Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-02-11
SEPARATE MANAGEMENT AZ WELL As
SEPARATE SCHOOLS,

We arc glad to know that the Legislature Ia
more friendly disposed to the colored people
than the Sussex Journal, and more willing to do
something for their educational advancement.
The Journal utterly misconceves the scope aud
purpose OF the Owl Rights bill ~ it has passed
the lower House OF Congress-, and its prejudices
are 80 b,ttor aud unreleuting its antipathy 70
strong against the education Of colored people
to the end that they may become better citizens
that rather than allow them Al opportunity
for elevation it would :" abolish the whole school
system Of the State" The Civil Rights bills
takes no cosnizsucs OF the schools, requires
nothing In common in education between the
races, and ia ~ silent on the subject as the very
tomb. The clause in the bill which related to
education WAS stricken out entirely, SO that the
matter remains just where it was before the
bill was introduced, or the slaves emancipated
even.
The Legislature has taken step in advance
Of oil its predecessors in the matter not only of
the education Of colored children but in provid-
ing better school system for tie State. We
sincerely hope it will not relax its effort in either
case, but will produce something real and tang-
BILE out OF tho several msthods proposed. But
in dealing with this subject we would venture
suggestion or two with moro immediate refer
ence to the colored schools. And first we would
advise that in the preparation Of the educational
bill the white And colored schools be kept sepa-
rate in their management, or the authority which
directs them. Those to whom will BIO commit
ted the care OF the white schools under the i'm
proved system, assuming that this Fystem will
bo somewhat OF the form ut present proposed
will have AbJut ~ mnch ~ they can well attend
to without the additional oversight of the color
cd schools. 1t must be remembered that almost
any system which is adopted, having for its OBJ
ject thorough State organization, will be an
entirely new creation, and will for this
reason be the more difficult OF
management 1t will not be
- though we had hxd an efficient system, and
we're only amending it, for in this case there
would be only slight change in form, and those
who were directing the system could very well
assume the additional burden OF new schools.
Further, it ia doubtful whether, with the pre-
JUDGES which now exist, number of gentlemen
could be selected by tile party in power who
could give that impartial care and direction to
the colored schools which they require. To
disagreeable one, and might prevent for this
reason the selection Ct those b,st qualified for
the work. Separate management would also
relieve the white school system Of all taints Of
mixture, and thereby allay All opposition which
might be raised with serious results against an
improvement which is sadly needed. Ar in the
Civil Rights bill the section in relation to schools
WAS erased for the obvious good Of the ednca-
tional interests in the South, 30 would we have
the white aud coIored systems in this State d.
vorced for the present that no obstacle may be
placed in the way of educational advancement.
Perhaps the best thing that could be done for
both classes OF schools would be to acceie to
the wishes OF the colored people and tax them
in the manner which they propose. paying over
to them for their own Use the sum thus raised
The amount of poll tax which they pay to the
State might very properly be adj
dsd to this fund, iuasmuch as it
would necessarily be small,
and with the Two united they would have yery
respectable sum for the carrying on OF their
schools. As for the management OF this fund
we rather like the suggestion which is made,
viz: to place it at the disposal OF the Delaware
Association for the Moral lmpro, ement and Ed.
ucatiou Of the Colored People, il it will accept
the trust and undertake to apply it to the
schools. Uuder the direction of this Association
the colored schools have been brought to their
present attainments. With an increased rum of
NOR ey we have no doubt the Association would
establish new schools, improve those already in
existence, and altogether labor in way which
would 10 wholly acceptable to the colored people,