Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-03
TOO OFFICIOUs.
A Few Pointed Remarks from COAOred


Citizen.
Editor MOrHiag NetrS: You Will be con-
ferring a favor not only upon me and upon
every other intelligent colored person OF
this conservative and well governed COM
munity. but upon every man who, having
turned his back upon the obsolete and eX-
pIoded theories of the past, and now facing
the full blaze of that progressive and en-
lightened spirit pervadlng our country
and which to a great extent will enter
largely in the building up of this new
south, if you viii through your columns
correct mischievous article that emana-
ted from paper published by some ire
sponsible parties in this city on the 18th
ultimO. The sentiment contained therein
was intended to be palmed OF upon the
public as the expression of mind Of the
cOlOred people.
The article referred TO was published
BY said parties in a second rate sheet,
located upon one of our lanes and edited
BY dry goods porter and gang of pOliti-
cal cadaVers. | should not notice the
gibberlsh of such a sheet had ii not been
for the fact that it has been assiduOusly
striving to create the belief that II repre-
sents the best sentiment of the cOlOred
rions. for there is neither a clergyman Of
ability and of character, nor any other
respectable person, who does not en-
tirelv ignore this sheet and give 1t
a wide berth. 1t therefore follows that
the sheet referred to does not represent
the best sentiment of our people, but
voices only that motley gang Of porters and
nincomDOops who style themselves edi-
tors. Here is the article referred to:
L. II, = Co.. lori 10 =
lanta Universities of Georgia. TO have at
least one colOred teacher: Must we for
ever depend upon Yankee families to
come South and do all the teaching, when
we have colOred teachers, male and fe-
male. sufficiently educated TO take tun
at the helm of knowledge. Of which the So
called Yankee processes to know so much,
in order to secure fat salaries:"
First. as a matter of fact, the statement
in regard to the unemployment Of colored
teachers is untrue. and therefore the so
called editors imposed upon the truth.
Prof. w. H. Cr0gman. Of Clarke Universe
ty. is graduate OF Atlanta University,
and cOlOred man. Immediate upon his
graduation he was rendered position in
Clarke and has been repeatedly reelected,
until recently he was made full-fledged
professor.
The professor of music in Atlanta the
state University for cOlOred people, and
to which Georgia gives s., 600 annually J, IS
a cOlOred person and graduate Of Ober-
lin College. How perfect and how dense
is this ignorance of this smutty sheet,
And this ignorance is inexcusable, for
upon application both a catalogue and
stamp would have been given gratis to
this tribune Of the people. But it seems
that that which has stirred up
the gall Of these erudite editors is this
viz. I'VE have coloTed teachers, male
and female, sufficiently educated to take
a turn at the helm Of knowledge Now
| ask. is this a sufficient reason for GUST
ing old and tried teachers that nOyitiates
may draw their salaries regardless of tit
ness? Does graduation from a college
make one through that fact alone full
hedged professor! Men generally are not,
Minerva-like, born with all their capaci-
ties perfected and gifts all fully deyel-
Oped. College prOfessOrships are reached
only bv laboriOus work, and that extend
ing through years. Not by any means
would | depreciate the high acquire
ments of our graduates.
Many Of them are accomplished and
worthy Of high preferments. But when
there is so much educational work to be
done among our people, would it be
either unWise or degrading to them to
fill the positions of principals of grammar,
high schools and academies, and then IN
time, as they become ripe material for
prOfessOrshIps, be invited up! And Is it
even customary in our higher institutions
to elect one a professor who has not been
out of college and engaged outside for
wears i'm literary pursuits: And who,
pray, has ever heard of college professors
being elected, or their election even mOoted
by second rate ungrammatlcal sheet;
Trustees or OVerSeers. and not neWspa-
pers. elect professors in college, know
this is news to some people who think the
right to edit little sheet gives them
license to intrude into matters about
which they know nothing. l Will hint
another reason why am content to let
..weII enough alone" 1t is only eighteen
wears since we have been free and have
been enjoying educational privileges. On
the other hand the AnglO-SaXons of our
country have over two hundred years the
start of us. Does it not stand us
instead better to have the intel
lect refined. and characters
of our children moulded by those from fa-
YOred lands, best homes and more pol
ished socictvf Can we in these few short
years impress upon our charges the beau
ties and blessings of the home life better
than those reared in the polished society
of New Englands Again, Yale and Har-
ward and other colleges employ the very
best teachers; and it we have questionable
instructors could our graduates, as now,
be received on par with theirs: | think
not.
But 1 cannot leave this foolish ebulli-
ton of my Officious friends without eX-
pressing my surprise that there can be
found in this city one sO-called intelligent
man whose ingratitude is so base, and
who is 50 lost to every lofty sentiment Of
the soul, that he would envy those few he
roic educators of the small pittance al
lowed them in so self-sacrihcing work,
Their work of love for this section need no
praise from me, A united North and South,
taking up the work where they LAID il
down, and reawakened interest by the
government in the near future to strength
en- the efforts Of these States in prOsecu-
ting this educational work to a grand per-
lection. will be their eternal praise.
Now, Mr.. Editor, l have said more than
| purposed to when | began. But as the
source from which the above editorial
came precluded the idea of an intelligent
discussion Of the subject matter, have
thought best, in this heightened way, to
inform the public that the sheet turned
out by combination of dry goods pOr-
tiers and numskulls, in no way represents
the best sentiments Of the cOlored people
of the Forest City. GEORGIAN.