New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-03
EDUCATION OF THE NEGRO.
AN ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT HAYGOOD.
A MORAL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND INDUSTRIAL
NECESSITY.

| A MORAL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND INDUSTRIAL
| NECESSITY
MoNTEAGLE, Tenn, Aug AT the assembly OF
| the Southern Sunday-school Association here to-
day. the Rev. DR.. Attlcus G. Haygood, president OF
Emory College, Ca. in his capacity as general agent
OF the John +. Slater Fund" delivered by special
request the following address on the Education OF
the Negroi
| do not propose TO discuss tho question Of
the relative capacity of two races; my theme is
very different Besides, am not prepared TO dis
cuss that question: do not know any man who Ia pre-
pared discuss It. Neither race Is sufficiently educated to
furnish gauge possibilities. As to the negro. nobody
knows approximately what he can dol his expert
ment has Just begun. Until recently he had chance;
to-day he mas small chance Till the Gospel and common
have conquered the prudices or us OF the white
race he will have the best conditions for showing
what he do Considering what small chance he has
had and short time in which lie has been allowed 10
learn bis achievements to me 10 be most remark
able But this point know very well that as usual,
when feeling enters into Judgments those who know the
least from personal investigation will make the most
| dogmatc assertions aud the most vehement denials
The proposition that here to advocate is this and
this ony Tie negro IN he United States ought to DC ed-
Gated
The first reason offer is in the fact Of his humanity.
He ought to educated because he ia man. At this
point say nothing those who deny the essential unity
OF the human race speak those who do believe In
essential unity. For believe In the essential
unity Of the and believe I'm the brotherhood OF tho
human race. believe, therefore, in all brothery help
and service wherever and however 1 find any human
being For the very that believe In send
ing the gospel and the Christian civilization that goes
with it to China believe in giving Christian education
the negroes in America; and, lest by some possolV
there should BIO Misrepresentation as to the truth
hold, let say: believe in giving the opportunities OF
Christian the negroes for the same reasons
Of
cation the white people-tha h becausethey are alike
human beings, and by natural, Godiven right, should
best opportunity Gods providence allows them
for becoming all that they capable of becoming 30
long believe In Jesus Christ and HIS Gospe cannot
stand upon any lower platform than this
THE NEGRo's CAPACITY FOR LEARNING.
How much he can learn OF what Development he Is
capable we OF to day do know children will not
know for the elevation OF race implies the education
of generations But individuals OF the race have
done enough the matter OF advanced education;
hundreds of them have done enough in the
matter OF elementary education to put TO flight utterly
theories and arguments that generation ago VIC OF
the white race with few exceptions, accepted as the
final orthodox philosophy on this subject
As practical proposition would say that every child
in this country white and black should have, from his
parents or from the Government. equal chance for
elementary education Ibeleve ip what Americans mean
by school," There should be schools enough
TO give child the rudiments OF learning hyou
please, the three Rs" And These schools should be
good enough to teach the rudments thoroughly. Such
schools be- the children OF the Republic are
to be educated they to be efficient they are TO
reach the case, they must be backed by Government
To accomplish this end wisely. justly, efficiently. there
must be IA lair and equitable distribution OF the school
funds without distinction Of race rejoice that every
State In this Unon-w1th perhaps ono excepuon-does
row in principle least its school funds without
distinction OF race that In the opportunities OF es-
nentary education there be justice 10 both races
What comes this universal elementary educationi
The answer simple and to obvious; whatever In
diyidua capacity, aided by the benevolence OF good
men and wise jerprse OF the Church. makes posi-
BILE. them all. white aud black. tho keys OF kno"l-
edge aud let them unlock May doors as they
can pity coward who Is afraid to give human
being this Little danger Is there that any race
will rise too hgb that any individual OF any race VIII
learn too much truth. There danger more remote
than the danger OF oyer-educaton there Is no danger
more imminent than the danger OF undereducaon ana
false education And there Is part OF the civilized
world that at this tme has greater need to concern
the social and political and moral peTis that
urk in widespread ignorance than our own wcl-Dooyed
and fair Sunny south OF the year 1888
PRACTICAL POLICY or TIE CASE.
With rDt few persons of good business faculty and
shrewd worldly wisdom 1t often happens that an arsu-
nent on the plane Of policy much further than an
argument on higher plane of truth and right THey
are prone to forget nat there policy that Is
against right, and that while God rogns there cannot
DE.
Twill offer the argument the lower plane. The
negro ia here and here stay. He is citizen armed
with that thunderbOlt OF political power the ballot.
That it was given him unwi5ely and without coud-
tions that would develop him wise conscience to
the use Of It; that rule he Is UNIT to- voter-al
this understand fairly we'll But this Is not the subject
10 discuss this time He clifton, he is voter In
some states he IL tae minority; In every Southern
State Ia a tremendous power-a power whether he
uses it or designing white IT, 1t IS about time to
conpder facts His citizenship fact and his presence
here fact There at least seven millions OF ne
groes this country nearly all Of them are In the south
ern states They increase rapidly aud seadi y-faser
than the viii race The increase In tho total
population Of the United Sta es from 1870 to 1880
80 per cent the OF the white population, aided
largely by foreign imm radon % 81 pee cent the
increase OF the population, unaiicd by foreign i'm
migration, was 34.7S per cent Some writer's of
position have endeavorea to break the force OF these
startling 1gurcs by calling Ia question the accuracy Of
the tables an by seekng IN the comparisons OF
longer perods as from 500 20 1880. TO prove smaller
percentage II they beat test for
nparison let ten decades instead or two sets
OF twI hundred agD icre wcre In this
try 700 900 Ises; there 100000. That is.
viii there be in 1888
THE UIITERATE VOTE.
man who does not know that ought 10 be able
10 read aud write does know enough to DO argued
with The iorate vote OF our Southern states is simply
appalling and this nltorae vote is increasing. From
1870 10 1880 increase OF ilerate
the Southern States Of nearly hundred thousand
Figures may DC interesting to mixed audience. but
they are sometimes instructive. 1 will give you a few
OH the illiterae vote Of section Of the Union: In
Georgia the ilerate white vOts In 1870 81 800 In
$780, 2s57l; the negro ilerate vote in 1870 10O
551; in $780, 1866. The white iliterae in Ken
tucGy In so was 43.S26; in 1880. 54955 negro
itorate vote wAsIn 1870 375l9; Ia 1889. 43.l77 In
Tennessee the white ilhterate IN 1870 377l3
iu lllterate
55 93s; Ia $780, So COL In Texas in 1870 the white
lhterlte was 1865; In 1880 33,0S5; the
ni crate vote in Texas IN 1870. was 47235; In $780,
so. 600
Let those philosophers who think that education