Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-08

tendency Discussed In Q Public Meet.
ing.
A FORENSIC sxRx1sH AT THE FIFTH BArrIs
CHURCH - RESOLUTIONS PROTESTING AaAIxs
DIR. FRANCIS PRoPosAL-soxr LIVELY SCENE
AT LAST SIaHr's MEETING.
The muse Of free iscussion-presumine he
existence-presided over the meeting Of col
ored citizens at the Vermont avenue colore,
Baptist church last night. She was amply pro
vided with breath, figures Of speech and Bibli
cal parallels, reinforced with good stock O
points Of order and parliamentary rulings.
The meeting was called for the purpose o
considering grave matters of interest in con
nection with our public schools, and to make
protest against the attempt on the part of tn,
school board to abolish the Office of the super
intendent Of the colored schools" according Il
circular that has been industriously spread
among the colored people for several days past
The meeting was to have been called to order
at 73O, but the non-arrival at that time of GER
tain persons, whose presence was considered
essential, caused postponement until S:15, a
which time Editor W. Calvin Chase brought his
knuckles down upon the table and called the
assemblage to order. The hall then contained
about $50 people, about half of them being
women.
ME-. CHASE STATES THE QUESTION.
MIR. Chase referred to the proposition sub.
mitted at the last meeting Of the school board
looking to the abolition of the Office Of super
intendent Of colored schools as a remedy fol
the irregularities reported to exist in the
colored High School. He asksd if 1t wal
expedient to abolish TINS Office when it i
known that the schools themselves will still
remain separate. We're it the intention, he
vigorously added, Of the school board that the
schools should be mixed, then a proposition
such as this would be a step in the right
direction.
THE CHAIRMAN COMES UP THROUGH THE FLOOR.
The meeting then organized by electing Rev
Geo. W. Lee president. This gentleman ap.
peared through the floor by means Of stair
way at the rear of the church, and solemnly
laid his hand upon the table, whereupon Rev
R. s. Laws was elected secretary. Rev. Lee
asked DIR. Laws ito come forward and WELD his
was not strictly obeyed. After . little discus.
sion as to the propriety of the move, Rev. w.
H. Scott was made vice-president. Rev. Lee
read the call for the meeting, and Mr.. Chase
moved to appoint committee Of seven on res.
olutions.
APPOINTING COMMITTEE.
This being carried the president insisted that
the meeting should aid him in the selection OF
the committee, although the reverend secre.
tary was showing list of names at his elbow
After several moments of modesty on the part
of the chair the list caught his eye and he read
it as follows: Calvin Chase, Jno. A. Gray, r. F.
Williams, Rev. j. W. Howard, David Clyburn
Rev. G. R. Chamf, and Edward Furbush. The
committee then retired to the gallery where
they put their heads together. The secretary
gracefully alluded to the presence of distin-
guished orators in the audience and called fol
speeches to pass away the time. The assem-.
blage then broke out in calls for "Scott," Gar.
mold" and ALLEN"
The chair, taking his cue from the loudest
voice, remarked that as ''Col" Arnold was
probably inspired with the Harrison mania il
would be good time to talk. Even this did
not bring the rabbit from his hole,
Mr.. LAWS REMARKS.
Finally Mr.. W. r. Laws volunteered to star,
the ball going. He made . psdt, witty speerh
over which the audience Rolled fiji Laughter,
He said that the meeting had beeffS qcalled
for the purpose of considering certain actions
or the actions of certain men. He understood
that somebody, in a whitewashed report, de.
signed to do away with the colored superintend.
emit. '1As soon as that is DONE" he exclaimed
in the fervor of his oratory, ''you lift up ban.
ner with letters as large as the moon. saying
that the negro is incapable of controlling his
own affairs. If this superintendent is incom.
petent get another, but let the Office stand
You people would not have mixed schools il
they would give them to you, for 1t is natura
for you people to honor anybody greater thar
yourselves"
Finally Mr.. Geo. N. Arnold consented t.
make few remarks in which he dreaN ebfA
parison between the condition Of the two High
Schools.
E1-TRUsTEE HOLLAND. ---. --.
Ex-Ccbonl Truotaa NJ NJ uouoo1 ro;l A. -.
the meeting should make protest against the
insult offered the public schools, and particu
larly against the colored trustees. He fsaii
that the abolition Of the Office of coloeed super
intendent would be dangerous inno$Ssioh. &
THE RESOLUTIONS.
The committee then turned down the gallery
gas and descended to the lower floor among
their brethren. Chairman Chase read the
resolutions. They complimented Teacher A.
NJ. Brown for his fearless expose of the condi-
ton Of things in the High School; opposed the
abolition of the Office of cOlored superintend
ent declared that DIR. John r. Francis does
not represent the colored people of the Dis
trict in asking for this change, and charged that
he is responsible for the bad condition of the
High School. -7-fs
The resolutions were hastily adopted, and
then when it was discovered That this had
chair quelled only by vigorous pounding Of
the table, much to the dismay of The STAB
reporter, who was on the other side.
Mr.. HOLLANDS FIREBRANp.
Mr.. Holland, when all was quiet, flung the
first 6rebrand into the meeting by giving what
he called an inside history Of the Brown-Car.
dozo-Francis-Cook controversy. He appeared
before the investigating committee as counsel
for Mr.. Brown. The whole thing, he said, grew
out Of "dicker," and soundly berated Trustee
Francis as being treacherous to the interests
Of the colored people. He said that "when we
elevate some of our colored men they
get very bigheaded; and that the prop.
osition was but progressive step to.
ward no Offices at all for colored people.
His remarks caused considerable weariness Ia
a man in the front seats, who yawned audibly
several times. Finally, when Mr.. Holland had
surrendered the floor, after a quarter of an
hour of denunciations, this man, named Well.
born, asked what was before the meeting, and
on being informed that there was nothing. Their
moved to adjourn, a motion which was not sec.
onded.
THE CHAIR SOLVES THE PROBLEM.
In speaking of the situation, the chair re-
marked that, although the report had beer
actually adopted, "all good hounds run to 9
deer after he has passed" and advised discus
sion..
J. P. Middleton soberly asked what standard
there was in the District governing the prin
that he had simply been explaining how tn,
matter came about, and had not assaulted tn,
principal Of the High school.
I'D like to ask Mr.. Holland IL he is counse
for Mr.. Brown" said Mr.. Wellborn.
Il object to the question" roared the chair
pounding the table and jumping to his feet.
Mr.. Holland was anxious to reply, but tn,
chair wOuld not let him Then Mr. Cook