The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-16
GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE
NEGROES,

NEGROES,
The Encouraging Report Of q
North Carolina Black nan 10
the Organ Of FITS Race.
D. J. hWfdT Raleigh Latter to the Washington
Peoples Advocate.
Although the cry goes up from many
parts Of the South that the negro Is max.
iDg no hesdWay, and that 10 some States
he 10 actually on the reLrograde, We are
fully prepared TO state most positively
that no such assertion can be trutbiully
affirmed Of his situation here in North
Carolina. On the contrary, the colored
people here are making very satisfactory
progress, and We are inclined TO think
that II they will but let politics and poll.
ticians severely alone for the next sew.
erAl years, and devote themselves eIclu.
aively TO their educational and material
interests, they will be able 10 demonstrate
10 the world that the negro Is a success,
and that he has within him the capacity
for developing into the intellectual aud
social peer Of his more favored white
brothers. The more urgent need Of our
people at this time here and throughout
the South, 10 sducation-not such educR-
tion as Oberlin College and Howard Uni.
versity dispense to our young mem
but such as can be obtained In the COM
mon and high schools, which will qualify
them for Intelligent action In the ordinG.
ry pursuits Of lie. The average colored
man ia honest, industrious and we'll
meaning. HeendeavorS to make every
edge cut that will, and aSpires, II not 10
wealth, at least 10 q competency in life;
but, his progress In this direction Is seri
ously impeded, i not wholly neutraliIed,
by ignorance. His mind has never been
cultivated and strengthened by education,
and hence he 10 deficient In judgment and
unable to take intelligent advantage, Of
his opportunities. He cannot read, and
therefore he Is dependent on others for
his knowledge. He knows nothing Of
what Ia transplring in the great industrial
world around HIM, while the conscious.
ness Of his dependence renders him tlmid,
oredplous, open to imposture, and re.
presses much Of his energy and man.
hood. The Eve fundamental operations
Of arithmetic are insolvabls eniguaS to
him. He cannot calculate figures; he
cannot keep his account, consequently he
is facile victim In the hands Of cheats
and swindlerS. Give him a good common
school education, and then place 10 bis
hands the hoe, the trowel, the jEck. plane,
or any other implement, and, through the
combined eIerti0n Of his brain and mus.
Gle, he will achieve a creditable success.
The outlook for the negro in this State
is brighter to-day than it has been at any
previous time. With the advent Of de.
mocraoy into power he was prepared to
believe that he would not only lose the
the educational privileges which be en-.
dyed, but that he would DO shorn Of his
citizenship, and reduced to condition Of
yaSGalaRe. His f.srs have been expelled,
however, through the unexpected policy
lnaugurSted by tails party Of terrOrs
The whites, far from giving evidence OF
any design against his liberties, evince an
earnest desire to promote his welfare and
elevate him to higher plane Of citizen
skip. Gov. Vance had scarcely filled the
chair Of chief executive four months be.
fore he invited conference Of the lead
Ing cOlored men OF the State, to deter.
mine through them the most advantag.
eous point Tor locating a normal school
for the training Of colored teach.
ers. Through bis influence the Lecisla.
ture, which has iust adjourned, appro'
priated $500 per annum, for two years,
to MAINTAIN such school,; and, in the
conference, the Governor broadly init.
mated that be would seek 10 have the
appropriation increased by the next Leg.
lature. We, therefore, have a normal
school. 10 successful operation, conducted
BY coloted principal, assisted by color.
cd associate teachers. This school Is cit.
uated In Fayetteville, and We doubt not
but that In few years similar schools
will be established u! other eligible points
in the State.
The whites seem 10 realize forcibly the
important truth that their interests are
insepsrsbly interviewer with those Of the
blacks, and that the education and ad.
vancement oil the latter are conditions
upon which their own prosperity de-
ponds. When once this wise and Peuer-
Gus view obtains throughout the South,
race prejudice will gradually dis
appear, the color line will be oh.
liberated, and the Southern people
will enterupon new and brighter
era. The impression has gone gu. that
North Carolina is immovably indifferent
on the subject Of education. Such GER
tainly Is not fact. The press, the state
administration and the people, are thor
oughly aroused, and are earneatly CO.
operating for the promotion OF this i'm
portant interest. On the 7th Of last May
the people Of this city and township were
called upon 10 vote for proposition 10
levy Especial tax for graded school pur-
poses. The proposition was carried al.
most unanimously, and last month two
graded schools, one for the whites and
one for our own people, were opened for
ten months session. Four white and
lour colored teachers are EN- ployed in the
eolored school, all Of whom rank frst-
class in their profession. The colored
teachers OF this county have organized a
teachers institute. This instiIute, the
fret Of the kind in this State, has the
hearty support Of the city press and all
classes oil citizens, and 1t will, no doubt,
Prove,a powerful agency in the promo
lion Of the educational interests Of the
colored people.