The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-17
COLORED STUDENTS
Two Hundred Negro Pupils Who Are Neither
Noisy nor IndOIent.

Two Hundred Negro Pupils Who Are Neither
Noisy nor IndOIent.
joaquin Miller, in Louisville Courier-Iournal.
After had bought land and settled down on
the hill here overlooking Washington, found to
my horror that was within a stones throw Of
negro seminary, or academy as both sexes are
taught here, and that had established myself
within mailing distance of about 200 blacks.
l thought it strange that had not discovered
the fact of the immediate presence of my black
neighbors at once. | should like to see a school
of 200 promiscuous whites keep still long enough
to allow to buy land and build a house
without letting themselves be known. Finally,
1t began to dawn upon me that my neigh
bors were neither noisy, indoent nor
vicious in any degree, or at all As the bios
SONS OF springs came out l began to see quiet
groups of my black students on the hills. here
and there, with their books. But that was about
all the sign or sound of the negro school have
yet encountered. have not to this day heard
single voice, unless first spoke to him or her as
we have sometimes met i'll our walks under the
oaks. And not one OF them has ever Ventured
inside of my inclosure 1t would be but nat
ural desire, know, for students and readers of
books to want to look in upon man whose EN-
ployment is that of writing books. But while
thousands of the white riff raft poured in upon
me when l settled here, just as they would have
done to see Wild Bill or Texas Jack these blacks
modestly and quietly keep away
And as these black people treated me with re-
spect, l came finally to respect them in return;
of that quiet force which means conquest from
the first called and asked me to see his scholars,
gladly went to one of their receptions. 1 al
most hesitate to tell Of the perfect order here,
the perfect everything, lest l might not be en-
trely indorsed Bear in mind, it has been my
business as a scribe and reporter of the progress
of earth to visit many schools / have lived at
Oxford, at Cambridge loafed about Heidelberg
and had something to say to the students IN
Athens, Alexandria, and even Jerusalem. but
such exact discipline yet homelike behavior l
have found nowhere at all | call attention to
the fact which think not generally known,
that the educated negro does not mouth his
words or abbreviate them or speak in any other
way than an educated white man. Turn
your back and you would not be able to detect
the white from the black speaker. These
their opportunities. And this, l think, is all
that there is of life and all that God or the
country asks of any human being. And it is the
one great argument for the bill. How far they
have advanced or how fast they have advanced
it is not so easy to define positively L hear it
said that up to a certain point the negro is
quicker and more apt than the white student |
hear it said further that he is not capable of
attaining to so great an eminence. These, how
ever, are questions to be left to the future for
judgment. can only congratulate those who
founded this school They and those i'll charge
of it ought to be thankful for the wonderful
fruits of it This is the way out of jail. Fill
this academy, and you will empty yonder prison.
And so say let the Blair bill become a law and
set it in operation at once If this school is a
fair example, and why not! it is safe to say that
best behaved, if not most brilliant, students,
are to be the blacks.
The school here described is only fine exam
pie of the order and industry found in the col
ored schools of the District of Columbia. But.
being Oldest and most ably conducted, it stands
| deservediy at the head 1t was established and
is maintained by private subscription. However,
there are seventy schools in this city established
and maintained by the government district.
1t spends more than $500, 600 year on the these
schools There are two superintendent; one
| white and one colored There should be but
ono. From the number of schools, the vast sums
spent on them, the industry and devotion of the
pupils, we ought soon to have a very Boston in
culture And indeed, the whole black popula
| ton of the South by this BILL with the willing
disposition of scolars as here seen, can be adj
vanced far toward the front.