Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-05-02
A WantOn Outrage.


Education in appointing two colored
men upon the Publlc-schooI Board Of
Richmond has naturally aroused great
indignation among the white people
of that city. They look on 1t as cruel
and waDton outrage upon the COM
munlty, inspired by devilish partisan
malignity; and it is not strange that
it should be so regarded, in view Of
the fact that these colored men-one
of whom is spoken Of as "a rabid par
.isan"-are appointed to take tho pla~
ces of "white tax-payers who have so
managed the schools of the city as to
make them as good as the best"
1t is idle to urge in defence Of this
gross outrage that the members ofthe
State Board were constrained thereto
BY their oaihs Of Office, for there Is
nothing in the State Constitution
nothing in any statute, State or FEEDER
al-uothing even in the provisions CT
the Federal enforcement act Gecenlly
declared unconstitutional by the Uni
ted States Supreme CourD-which SO
much as squints a. such a require
meDt. And 1t Is clear case as the
Dispatch remarks, chat ifIhcre were
such a constitutional requirement it
would open The vi bite public schools
Of this city to negro pupils. If III r.
must be negro trustees, there must b.
negro pnpils.'
But there was no vacancy in The
Richmond City School Board. All
the places were filed by white citi-
zens Of the highest character and fit
moss, under whose fostering care the
schools were fulfilling their b nefcent
mission and had become the pride
aud ornament Of the city.
The paltry Pretext for the State
Boards action IN removing school
trustees, growing out Of the failure to
take certain oaths within a specified
time, has been decided untcnab'e by
Judge Basset French. hims' If Read
ulster, 10 the case of the Manchester
school trustees, in which all the
questions bearing upon the tenure OF
the Richmond trustees were inyO wed;
so that the law actually had to be
violated by the State Board in order
to carry cut its partisan designs. In
other words, white men who were in
every way acceptable to the commun-
ity, and under whom the schools were
Furnishing, were removed without
warrant Of law. in order that these
Oh, ctiouable colCIed men mig hit be
appointed. Uuder such circumstances
is it too MUCH to say that this action
of the State Board is wrong to the |
Redmond cYmmlulty which Gals for
the severest I, buke from The people OF
the entire State
If the law had provided for the ap-
pointmeut of negro trustees to yisit
and manage negro schools there would |
have been no objection to it, but as
the Dispatch points ont "lhese two
negroes will actually have a voice 10
electing the teachers and principals
Of all the white public schools in the
city, and will often hold the balance
of power as b,twcon two white ap.
plicants for the position Of teacher"
1t is needless to say that no sincere
friend of the public .chools will ap.
prove this sction Of the State Board,
Tor it establishes a precedent which if
followed up throughout the STATE will
utterly destroy their efficiency for
good,
The white people of the State are
willing in the future, as in the past
10 pay the taxes which sustain the
public schools, but they will not sub.
mt to the interference OF negro trus.
tees in white schools at the bidding Of
giovelling parlisans who really care
nothing for the schools except insofar
as they Can be used to secure votes
and plumber for their party.-[Win.
Times.