Daily Republican., 1883-09-13
Our COlOreal schools.

colored people" delivered before the
annual meeting of the State Teachers
Association. held at Rehoboth Beach,
August DIST, 1883. We would not stop
by merely returning the author our
thanks, but would refer with the hearth
est communication to the work he is en-
gagged in and his success in that work
The history of the education of the
colored people of Delaware has become
q part of the history of the State, and
we regret to say that the incipient stages
of that education reflects no credit on
State that was the first star in the bright
constellation of States that formed the
strongest nation on the ia e of the globe.
Having been close observer of the
subject of Mr.. Conrad's publication We
can endorse il as being correct. In no
State Of the Union did there exist a
stronger prejudice against the Colored
race than in Delaware at the close of
the war, and we think We are fully justi-
fed in asserting that this is as true at
the present time as it was hen, though
the barriers Of prejudice have been
shaken and in some instances broken
down. The close of the war found an
emancipated people in numberssutiicient
to make nation in Europe o: con,id-
cradle strength and Importance, thrown
upon their own resources comparative
ly without education, and without the
means of obtaining education. In the
wise reconstruction of the States in re
bellion, the general government provided
for the future education of the colOre |
people, but in the border slave States, o f
which Delaware is one, no provision
whatever was made, these Sta ties not
having in fact gone ont of the Union,
thus escaping the process of the recon-
,tr'lction acts Of Congress. From this
cause the co.ored people of Delaware
were left emancipated only but without
thiiS IA lu' tNA'iIl vi
far especially as education was con
Cerned.
If it hal not made Mr.. Conrad's paper
100 pfolix and lengthy, he won,d no
doubt have referred more infinitely to
the difficulties The colored people en-
cOuntered in their etf'or Is to secure an
education for themselves and for their
children, for it was no unusual thing il
the incipient stages of their education
in this State to find pupils in the schools
thirty five and forty years Of age, some
even porting over their primers N i
learning the alphabet by the aid Of
magnitying glasses. 1t was not unit
1866 that any organized effort was maize
by the white people to educate the col
ored people. Every State south IF th"
generally recognized free State, of the
Union lad adopted some kind OF a sys
ten Of coiurrd education except Della
ware. Sh" alone, swaytd by the person.
al ambition Of Ter politicians belonging
TO the party IN power, stood aIoOf and
offered no helping hand to her twenty-
five Thousand col red people struggling
to secure some kind of an education.
The Organization affected to aid the
coiured people in the year mentioned
was entirely at that time indcpeud NJ
and stOnl alone A. the friend of he col.
the kruh Is. the Tatums, the Tatnall,,
she richardson's and many other fan,i-
lies whom we might mention could nor
rest easy very lyng without making
some effort ~ benefit the cOlOr"d race
ami hence we ind them organizing in
i81H,to give vi rhr.r own private means,
to assist this poor and eg.ccted people
THE association, named the Delaware
as"pcia'lph, tor II" mora Improvement
anH edurlt, II " he ro}urcd people,
commenced H. work the next year AMI
hy the aid OF the General GOverIrutur
mat contributed III" Iunnrr, school
houses were soon erected in several oI
the priucipa. trwu, in the State, ana
soon schools were pat in operations.
From Dhs beginning line work has goue
IN unti! there ar" u"M som" olXry-,"vru
organized schools attended by over three
Thousand scholars.
buriIg al hes" years, from 1866 to-
1891, while Ii" color"l people, aided 10y
their benevo.cut :sIcud- alluded to
were struggling 10 ~rrI,r" some edurt'
ton, the Legislature OF Delaware arli-
lcnIy and dogc"d.y he'd a0oof. MOI "A
single particle OF aid came from the
State IN all those fifteen gear, Of toni