Daily Republican., 1882-08-24
THURSDAY. AUGUST "a, 1852.
Education OF UOlOred Children.

From the annual report of the Actu-
AIRY of the Delaware Association, Henry
G. Conrad, Esq, we have the gratity-
ing intelligence that there is more In
terest manifested in the education OF
the colored people of the State than for
merly, though there is much to do yet
to bring the 5000 colored children in the
State into schools-we cannot say pub
lie schools, for the Democratic party
has provided no public schools for col
ored children, distinction enjoyed by
only the Democracy of Delaware. The
number of colored schools has increased
onethird and the enrollments are one
thousand greater than year ago. New
Castle County shows an increase of six
schools and 327 scholars. Kent Coun.
ty also reports an increase of SIX schools
and 357 scholars. Sussex County, the
Actuary says, makes the best showing
for the year, the number of schools and
enrolment of scholars being almost
double over last year. Brandywine Isl
the only hundred in the State that has
no colored school. New Castle has al
together % schools, including two in
Wilmington and 1865 enrolled scholars;
Kent County "a schools and 1868 schol-
ars and Sussex County has % schools
and 926 scholars. The total number of
pupils enrolled is 1921, about half the
number of children in the State of
school age who should be edu.
Gated by the State. The appropriation
of $2400 made by the Legislature-SSOO
to each County, the first money ever
given by the State for the education OF
colored children has made its mark for
good, though divided it made only u
cents scholar. If the appropriation
was doubled, as it should be, the educa-
ton of the colored children would be
more thorough and general, resulting
in the establishment of permanent and
good schools for colored children, and
thereby the great fear of the Democrats
of mixed schools would be allayed. IfI
education is good thing and all agree
that it is, then all should be educated.
If it makes better citizens, then there
is the greater reason why the colored
people should have as good schools and
as good facilities for educating them
selves as the white people.
This thing of linked schools" that
comes before every State Democratic
Convention like phantom, is the
merest political scarecrow used to
frighten timid Democrats. All the col
ored people ask for is good public
schools for themselves-as good oppor-
tunities for learning as the whites
have. The scholars may not be as far
advanced as white scholars, but they
want every impediment removed, that
they may make themselves as good
scholars as the whites in a general
sense. The colored people have never
asked for mixed schools, and so long as
they are permitted to have good schools
Of their own, aided by the State as
white schools are aided, it is not likely |
they ever will ask for such privilege. |
Therefore if the Democratic party hap
pens to be successful again at the next
election, as it has been for the last thir-
ty years, and will give these neglected
people the came privilege of educating
themselves chat they accord to white
people, their State Conventions will
never again be disturbed by the phan-
tom of "mixed Schools" rising up to
trouble them.