Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-12-19
ANOTHER FOOLS ERRAND.
Quitman is a village of perhaI

Quitman IS a village of perhaps
1900 people, and is situated in
Brooks County, Ca, a few miles
from the Florida boundary line. 1t
is a station on the Savannah, Florida
and Western Railroad, and has gain
ed some reputation as a Winter re-
sort. 1t was here that recently the
American Missionary Association, a
society sustained by the Congrega-
tional churches, and which has Civ
en- more than $1,000, 900 for building
and maintaining schools in the
South, established a colored school
for both sexes. Mrs. Allen, a be-
nevolent lady residing in Water
bury, Conn.,, owned a good building
and a plot of ground in Quitman,
which she gave to the society for
educational purposes. The Rev. j.
Fl. Parr, a graduate of the Chicago
Theological Seminary, was placed in
charge of the school, and he was as
sisted by his family and four lady
teachers.
The school was opened about two
months ago, but to day Mr.. Parr is
back in Chicago again, and last
Monday he related to the Congre-
gational Ministers Union of that
city why he had been sent on a FOOLS
-errand. When he arrived in Quit
man he found a commodious struct-
r ready for his use and colored
pupils in abundance, eager to learn.
At one time 14O colored boys and
girls were enrolled. The only draw
back was the too evident hostilit,- of
the white residents, and this was
NANTES ted in every way which
could prove annoying. The lady
teachers were compelled as they
walked the streets to listen to insult
ing expressions from men and boys,
and cries of " see 'em,n "here they
come" "nigger teachers" and
" white niggersp greeted them wher.
eve they went.
These proofs of local prejudice
were born patiently, however, in the
hope that a change would be brought
about Ill time and II better under
standing of the project, but tie re-
suit did not prove this REV of the
ease to be the correct one. When
it was found that the school could
not be destroyed by applying in
sulting epithets to those in charge
of it, more vigorous methods were
adopted. Mud and stones we're
thrown at the teachers us they sat
on the verandah, threatening postal
cards were sent from the Florida
boys just across the line,n and one
night three pistol bullets we're fred
into the wood. leasing of one of the
windows. As all these hints did
not send the principal North, " where
he belonged" it remained only to
burn the building down over his
head. This was done on the night
of November II, the teachers and
pupils barely escaping with their
lives.
This is why the school is broken
up and the Rev. MI. Parr has return
ed to Chicago. 1t would be unjust
to conclude that all the people in
Georgia or even in Quitman sympa-
thize with this barbarous method of
showing hostility to a colored school.
The village council condemned the
burning of the building and offered
a reward of $500 for the arrest and
conviction of the incendiary. A
citizens meeting also was held in
Quitman last week, at which reso-
lutions were passed denouncing tue
transaction and proposing to give
ten acres of land as a site for the
school in another part Of tie city.
These steps are well enough so far
as they go, but the Quitman people
mistake if they suppose that they
are an adequate atonement for the
crime. The only inst compensation
that they can give is, as the Chicago
Congregational Ministers Union
said, to restore the school exactly as
it was, or, failing to do this. prove
themselves participants in the ont
rage.
That they will do this there is nc
probability. Indeed, the Quitman
Free Press says that any attempt to
rebuild on the old site will at once
stir up strife anew, OF, in other
words, the school would be burned
down again. There is no DISPOSE
ton to judge the South harshly, and
every evidence OF an aroused public
sentiment in that section is welcom
ed but, so long as occurrences like
this burning of the Quitman school
happen, and the people give a half
way assent to it, it will be useless
for the whites to claim that they are
striving to make the bes. of their
circumstances. Aad, likewise, the