The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-24
POLITICAL CLUBS AND NEGRO TEACH
ERS.

election of members Of tho Board of Trustees
for the public schools. refuse to vote fer men
who would not explicitly bind themselves to
place only white teachers in charge of the
schools for the negroes. We understand that
this question was put TO the different candi-
dates who were present at the meeting of the
Union Democratic Club Tuesday night. and
this was not the first and will not be the last
occasion when those aspiring to positions in
the Council. so soon TO be elected will be re-
CURED to give a specific answer to this inter-
rogatory.
Without stopping to dispute the right OF
the clubs TO subject the candidates to tins line
Of cross-exsminaton. or to point out the dam
age which can DO inflicted upon the best inter
ests of the community by the exercise OF that
right. If it is possessed we have only this to say
10 the body of men who have come before
their fellow. citizens as candidates for the
City Council, that where they will gain five
votes by pledging themselves 10 elect mem
bers of the board who will discharge all the
colored teachers. they will lose ten.
We have reason to know that there Is
a counter disposition in circles removed from
the influence Of the political clubs, to demand
| of all candidates for the Council promise
| that they will not allow so gross spirit OF
partisanship 10 interfere in their choice of the
school trustees to be elected. Instance after
instance of this feeling has fallen under the
| direct observation of The TINES. ana proba-
| bly, there is not a candidate who will not
admit that q pledge TO conform to the wishes
of the clubs. as to the negro teachers will cost
40 least. as recent experience has disclosed TO
him, as many votes as he would lose by refus-
ing to give that pledge.
The great body OF the voters Of this city
the men to whom the candidates will be COM
PEELED to look in the primary for nomina-
tion-are firmly opposed TO the substitution
Of white for negro teachers in the colored
schools. This is the position Of very large
majority of those who pay the taxes 10y which
the public-school system of the city Is sus-
tanned. 1t is the position, We believe OF that
overwhelming mass of citizens who feel an
impartial interest in the conduct of public
affairs The candidate should take this fact
into thoughtful consideration when he is
weighing what he will gain or what he will
lose by complying OF refusing to comply with
the demand of the clubs If he is simply
counting the heads of possible supporters, we
would candidly advise him as matter of
policy not to permit himself to be drawn into
a pledge to turn down candidates for the
Board of School Trustees because they favor
the retention of the negro teachers.
We refuse to believe that majority Of the
candidates for the Council will allow them
selves to be guided by motives so utterly mar
row and selfish. Very many indeed have had
the manliness to decline to be controlled in
their votes on this point if elected, and they
have the approval of ali who are not infu-
enced by their preiudices, which in this in
stance constitute the great proportion Of the
voters.
1t would be serious reflection upon the
good name of Richmond Il at this late day it
should be announced that it alone of all the
leading cities of the South had deprived the
negro of the right to educate his own chill
dren, a right which he possesses in spite Of
the fact that so large part Of the school
taxes are paid by the whites Under the con-
troll of intelligent white superintendent there
is no danger that the negro teacher will
use the position which he occupies to the det-
riment of the community. One of the very
strongest arguments that can be urged in OPP
position to expelling him from his school is
the fact that the men who direct
the public schools of this city, and
who thus have obtained from personal
observation a thorough knowledge OF the
working of the system in all of its bearings.
steadily set their faces against the proposed
change because they consider it to be emf
nently unwise. not only on account of the
injury to the negro. but also on account of
the detrimental effect upon the community
at large. Their opinions entitled to the
greatest weight because naturally their SYM
pathies lean towards the advancement of
their own race.
The unanimous testimony of these gentle
men IS that the colored teacher is far more
useful in the colored school than the white
teacher because he, unlike the white teacher,
feels pride il his work. since the position
Is really an elevation to him. and identity of
race brings him very closely in contact with
his pupils, both in the school house and in
the home. BY the white woman, the position
OF teacher in the colored schools is regarded
as degradation from which she is anxious to
escape at the earliest opportunity. and she
would be OF a quality far higher than that Of
average humanity if she performed what was
justly expected of her under such circum- |
stances. to the utmost of her ability
If all the schools are TO be taught by white |
instructors, the Board of Trustees would be |
put in a serious predicament by the indis-
position of the teachers to be placed in charge
of colored schools. AS the law stands at pre- |
sent, there Is a general application to the |
board for positions in the public schools If |
all the applicants were white. as they would |
be II the change advocated by the clubs is
carried out the board would assign certain |
number OF teachers 10 the white schools and |
certain number to the colored Those as
signed TO the colored schools would inevitably |
protest on the ground that special preference
had been shown to those assigned to the
white schools. Discomfort would Certainly
follow, which would serve to impair the use
fulness of the whole body of teachers by ere
Gting among them a shirt of antaponisrn and