New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-10
JAMdICA'S SCHOOL FIGHT.
THE COURTS TO BE CALLED ON To
SETTLE THE DIFFICULTY.
NEARLY ALL THE CoLoRED PEOPLE OF THE
TOWN FOLLOW THE LEAD or SAMUEL h.
CISCO IN HIS EFFORT TO OPEN THE
noops OF THE SCHOOLS TO coll

CISCO IN HIS EFFORT TO OPEN THE
DOORS OF THE SCHOOLS TO coli
oRED CHILDREN.
With the opening of the public schools III 'a-
uo,ca has come tn, renewal Of the fierce fight
between the educational authorities ana the COZ
ored people Of the town over the effort OF the
former to compel the colored children TO at'ehu
separate school. The trouble began in the
,os, form when Samuel Il. Cisco, the leader OF
the revolt. refused to send his children 10 any
scboo, unless they were admitted 10 the same
one which the white children attended. CISCO
was hacked up by to other colorcd people. ana
the result was that he was arrested for Keeping
his children out OF school. Judge Garrctson ue-
cided in his favor, and he was set free The
schools closed soon after, and there was truce
until the fall
On Tuesday the schools opened for the fall
term. and II AT once became apparent that the
colored people were more determined than ever
to push the fight In the school war OF last
term Cisco had the support Of the majority OF ms
own race but there were many who did not fo'-
low him. By the show Of strength which he
made on Tuesday it IL evident that he now mas
practically all the coored people Of Jamaica
behind him. for the number who failed TO follow
tho course OF action laid down was small
There are four schools in jamaica of which one
is a High School two are primary schools, and
one is the building set apart for colored pupils
PRINCIPAL Ballard. who was at the head OF the
High School last year. and on whom the brunt
of the fight then fell has been promoted To Si-
rerntendcnt of Schools and his place as princi-
pal has been taken by a man named BosWorti'
All day Tuesday Mr.. Ballard was the hlSh
School enrolling the pupils for the term 10y con
certed arrangement the colored parents TOOK
their children to the primary schools ana asked
To have them enrolled. In each case the applica-
ton vas refused. the teachers explaining thar
they had no authority to enroll pupils. and that
the applicants must be taken to the High School
and enrolled by Superintendent Ballard.
To the High School the applicants went ac-
cordngy. and all there at the same tIme'
Tbev took up a line Of march through the
town and arrived in body. They then as
sembled before MIR. Ballard and formally de-
manded the enrolment of the children. Inc
superintendent refused. saying simply that his
orders from the Board of Education were to ac-
cept no colored children in the schools hereto
fore devoted 10 white pupils. and that the APP
plicants must enroll their children In the col
ored school, No reply was made, and the ap-
plicants left the school and dispersed. The
proceeding was taken simply for the purpose
Of going on record. and in view Of legal proceed
! ings to be taken in the near future.
This reference Of the trouble 10 the courts Is
! sure to come The coorcd people thoroughly
/ in earnest and the Board Of Education. it is
said will be only too glad to have decision one
way or the other They will not admit the
4 children to the schools because Of the certainty
that a great number of the white parents would
take their own children away from the school.
and for the further reason that the coored
school was built under an appropriation secured
4 for the purpose. and that they believe the build
ing should be used FOR that purpose and no
other
The practical unaniml,y with which the col
Ored people have acted is shown by the fact
that only ten children Were enrolled At the
colorcd school. The number Of children who
applied at the High school and refused to BE-
enrolled at the colored school according to Mr..
! Cisco, is seventy.
Tribune reporter called on Mr. Cisco at his
/ home yesterday. The man who is making this
fight for his race. according 10 his neighbors. IS
/ OF the wcll-to-dD citizens II the town. He II
observation-disclosures man, whose appearance
/ gives the impression that he. cannot be easily
swerved from any hing he has once set his hand
10. lie speak with the utmost edrDeStnes- ana
. when lie talks of his fight with the Board ~
Education hs tones are full Of fervo" and reso-
: luton.
we are going to fight this thing to a finish"
he said. Il propose TO ste the authorities for
false arrest. Not only that, hut in "A short
+ time We Snall Apply 10 the courts 10 nave tn'
Board Of Education compelled TO accept our
children IN the public schools. II there is no
other colored man in The State TO fight it. will
do il alone.
II went to School No D. said Mrs. Cisco. who
Is a pleasant faced. matrOrly- looking woman.
and was told that Mr. Ballard had left orders
, TO have the children sent 10 No tthe High
SCHOOL, for enrolment. ! went to that school
with the rest Of the colored people and asked
Mr. Ballard II any colored children had been en-
rolled He said NO. and then he marched the
/ colored children in place by themselves, and
told them that they must go 10 the coored
school He said to u.s. You are ali here expect
! ing something that you will not get No one
! answered and after we had been told that We
. could not enroll our children unless we would
take them to the coiored school, we left the
building $780,.
None of the members Of the Boarc OF Educa-
! ton were In town. Superintendent Ballard
| could not he found at his home. but his wife said
that her husband fully expected that the colored
neople would take legal proceedings soon. He
/ REGARDED the action taken on Tuesday as purely
| formal and for the purpose OF putting the
| coored people on record. Nothing or an UNI
pleasant nature had taken place. and there had
| been no dispute.