Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-10-14
THOMPSON SCHOOL, TROUBLE
Citizens OF District No. 100
Extremely indignant.
lOBJECT TO A COLORED SCHOLAR
Being in a Room With White
Children.

Negro Lad Has Seat Remote From the
Other Pupils and is Given Individual In
struotion. But Receives Every Attention
Nv An Appeal to be Made tD Legislature.
The trouble which recently arose in
School district No. 100. about three
l1miles north of Newark, over the attend
Rnce OF colored boy at the Thompson
School, is growing, and the parents Of
She white children hope to have the
little negro ousted, If there ia any way
ITO do it. So far their efforts have
svailed nothing, and he is still attend
& Ing the school and being taught Just
'the same as the other scholars.
81 Immediately after the negro was ad-
4 }pitted some Of the parents of the
|&hite children withdrew their children
i Nom the school, with the expectation
\ bat by doing so they would force the
\ 4egro out. But he was not to be forced
* nut. Tbs following children we're kept
& bome: William Brannan's daughter.
&:Watson Fell's son, Samuel Aikens son
end daughter. Little Howett's daughter,
&ohn Quill'a daughter and George
Aiken's son and daughter Some we're
'kept away from school four days and
XPho Aot iohhot Dottods bdt oho
parents saw that nothing could be
4 accomplished In this manner, and u
Rll OF the children were permitted to
return. This did not, however, signify
That the Indignation OF the parents had
hubsided in the least, but, instead, that
they proposed to 20 about having the
Eolored lad removed in some other way.
Joel Thompson. one of the most highly
Inspected citizens. appears to hold the
key to the situation. The colored lad,
whose name is Edgar Davis and who
10 said to have gone from Wilmington,
sosides on Mr.. Thompson's farm. His
mother is employed there, and as be 10
only about 8 years old and in her care,
he lives with her. It is natural that
phe should desire to have him educnted,
and she is given credit for that by the
White people In the vicinity, but they
deplore the idea of being imposed upon
~ such an extent as TO be compelled to
eepd their children to school with q
negro.
Doel Thompson, upon whose place the
Dad lives, 10 one of the school com
rpissioners, and, in fact, the leading
epirit in the board. while his son,
+ Daniel Thompson. and Canhy hopkins
arc the other members of the coard, MIR.
Hopkins being the clerk. So it will be
Hesn that the Messrs. Thompson have
things pretty much in their own hands,
and If percussion will not influence the
eominissioners it is very hard to bring
about change in any other way.
tF The negro has been attending the
school for nearly three weeks, and the
teacher, Miss Blanche Ferguson of
"a Newark, must, of course. give him the
same attention that is given to tho
white children. She has done all in
hor power, however. to make his pres
ence no more obnoxious than is absu.
lutely necessary. lie has seat by
himself r the school and ia given Indi
vidual instruction. For this she is
commended by most OF the whito people
In the community.
n On the day the lad was admitted
4 several of the farmers u the vicinity
held an Indignation meeting at the
y SCHOOL. They could not accomplish
zanything, however, as the commits
saioDers we're not present. On the fol-
lpwing Thursday evening another meet
ing was held, and although the com
1n iHsiuners were on hand, nothing was
done. Then the parents selected two ol
the men in the district TO consult an
attorney in regard to the matter They
came to Wilmington and sought out
one of the leading attorneys here and
stated the case 10 him. They were in
formed that they had no legal redress,
oEing to the fact that there was nc
rolored school in the vicinity.
y Ihe white people are of the opinion,
h0wever that the boy should be sonj
u school at Newark. There arc Other
colored people within quarter of q
mile of where young Davis lives who
send their children to Newark.
William Brannan, who ia very indig.
nant to think that his daughter must
associate with negro. stated TO IA rep,
yesentative Of this paper that ar effort
is still being made to get the negro out
! pf the school. Just ut present Mr..
Brannan is not prepared to say what
will be done, but he is hopeful that tbs
fesired reHult will he accomplished.
Should another negro be sent to the
school," no said, 1.-THE Indignation o
the people would know no bounds.
Z Why. if this thing should go on dom
'l know what would become of the white
n children. 1t is possible to bring enough
negroes here to overrun our school.
Y fThen whore will We beY'
The school building is bricl
lbtIuSbuIo uui bub VI but ubdlbhJ u
h New Castle county. Heretofore it ha!
been thu pride of the community, ant
q the majority of the people there deplort
the existing state Of affairs.
~ There are about 90 children attend
Ing the school, and heretofore nothing
has occurred to interfere with the ex
r cellent progress that has been made
But now Generalization is threatened
ri it is turned into q mixed school.
Now the people in the vicinity o
Newark are talking of requesting tht
Legislature at it's session next winte
70 SO amend the school laws that it viii
be impossible for negroes to attent
" white schools in any part of the State
Church Reopening.
epecial Correspcndence OF Gazette ana Journal
tE Clayton, Oct. list. Paul's Church
which has been undergoing improye