Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-07
OBJECTNG TO A CHANGE.
Colored Citizens Protesting Against {
Trade of School Buildings.

THE REPORTED INTENTION OF THE confIs-
sIoSERs RESPECTING THE MONTGOMERY STREET
scHooLs-rHE OFFICIALS SHARPLY CRITICISED
| THE SCHOOL SITE MATTER.
Swapping school buildings was the main
topic of discussion at a gathering Of colored
citizens last evening. The meeting was held
at the Fifteenth-street Presbyterian church in
response to a call to all those interested In
the proper education of colored youth" as the
call was worded, ito resist the action. or pro-
posed action. of the Commissioners to eject
the colored children from the Wormley build
ing" and assign them to a building in loca-
ton wholly unsuited. After John F. Cook had
called the meeting to order, and ". Calvin
Chase had taken his place as secretary, Mr..
Cook invited those present to take seats near
the front As one of the speakers said, the
attendance was not large, but another one
| observed that there was enough present to
move the capitol if necessary. and the vigor
| with which the discussion was carried on
seemed to give color to the latter remark. In the
course of his speech in taking the chair Mr.. Cook
| said that there were rumors and newspaper
| paragraphs. and remarks of the Commission
ers. the inspector of buildings and others, all
| tending to the belief that ii was in contempla-
| ton IN the near future to remove the scholars
| from the Wormley building and transfer them
! to the new building which was to be erected on
1 or near Olive street, Georgetown.
| THE woRNLEY BUILDING,
| he said, was in the seventh division, which
| comprised colored schools, while the new build
| ing was in the fifth division, which embraced
| the white schools Of Georgetown. The site Of
| the new building he described as being low
| ground on the borders of Rock creek. place
that had been condemned for church purposes
and also for school purposes in the past. In
the vicinity was a place for burning oyster
shells. He thought that location was bad and
would have a bad effect, not only upon the
health, but the moral tone of the pupils. In
his opinion If the colored people submitted to
this proposed change. there would be no reason
why the Summer building, the Lincoln building
and others should not be taken away from
the colored schools. If sufficient buildings can
not be secured in any other way for the use Of
the colored schools, the next step of the au-
thorities will be, he thought, to erect buildings
in the alleys. He advised that it be made
known how the colored people regard this mat
ter. and said perhaps it would have the effect
of stopping this movement in time. If there
was no other remedy he thought an appeal to
their friends in Congress would be effectual
On motion of NJ. NJ Holland. a committee,
consisting of John H. Brooks, Henry Johnson,
and DR.. Augusta, was appointed to draft reso-
lution5 expressing the feeling of the colored
people in regard to what Mr.. Holland termed
the proposed outrage upon their rights. He
expressed the hope that the committee would
use strong language appropriate to the pur-
pose.
GEORGETOWN COMPLAINT.
While the committee was absent Rev. Mr..
Robinson, resident of Georgetown, was called
upon by the chair, and he expressed the opin-
ion that this proposed change had very much
the appearance Of an attempt on the part of
the white people to keep the colored people
down IN the path Of progress. He objected to
the location of a colored school in place thet
was not considered fit for a white school. He
only knew of one or two colored people in West
Washington who favored such a change. and
he hoped in behalf Of all those who would be
affected by it that it would be prevented.
r. ID. Rufhn spoke of the site as being unde-
sirable. and said that instead of losing the
Wormley building they ought to have another
building equally as desirable.
TRUSTEE oREsoRy's REMARKS.
The only member of the school board present
was Prof. Gregory, and he said that when he
heard of this rumored change he asked the
superintendent of the white schools if such
thing was contemplated. and Mr.. Powell told
him that some time ago such thing was IA
vored by number. among them several coll
ored men. He himself opposed to it.
Prof. Gregory said he then went to Commits
sioner Webb with the same inquiry, and was
plated by the Commissioners. Mr.. Webb added
further, in response to question, that such
action would not be taken without first consult
ing the colored people and the school board.
Mr.. Gregory expressed the opinion that the
transfer of a school building from one division
to another could not be legally made without
the consent of Congress, and in this opinion,
he said. Superintendent Powell concurred.
The appropriations for school buildings were
specific and could not be diverted from one di-
vision 20 another.
Mr.. Holland thought that if the Commits
sioners did not propose to make this change
that the meeting had nothing further to do and
might as well adjourn.
In response TO a question from Mr.. Brooks as
to whether the school trustees had been con-
suited in regard to selection of this olive street
site. Prof. Gregory said he supposed the trustee
representing that district had He was ALWAYS
consulted in regard to sites in his division.
Mr.. Brooks replied that the citizens we're
acting advisedly IN this matter. and he believed
that the members OF the school board were left
IN the dark on such matters. The Commits
sioners, he said select the sites through their
rents and locate the schools where they please
TEE RESOLUTIONS.
As chairman OF the committee on resolutions
Mr.. Brooks then submitted the report In the
course of lengthy preamble the proposed
change of school houses was recited and the
powers of the Commissioners and the school
DOarQ IN THIS particular set forth. Continuing,
the preamble states that the school funds
have been and are now being expended by said
Commissioners without the knowledge and
consent of the school trustee, SO far as is
known to the public; and whereas the sworn
testimony, given before a committee of Con-
gress, shows that a number of school sites
authorized by law have been selected by the
Commissioners, through u favored agent upon
grounds of social intimacy and personal friend
ship; and whereas the purchases made by said
agent of the Commissioners are shown by the
Commissioners to have been exorbitant in the
prices paid, and the sites to have been selected
in the private interest and benefit of other than
the public schools and the government and to
the injury OF the public schools"
The resolutions state that I'VE most earnestly
protest against the unlawful intent and purpose
of the Commissioners of the District of Column
bia to divert the use of the Wormley school
from its lawful use by the colored children of
the seventh division to the unlawful use by the
white children of the fifth division, and that
We would in such an unlawful act see the be-
ginning OF q further assumption of authority
to ignore and override congressional enactment
and complete usurpation of all authority in
public school affairs. That we solemnly pro-
test against the policy of the Commissioners
employing an agent to purchase land for school
sites within the limits of the District of Column
bia, as experience has clearly shown that all
land can be purchased by the Commissioners
with the confidential assistance of the proper
| school officials, and without the expenditure in
an indirect manner of large sums in addition to
I II