wide-spreading live oaks.
This sight prompted me to ask some of
the white pupils why they ran away
from school in the morning? The answer
was: "Our parents told us to leave if
colored children were admitted" Then
l asked, "Why do you play withcolored
childrens' The answer was, because
we want to we do so all the time
This convinced me that there was really
no antagonism between the children of
the two races except that which sprapg
from Older persons, who were possessed
OF the bitter preudices derived from
slavery first, and from the war subse-
quently. The next day came, with the
excitement somewhat abated; and then
very soon, the whites, seeing no pros
pect ola change of policy, sent their
children back to school, and the wear
actually closed with larger number of
white pupils in the schools than ever be-
fore.
Little over year ago, when in New
Orleans, l took pains to visit some of the
largest and best schools of the city, then
under the charge OF Hon. Mr.. Brown.
my successor. l saw some of the chill
dren of the best white citizens of the CITY
sitting along side of colored children,
and may add that the latter we're as
neatly clad and as well-behayed as the
former. l ascertained then that there