The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-04-26
For the Times
White Teachers Of Colored Schools.

o"'S 0'ef-hfcV pcoptc VIII purse up the cor
ncrs of their mouths and give shrug of thci
shoulders when they simply read the captio,
to this article, but such rs they have my leave I,
lay it down-it is not written for their perusa
at all-knowing well that such nice people ar,
generally weak minded and opinionated, and il
would simply be n waste of time to try TO con
vince them that they may possibly be wrong in
dnyth'ng l.. think people of strong sterling
sense; in other words, people who think, and
who leok beyond the present time, to the
future, which looms up in tho distance before
ais, sometimes very brightly, and then .again
alternating with light shades; VIII ugfee WIN
me in what shall say.
1t is settled fact that there is large pro-
portion of our population colored, and out of
this mass quite q number of children are grow
ing up in our very midst in ignoraice, simply
from the want of efficient teachers 1t is quite
true that the colored schools have been run
when the other public schools were opened, but
In almost every instance they have been taught
by colored teachers who were wholly untitled for
the task-being barely able to spell, and could
not read the simplest sentence correctly Our
beloved Hampton has tried to impress upon the
--,''~S Va 'hS PSoPio thC Vi euuCullDn
the colorcd children, and l think and believe
ho would express the same opinion, that they
should receive instruction from our own native
whites, who understand the negro nature, and
can give them right ideas of our government
8 ssSsh them fo1e, resp dAhzy tho laws of
our land-and instil in their young plant minds
sense of their moral obligations to God, and
also teach them, as we do our own little ones, to
love and honor Hampton, the man above oil
others South Carolina should feel proud Of
ANY teacher who feels keen interest in his
or her school, can find ample time for these i'm
piomptu way side lessons, often of great impor-
tance to the young minds inrusted to their
guidance. Where is the stranger who comes
among us for q school would ever care whether
the children loved their country or their coun-
fry's leader. They simply come for the salary
They, no doubt, do their work we'll SO far as
books go; but think in teaching colored chill
dren, as said before, they should be instrue-
ted rightly concerning tho government of our
sS%a vim say. WY sst smproy Mp .5lJl sesen
crs to teach the colorcd schools The reason
can be summed up in one word-Incompetency
Not one colorsd teacher in twenty is competent
for the duties devolving upon them, for in every
instance where the children have been taught by
colored teachers that has come under my oh.
servation) they would have been much better off
at home, at work.
They are often taken from important work at
home, to be sent to school, and the going to
school has simply been farcc-a throwing away
of public money. The white people are taxed
to keep up the colorcd schools we'll as the
white, and 1 think it right and proper that
the money should find its way back into
our own pockets, and while bcnefting us also
be o lasting benefit to the negro children who
are growing up in our midst in such woful ig
norance. When our colored population are bet
ter educated, our jails and penitentiarics will
not be so crowded, and crime will not be such
common thing; for we all know that education
is what makes the man woman.
Our little children who are lsping so sweet
ly around our frcsides will not have the
trouble and annoyance with free labor, if the
young generation Of colored children are educa-
ted that we are having, for firmly believe were
the colorcd peoples minds more cultivated, they
would regard their oaths more sacred and solemn
and make better servants for us, in every way.
Now there are n great many people who are
really needy and are fully competent to teach,
but because they cannot procure n white sc lool
will not teach at all. In proef of it, only mark
the sIuabbling, the fussing and hard feelings,
where three or four apply for n school. The
trustees cannot give white schools to all who ap-
ply, but if they cannot get white school they
fold their hands in idlcncss and suffer acdnt,
before they are morally brave enough to do that
whfch'sney secretly desire to do, and which
ahcir conscience tells them is no wrong.
A great many ladies have to teach q servant
almost every kind Of household work after they
hire them. 1t is either to cook n certain dish,
milk wash iron, sew, knit and q thousand other
things too numerous to mention. Where is the
difference, now, if we teach them from books
Only this, in the first instance we have the
trouble of teaching them with the almost certain
probability Of their leaving us as
have fitted them for the work, in addition to
having TO pay them salary In the last named
receive the salary, and Of the two |
/ would myself much prefer to draw the salary;
5ut peoples taste differs you know. | think q
day is coming when those persons who fail to
recognize one who is willing to faithfully dis
charge duty in this respect, will see their er-
ror-to call it no harshcr name. Anything new
is generally looked upon by narrow minded
persons with disfavor, and il is mt present little