Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-01-10
TRIP TO THE GULF.
Things Seen In the ssuth-Tropi.
cal FfuIta and Vegetables.


cal Fruits and Vegetables.
Never having been across Red
river, and always having had de-
sire TO visit the Lone Star state, l
took advantage of the offers Of the
railways of reduced rates-one and
third fare for the round trip to
Galveston, Tex. The occasion was
the meeting Of the Southern Teach
ers' Educational convention, TO
which all educators were freely in.
vited ito come and share the noted
old-fashioned Texas, southern,
well known hospitality-come and
welcome"
That was what caught my eye,
and | thought"Now is my chance;"
so, being armed with certified Gre
dentials and introduction from the
secretary of the board of education
of the Cherokee nation to represent
the interests Of the same, on the
evening of Dec. 25th / started from
Vinita with the determination to
make the best use possible of the
occasion.
The folder says 696 miles from
Vinita TO Galveston. | rode all
night, all day of Goth, reaching
Houston at 10 p. m. ] should have
gone right on TO Galveston that
night, but our train was two hours
late, so / had to spend the night
in Houston, then at 7:40 a m. OF
9th left, reaching Galveston at
$50, actual running time, includ-
ing usual stops, of about thirty
hours, or about twenty-three miles
per hour.
Thus by that two hours delay |
lost one-half of the second out of
the three days of the educators
convention.
AS a gathering OF teachers from
the southern states IL was not up
to expectation for, outside of the
state of Texas, / think there were
not more than twenty present.
Texas, of course, was well repre-.
sen,ed by $50 to 200 or more teach
ers, it being also the meeting of
the Texas State Teachers associa-
ton. Thus, being more local, and
less national or semi national rs |
was expecting to find, it was not as
interesting in all its deliberations.
The members proper seemed to
think it all first-class, and | guess
it was, and | would not say word
derogatory; but some things TO me
appeared a little peculiar and in
tensely sectional, One speaker
was very bitter, and urged strongly
that the south build up and en-
courage more and more southern
publishing houses, claiming that
southern writers and authors are
almost entirely ignored. He said:
Now ii such an author (mention-
ing the name) had only been born
in Bosting, you would see his
name lauded high and his writings
quoted in the school books" Then
OF another noted and gifted south
ern writer: "If he had only been
born in Bosting. etc." showing
the bitter sectional hate and spite.
| will do them justice TO say that
not all were thus; one speaker said:
"We must educate that there is no
north, no south, no east, no west"
But | noticed he was not cheered
and hand clapped as the other who
doesn't know that the war forever
settled all such questions more
than thirty years ago.
| heard someone ask one who
said he was superintendent of all
the schools in the city. if he had
supervision of the schools for ne.
groes? He said yes. Do you have
any difficulty in getting first-class
teachers for your negro schools?
Yes, but none but negroes can
teach them. Should a white man
undertake TO teach a negro school
he would be drummed out of the
town. The people would not let
him live there. Can it be that
Texas is entirely reconstructed?
One peculiarity ] saw which | do
wish could be grated on the entire
railway systems of the country
north and south. On all trains
you will see this notice on one car:
"This car for negroes" and on an.
other, This cal for whites" /
believe that is as it should be.
The arrangements for reception
Of visitors struck Ine as a little
queer. After reading the open
welcome as told above, and being
there an entire stranger, | applied
to the reception committee to be
"located" while there. was
asked: 'Do you want a $500 a
day house or a s4.00 a day hotel?"
| said l would prefer private
boarding house. "Well, | will
take you TO a dollar Il day private
house" And thus faded out the
last spark Of the expected "old-
fashioned southern Texas hospi.
tality."
But aside from the educational
episode ! feel well paid for my
/