The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1877-11-17
Tue CoLoRED PEOPLE.

We have been requested 10 pub
ish the following letter. written
by q. young colored man Of this
county to his brother in Canada:
GnExxviLLs. MISS, OCT. lss7.
DEAR BROTHER:
In your last letter you spoke Ct
the education of the eolored peo-
ple of the United States and Can
ada. l will now endeavor to give
YOU some idea of what appears to
me to be the state of the cduca-
tional interests of our race IN this
country, and particularly Of the
section that am now living In.
The night Of intellectual dark
ness caused by slavery has dcpart-
cd, let us hope never to return. but
the shades of that night have not
been entirely dispcllcd BY the RI
sing. luminary Of education aud
advancement.
HOW soon the cloud Of ignorance
that has so long obscurcd our sky
Of life will be removed by the
wind of our cnegics and efforts,
and blown back beyond the limits
Of our horizon, allowing that
bright luminary, Education, TO
throw its rays Of Intellectual light
and understanding over the whole
land, "to all the inhabitants there
Of" Il is left to us to decide.
Our fate Is III our hands, to make
what use of 1t we will. We have
the privilege 10 say whether we,
as ! race, shall sail safely in the
ship Of education, or sink to worse
than nothingncss in the sea Of ig-
norance.
i. We are naturally progressive
people; no other race on the face
OF the earth can learn more easily
than we can. Thcn why does this
cloud Of ignorance SO long obscure
our skies3 Simply because we do
not make a proper attempt to dis
pei the gloon.
One, and only one way can we
accomplish the grand object ~
view, and that is by educating our
children. Advance the rising gen.
GRAFTON, and the cloud ~ removed,
and we gain our proper place ~
tho government Of our country
| Work for tho education Of your
children; 1t is the only lever thai
can raise us to our proper level
Impress this motto on the minds o.
the rising generation; " With al
your getting, get understanding
and cduration;" for without thes'
two things yon never can hope 7
be but "hcwers Of wood ant
drawers Of water r"-Ycritabl'
bondmcn in the land Of Egypt.
You ask, why Is It that tho whit
population rules In this section
though outnumbered by MS two 4
one? I answer, for tho same roa
son that a regiment Of men arnle'
with needle guns or repeating rife
can annihilatc more than twic
their number Of men armed wit
bows and arrows. We have no,
: the bows aud arrows Of Ignorance
let us get the ncedle-guns OF edl
: cation, and we will be able to figl
: the battle Of life with them 0
:, equal terms, and with reasonabl
= hope Of success. We shall the
= be able to cope with any IN II
y affairs of government and indu
trial welfare.
: Employ competent teachers OIL
place,your children In their charg
Ii the sessions OF tic public schoo
do not continue for 0 sufliciel
st length OF time every year, hal
lr private schools, to continue for
'e term sufficient to prolong Il
o school session to at least ten mont
e in each year. Let all persons wi
ID have children Of school age sci
" them, for the greater the numb
&c 30 much less will be on each int
pe vidaal.
q Let each one put his shoulder
nc the wheel OF education, and roll
"a out Of the mire it is now in, aud
n will soon be on the firm, level ro
j, of advancement.
- All that take an interest in cd
IN cation will indorse my views.
by bid all God-spced in the good wo
'c- TINT will mako us men indee
TO that will make our voices heal
en- not only in the corn and colt
no fields, but also in the judicial .
~ legislative halls Of our COUNT
and let our names be known IN
erature aud art, and in the mech'
:. 60 ical and agricultural industries
-, this our country.
:. =. d. r. WILLIAMSON
IVY
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