Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-28
4, LOCAL INTRLLIGRNCg.
CoLORED SCHOOLS.

Talk of Closing the School for Colored
ChLldren-The Chinese Petition.
At the hast meeting of the City Board of
Education, the question of admitting Chi
nese children to the public schools was
discussed at some length.
On motion of Director Hopkins, the
Superintendent was instructed to issue no
more permits TO Chinese children.
Director Martin submitted the following
petition, which was read and placed on file:
We, the undersigned residents of Sacramento
city, and parents and guardians of children of
lawful age and entitled to attend the public
schools Of said city, respectfully represent that
there are in said city about thirty children of
Chinese or Mongolian descent who are entitled
to attend the public schools, and who desire to
do SC. We therefore request your Honorable
Board 20 establish a separate school for said
children, believing that such school would
be more beneficial to said children and more
pleasant 10 the teachers and pupils of the other
schools than having mixed school.
The petition was signed by On Chue,
Chan Boe Mon Chong, Louie San, How
Ian He. Sam Ian, King Sam, All John,
King Yuk. All Wong, Mon Cline Lee
Hong, Mrs Due Chong, On Chong, Ah Key,
Chong Fong, Due Chuck.
Ii was also signed by the following
j Il.
Arnold T Needham, Thomas Filben.
Horace a. Maybew, George r. Bird, J. w.
Baumgardner, j. +. Won Herrlich, J. E.
Hopper A. c. Herrick, William c. Merrill.
Also by the following teachers in the
High School: T. II. de Laguna, James H.
Pond, Elizabeth B. Purnell
This petition is based upon Section 1862
of the Political Code, which reads:
Every school, unless otherwise provided by
law, must be open for the admission of all chill
dren between and q years of age residing in
the district, and the Board of Trustees or City
Board OF Education, have power to admit adults
and children not residing in the district. When-
ever good reason exists therefor. Trustees shall
have the power to exclude children of filthy or
vicious habits, or children suffering from con-
tagious or infectious diseases and also to estab-
Esh separate schools for children of Mongolian
or Chinese descent. When such separate
schools are established Chinese Or Mongolian
children must not be admitted into any other
schools.
THE SCHOOL FOR coLoRED CHILDREN.
There is strong talk among some of the
members of the Board of School Directors
of aboishing the colored school on o street.
between Ninth and Tenth, which for the
past fifteen years has been taught by Miss
Sarah NJ. Jones.
"Why should this be done?" has been
the subject of much comment during the
past few days. Miss Jones has some
twenty.six pupils in regular attendance
and the Board of Directors figure out that
it costs $40 per annum per pupil to main
tain this school, while the average in the
others was only SIG.
large number of the parents who send
their children to this school do so from
choice. and they are very indignant at the
proposition. claiming that they should re-
ceiye more recognition than the Chinese
What is the reason that the Board de-
sires 70 close the school? 2" was asked of an
intelligent colored citizen yesterday.
''I'll tell you," was the reply, ''it is one
of those cases Of petty spite, wherein
mfuntain is made out of a mole hill
When Miss Jones took charge of that
school, fifteen years ago. there was at that
time an old clock hanging on the wall,
which had every appearance of being an
heirloom in some family that crossed the
plains in 40. The clock was good one,
but after telling the time of day for up
wards Of quarter of century it wore out.
1t was doctored, bushed, new cogs added,
worn-out springs replaced, but finally il
succumhed to the wear and tear of years
The doctors who had rejuvenated it on so
many occasions that its face had become
familiar stated that it had out-lived its use
fulness. Its tick had stopped, its hands
that had so often pointed to the time for re-
cess refused to longer indicate the passing
hours, and Miss Jones took it down care
fully and laid it away tenderly on shelf
in the basement of the building Now,
that's all there is of it. If that clock had
had a new lease of life. the school would
continue, but when it died the school must
die with it. 1t is all to be summed up as
follows: Miss Jones, wishing clock, a
most desirable piece of school furniture
applied 10 one of the Directors for an order
to purchase one. Her request was denied
on the ground that the old time piece had
been recently repaired. Miss Jones tried
to convince him of the fact that the clock
was beyond repair, but she failed and
could not secure new time piece. In the
course of a few days she met another Di-
rector, who listened to her request, and
promptly sent clock to the school-house
saying that if the Board refused to pay for
it, he would Now, that is the whole mat
Ter, but listen TO the result:
AT the next meeting of the Board the
Director who purchased the clock reported
the same and asked that the bill be al
lowed Then arose a discussion as to
whether it should have been purchased or
not. One Director insisted that the old
clock was good enough. but because she
could not get new one he was informed
that the teacher had thrown it into the
basement This was startling statement
A wanton destruction of school property
could not be tolerated. AT once the ques-
tion arose, How much is that school cost
ing. and can't we get along just as well
without it2 | would like to say right here
that it seems very strange that the Directors
make such an everlasting kick about a
81 so clock, when they go to work and put
q cooking range in the Capital Grammar
School for Professor Johnston and his
teachers | have nothing to say against
that When they put in cupboard, dishes,
knives and forks, an extension table, sofa,
ETC., for those teachers we did not say any,
thing against it, even it it did cost more
than 500. We did not complain when,
during last vacation, a kitchen and dining
room were put in at the Sacramento Gram
mar School for Miss Watson We do now
kick, however, when they jump stiff-legged
about little old time-piece for the colored
school.
:" Now they were all wrong. The poor,
aged, worn-out, time-honored aud anti
quated grandfather's clock is in a good
state of preservation, but absolutely beyond
resuscitation. The Board, before going too
far. should hold post-mortem examina-
ton, and satisfy themselves that there is
at all it is as curio of the last decade. and
no doubt would be quite an addition to the
collection in the local museum.
"The Directors, at least some of them, say
they can place the colored pupils in the
other schools, and dispose of that property
at a good price. They forget that only a
few years ago our children were refused ad-
mittance to the public schools of this city.
The color line then stood in our way. They
seem TO forget, also, that we had to fight
hard and struggle to get together q few dol
lars to establish school. wherein our chill
dren could receive the rudiments of COM
mon school education. They seem to be
oblivious to the fact that Mrs. Emily Allen,
colored lady, now resident of Washing
ton, D. c.. raised money sufficient to buy
the lot and build the school house for the
colored children. They evidently are not
aware of the fact that the moment that
school is closed the property reverts to the
original owner. or they would not speak of
disposiag of it.
Mrs. Emily Allen was q broad-minded
intelligent woman, and she had the deed so
worde1 that the property would revert Just
as soon as it should cease to be used for the
benefit of the colored children Of this city.
We viii not allow it to be used for the
Chinese, and as good citizens and taxpayers
we demand that it shall continue to be
us.d as a school for colored children"
TIL, <.s, I TT. L.