Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-03-14
FRIDAY MORNING. MAR. IA, 1884.
THE SEPARATE SCHOOL
TRUSTEE BILL.

IL u . GI DLAA<s
The bill for white trustees for WhlCe
schools. and colored trustees for colored
schools came up in the Virginia Senate
last Saturday. and was passed by, in con-
sequence of the discovery that one OF its
provisions repealed an important Sec
ton of the school law. Mr.. Norton,
col. Coalitionist), opposed the bill on the
ground that it was for the best interest of
the colored people that the whites should
have control of the schools. Mr.. Koiner,
dem. J, opposed it, saying that he had al.
WAYS differed with the Lynchburg plat
form on that question, but had yielded
his difference on the supposition that the
colored people wanted the control OF their
own schools. Senators Meredith. Petit,
and Berry, all Democrats from counties
where there is large colored vote, favor
it because it had been promised by the
Lynchburg platform and because they
thought there was intelligence enough
among the colored people to manage
their schools This, we are afraid, will be
the last of the measure, as bill passed
by within eight days of adjournment
is not likely to get through. Its de-
feat is to be sincerely regretted, not only
as failure to redeem well DEFINED
party pledge, but as failure of a move
ment towards making the cOlored people
of Virginia citizens in fact. The great
trouble the more intelligent class in Viz
ginia has had with the cOlored man has
been to make citizen of him, and give
him an appreciation of the fact that he is
personally identified with his State and
interested as much as the white man in
its laws and its government. The method
proposed was similar TO that used for the
white citizen. No white citizen expects
to go to Congress, for instance, until he
has had some sort Of experience in public
to qualify him therefor. So well trodden
is the path to public preferment in
State, that we can aim ost name the posi-
lions by which the citizen advances or Is
advanced to prominence in that State. TIL
most circumscribed Office in it's duties
conveys to its occupant feeling of tbt
responsibility of citizenship that nothing
in private life can give him. So, as mere
matter of official position, the plan would
be of benefit in educating the colored man
to conception Of his duties. AS matter
of advancing the education Of the colored
race, there can hardly be serious ones
tion that it would operate we'll. No man
born and raised among the colored race
can have failed to observe the many ben
efts they miss by their general and ma
tural suspicion Of the great majority of the
white. A race just out of slavery is not
apt to have much confidence IN the race
that has held them in bondage. And we
do not think that we overstate the
difference when we say that the personal
interest of the mass of colored people il
their public schools would be Increased
fifty per cent. by the fact that they con-
trclled them and were responsible for theii
success. There would spring up an emul-
alton of the white schools at once which
would act like magic. They would feel
greater confidence in them. more personal
pride in them. more eXaltation in the pro
gress their children made in them, and
we sincerely believe exercise such watch
fulness over them that five years from now
the legislator who proposed to restore
the old system of control by the whites.
would find few listeners among either
race. We are IN sympathy with Senator
Koiner's desire, uttered in the Senate, that
the best men be appointed for trustees
but we can easily see that there are stu
ations in which the ''best men," without
the confidence and sympathy of the people
among whom they work are so much i'm
peded by the lack of both that much less
capable men who possessed both, would
show much better results for their labors
We are not sure that the field cannot be
duplicated by that which existed after The
war between the sections, closed. The
Republican party knew as little of the
capacities of the South Except for rebel
lioD) as the Democratic party now knows
of the black man except his adapta5ility to
make trouble That party could do moth
ing except through ''loyal" men. and were
much surprised that year after year the
loyal men showed no better results OF
their influence and management. At last
the Southern States took hold themselves
and the change became instantly appar-
ent. Improving the colored race also can
he better done by the Intelligent among
than by those to whom intimate
of them is impossible. Such
intelligent men IN the colUred race have
before them wide, new field, for them as
important in one sense of the word as the
spiritual field. which is filled exclusively
by their own people.
Two great bars are up against the |
whites and blacks cooperating intelli- |
gently in the work of education; Ole that |
The whites were never slaves and cannot |
understand the feelings of the blacks, and |
.he other that our social laws make it i'm |
possible for either race to gain a thorough |
Of the other. Ia this strait |
Of schools and that is to let the intelli- |
gent blacks manage the schools of their |
ace. 1t would be an experiment? That !
is true, what new good is obtained with
)ut experiment ? And if it is al expert
neDt; so much the better. 1t is not an
rrevocable arrangement; it is as Temporal
y as the legislation that creates it and as
capable Of change. If it does not work |
we'll. nothing is easier than at the end of |
,wo years to repeal it. Two years would |
De lost? Not bit of it; the intelligent
,olored people would have too much pride
If race to let the two years be lost, and if |
t succeeds, as we believe it will, we solve
,he only vexed question that is left to
create friction between the two races. Gov.