The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-09-29
WHITE TEACHERS FOB COLoRED
SCHOOLS,

WHITE TEACHERS FOB C0L0RED
SCHOOLS.
We noticed some weeks ago, in q
little paper conspicuous for its shall
lowness, vulgafity and lack of judg-
ment, an article strongly advising a
correspondent not to accept the posi-
ton of teacher of a colored school,
on the ground that he would be COM
PEELED to associate with negroes and
that the step would be lasting dis
grace to himself and his family. We
hoped the day for such twaddle as
this had gone by, and we are glad to
believe that the paper quoted is no
representative of any considerable
! portion of reputable public opinion.
In this belief we are encouraged by
the following extracts from journals
as thoroughly Democratic as any in
the State, and much more qualified to
speak upon this and other subjects
requiring the application of sound
reason and sober judgment, than is
the organ first referred to: t5a
| Assumption Pioneer.1
In only one instance has Southern born
man been found among the teachers APP
pointed here who declines to teach cOlored
| school because some friends fGod SPARE us
| al
cepting the position. We hold that no slur
| is likely to be cast upon any respectable
lady or gentleman by right thinking or SEN
| sible citizens for assisting our State govern
ment in its noble work Of educating the
masses of the illiterate Of our State without
| any distinction as to class.
[Ouachita Telegraph 7
In the happy change which has been made
| in public affairs there ceases to be any rea-
son for objecting to white teachers Of our
| own people teaching colored schools, and no
| objection is urged by any sensible man or
| woman. In fact, the general desire is that
good and competent teachers will take these
schools, and educate the children as they
should be, and not for political ends and to
the estrangement of one race from the 9th
er. +u i
[Baton Rouge Advocated ~.
We are informed that the School Board
find some trouble in securing the services of
| competent persons to teach colored children
in the public schools. No one should hest
tate moment to accept teacherships in
these schools. More than this, il is abso.
luteiy the duty OF our own people TO take
charge OF these schools and endeayor to do
all they can to properly educate the colored
children. f3 .
These expressions of opinion do
honor to the good sense of tho writers
and illustrate the position which
should be assumed by all the white
people of the State relative to the
question discussed. If race passions
and prejudiees are to be allayed and
that harmony established between
whites and blacks so essential to the
we'll being and advancement of both,
let there be truce to the silly notion
that white man who endeavors to
instruct and improve his colored fell
low-beings becomes contaminated by
the necessary association with them
or that the sober, Industrious in
structor of colored youth is inferior,
because of his occupation, to the
blue-blooded loafer who idles his
time away in bar rooms and on street
corners, avoiding labor of any kind,
yet protesting pride of race or anees-
try, and avowing supreme contempt
for the "nigger school teacher" who
prefers honorable employment to
vicious idleness. Such ideas as these
belong to an era that has forever
passed away they will be hereafter
entertained only by class whose
good opinions oven the much abused
teacher of colored schools can afford
to forego.
1t is the noble destiny of the South
ern white, superior in intelligence
and culture, to extend helping hand
to the less favored black man, to lead
him along the path of progress and
Improvement, making him more
worthy and more competent to exer-
else the prerogatives and assume the
duties of virtuous citizenship.
Let not the dignity of labor be lost
sight of nor the dictates of reason be
obscured by the vapid mouthings of |
those who take counsel of senseless
prejudices, who learn nothing from
the march of events, and who live in
an atmosphere of old fogyism which
belongs to a dead and buried past.
Terrebonne parish seems to have |
suffered much greater damage from