Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-27
DISCRIMINATION CHARGED
Petition Sent to the President Regarding
Oolored Schools
A Curious Drawing of the Color Line
the Basis Practitioners Say
MulnttOcs Are Favored.

The following petition was received by
the Commissioners this morning from
President Cleveland, and is signed by Oliver
c. Black, ]. E. Bruce, r. K. Washington.
r. d. Rufin, R. F. Williams and Robert
Durn.
ITO His Excellency, Grover Cleveland
President of the United States:
I'm view Of the changed condition Of
affairs, as evidenced by the choice Of a
rational democratic administration, desire
to present to your excellency the following
causes and reasons why there should be a
change in the personnel Of the present
heads of the colored schools Of the District
of Columbia.
During and since reconstruction a class
of adventures, both men and women, by
reason of their adherence to the then domi-
rant party, have secured and have con-
tinuously held positions as teachers in our
schools, and have theoretically, if not prac-
tically, used the power so acquired to entail
the right of succession to members Of that
class to the exclusion of all others.
THE effect of this state of affairs has, in
many instances. permitted unjust and I'M
favorable discrimination in daily recita-
tons and periodical examinations, and
from which the aggrieved party had no
means of redress.
The principal bars to preferment are:
First, poverty. Second, the occupation of
the child's parents. Third, radical distinc-
ttou DdSeu SOlely upon the complexion OF
the pupil, black, in nearly every instance.
proving fatal bar to a pupils reward for
honest industry and perseverance.
The effect of this discrimination last
above mentioned has been to eliminate as
far as possible, the darker-hued pupils from
employment as teachers, and to secure the
present preponderance of mulattoes and
their immediate friends.
Children of parents who OCCUPY lucra-
tive positions in the executive and other
departments of the government are favored
in daily recitations and periodical examina-
lions. to the disparagement of more intel
lectual pupils who are not SO situated. The
effect of this discrimination has secured
positions as teachers for all the pupils Of
entire families. Changes in the higher
positions of the colored schools of the Dis
trict have never been made since they were
put in operation, but such changes in the
white schools have been frequent, or as
the progress Of the schools demand. From
the above statement there can be but one
of two conclusions: Either that the princi-
pals and superintendents of the colored
schools have kept IN the van of intellectual
progress. or that fair competition has been
denied. This class dictates the appoint
ment of school trustees in every instance
and regard 1t as an unwarranted intrusion
on the part of any person who does not
belong to the ring to aspire to that posi-
ton. 1t has been, and Is now, the custom
in the High School for teachers, who are
paid high salaries, to make extra charges
for giving lessons to pupils who are re-
pOTteu uOt HdNliS Ildue the TeQulreu
per cent in certain studies, which would
entitle him her to pass, and this, too.
without allowing the pupil so reported any
chance to prove the correctness of the re-
port. The effect Of this is to place the
pupil in the power and subject him or her
to caprices of the teacher, without the
power or right OF appeal. and make the
teachers will flnal. 1t is charged that the
principal of the Normal School is physically
incapacitated, as teacher, by reason of
almost total deafnessy but that she pos
sesses enough OF her other natural senses
to invariably place the darker of her pupils
lowest in standing at graduation in order
to secure for the lighter ones the preference
in choice of positions and locality. The
result is to mass dark teachers in one To-
cality and the lighter ones in another.
TT is rule that female teachers
shall have gradua ted, from the High School
of the District of Columbia; that they shall
be unmarried, but. in open violation and
fragrant evasion of this rule, We have as
teachers females who are married, simply
because they belong to the favored class.
The government has made liberal appro-
pria tionS to maintain a system of night
schools. by which the poor may be taught,
yet the teachers who are provided with
position in the day schools, with salaries
ranging from $40 up to $780, are invariably
allowed to teach, to the exclusion of grad
yates, who are not provided with positions
in the day schools, further illustrating this
system of favoritism. This condition of
affairs is legacy of republican rule. and
those conducting the educational interests
of our children are the legitimate offspring
OF the republican party, the heritage of re-
construction, accidents of untoward fortune
and the oppressors of the people. and we
confidently assert that an investigation
of these charges by your excellency will
prove the truth OF our assertions and rid
us of the misrule of our oppressors."