Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-12
],
Two Topics Discussed by the A. M. E.
Conference.
ONLY A FAIR CHANCE ASKED
Lively Discussion. Developed and
Great Interest Shown.
VARIOUS PROCEEDINGS

ored labor that were highly interesting.
The speeches were all marked by an intel
l'gent and fair-minded comprehension of
the difficulties surrounding the colored
man and tho prejudices he had to overcome
in the battle for himself and his children.
The usual devotional exercises preceded
the program of the day. The attendance
was several times greater than yesterday
and the liveliest interest was manifested in
the proceedings of the day.
Rev. w. H. Williams, for the committee
on public schools, presented brief report.
He said that outside of Baltimore county
there is a marked difference between the
white and oolored schools. 1t is apparent
In shorter sessions for colored schools,
poorer buildings. the absence of charts,
reference books and various other acces-
sores used In modern methods of teach
ing. AS all children are wards of the state
all should be treated alike. There are not
schools enough and of the higher schools
there are almost none for colored youths.
The colored people should demand more
schools and the employment of coiored
teachers.
This report was unanimously adopted by
the conference after discussion participant
ed In by several delegates.
Colorcd People to Blame.
Rev. J. w. Martin of Baltimore said it
was not all the fault of the school author
tiles. The negligence of colored parents
was responsible for much of the trouble.
The colored people seem not to care whether
their schools are kept open for the same
length of time that the white schools are
or whether they have the same facilities.
In his own experience. Mr.. Martin said,
he had found school authorities willing to
improve the colored schools. In some
cases he had found himself wholly unsup-
ported by colorei paren-s In efforts he had
made to get better facilities for colored
schools. He thought 1t was desirable to
have colored teachers in colored schools.
This was necessity. In Baltimore it took
fight TO get colcred teachers the colored
schools, but 1t was done, and it could be
done elsewhere. Teachers in Baltimore
were required to be graduates of the High
School, and as fast as there were teachers
enough they were employed. Under that
requirement many white teachers had been
kept in their places. This year there were
thirteen colored graduates from the High
School; next year there will be twenty, and
the following year thirty. So that in the
course OF few years there will be enough
colored teachers. In the counties any
scholar passing from the eighth grade is
given a certificate to Teach. Mr.. Martin
thought the counties should require as
good teachers as Baltimore city had. He
also thought the authorities In the counties
should exclude teachers from Pennsylvania
and other states. Maryland was able to
produce her own teacher and should do
so and employ them. The argument for
colored teachers for col6red children was
this: The white teacher did not take the
same interest in a colored child that col
ored teacher would. TIE white teacher
usually will not allow the colered pupil to
speak to him on the street. More than this,
colored children do not reverence colored
teachers while the distinction is made be-
tween colored and white teachers.
The Law Defective.
Rev j. F. .Aldridge thought the Maryland
school law was defective. He thought it
was time tc make complaint and correct
its defects.
Rev. Mr.. Brown of Dorchester county,
Md, claimed 1t was the fault of the col
ored people that their schools were not kept
open as long rs white schools. He had
found the Commissioners willing to i'm
prove colored schools. ...'..t.-.--.tfp
Mr.. Brown said he had taught school for
years, as well as preached the gospel and
he was speaking from experience. Colored
parents would not keep their children in
schools. They kept them out to have them
work. The school commissioners did not
think ii good economy to hire teacher at
a cost of 500 or $40 month, when there
were no children in the school. Under the
Maryland law there must be at least If
teen pupils to Justify keeping a school open.
Mr.. D. P. Roberts of Washington said
there were at least 5000 colored children in
Washington for whom there was no room
in school. There was mo door open for
them to a life of Improvement. Somebody
must be responsible for this state of things.
DR.. Jenifer of the Metropolitan A. NJ. e.
Church said the average colored youth to-
day was brought up to patronfze the white
race He thought the white preacher bet
ter than the coored. the white teacher
better than the colored, the white musician
better than colored If colored teachers
were not to be permitted in white schools,
then there should be only colored teachers
in colored schools He said he had gone
thro,, rI, tha Erh< ty1
where he lived ten years. and the colored
people had succeeded there in getting col
ored teachers for colored schools. Even
the colored people opposed 1t at first, but
the fight ultimately won, and was today a
success. The speaker alluded to the con-
troversy over the use of the Miner School
for colored children, and denounced the OPP
position made by rich and designing white
property owners to the rights of the COL
ored children to enjoy property that was
theirs. He thought the public generally did
not support these property owners and were
steadfastIy in favor of the colored peoples
rights.
Misuse of School Funds,
Rev. R. Thompson, speaking as a teacher
for ten years, said what is true in some
places was not elsewhere. In many coun-
ties in Maryland there had not been sufti-
Gent money to keep the colored schools
open. The commissioners in some coun-
lies Ido 1uHuS, ana SO Snort
ened the terms in colcred schools. In
most communities the colored people de-
sired to educate their children.
Rev. ]. o. GUSTS of Bladensburg said
some colored parents would not send their
children to school because of poor facili-
ties, insecure buildings and incompetent
teachers. He thought elergymen had be-
fore them a large and important work in
improving the schools.
The report was unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Lewis Douglass was introduced to
the conference. the members rising to greet
him. Mr.. Douglass addressed the confer
ence briefly expressing his pleasure and
his gratifca tion at the discussion on public
schools. He thought coIored people want
ed to have their children educated, and he
would not wish to have it said publicly
that the negro race was at fault If they
did not have justice done them. There was
no greater power for good In this direction
than the A. NJ. E. Church.
Professor John S. Leighton was also in
troduced to the conference, and acknowl-
edged his pleasure in being present
Rev. D. G. Hill presented a paper urging
tine election of larger number of bishops,
because of the increasing growth of the
church and the work required of the twelve
bishops of the church. This report was
adopted unanimously without discussion.
Financial Progress.
DR.. J. T. Jenifer read a carefully prepared
paper on the financial condition of the
colored people in the District of Columbia