The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-02-01
THE SCHOOL QUESTION.

Notwithstanding the little breeze that has
been raised about the admission of three or
four colored children to the school, things
are moving along smoothly at the school
house, and the report which we publish to-
day shows that the attendance has not de-
minished to any great degree. Since our
last issue there has been no change in the
situation. Tho. Trustees stand firmly by
their decision, and as there has been no pro-
test to or appeal from the same there is no
probability of an immediate change. Al
though given numerous opportunities, meet
ings of the board having been called for that
special purpose, those who are opposed to
the action Of the Trustees do not seem to
wish to test the matter in q legal way. Such
at least is the fair Inference to be drawn
from the fact Of their failure to take any
steps looking that way.
At the meeting of the Board Saturday
evening two petitions were presented. The
first read by the clerk demanded that the
Trustees should either resign or reverse their
unlawful decision" in reference to admit
ting colored children to the school. It was
signed by seventy persons, about five of
whom are patrons of the school and direct
" interested in the same. AS the language
Of the petition was not respectful it was Or
dered returned to the petitioners, and the
reading of the names was not even allowed.
The second petition asked the Trustees to es-
tablish . separate school for the colored
children, and was signed by seven or eight
persons. This was duly considered by the
Board, who were unanimously of the opinion
that the expense attached would be too great
to justify them in SO doing. If there were a
sufficient number of pupils to warrant a sep
arate school they would gladly provide for
it, but under the circumstances they could
see no reasonable justification for so large
an expenditure of the funds of the school
for which good and sufficient reason the
prayer of the petitioners was not granted. It
is q noticeable fact that at this meeting there
was not a single representative Of those who
are opposed to the action of the Trustees.
The meeting was called for their benefit, so
that they could appeal In the regular way,
and have the question legally determined, but
they did not see fit to do so for some reason.
Probably 1t is feared that the outcome would
not be exactly what is desired. The legal
aspect of the question was clearly set forth
by a correspondent Of the RIVER PRESS last
week. The courts have UNIFORMLY held that
colored children can not be denied school
privileges where separate schools are not es-
tablished, and 9 majority of the decisions are
to the effect that pupils can not be excluded
on account Of race distinctions. The Terri
torial statute which permits the Trustees, if
they see fit, to shut the school house door in
the face of colored children when the num-
Der is less than ten, is contrary to these de-
cisions and the Constitution, upon which they
are based. This would be a good time to
test the matter judicially in Montana and for
ever settle the mooted question.
As Guiteau would remark, the Record has
been doing a1me cranky work on this sub
ject In Saturday nights issue it claimed
that the petition first referred to above, which
contains the names Of half q dozen patrol 9
Of the school, the others having very little