Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-09-01
Where The Responsibility Rests.
News and Observer.


Superintendent Mebane will
say in his forthcoming report:
I think we should have al
amendment in regard to the
township committee. Instead O.
havicG five men as we now have
IT. charge of all the public schools
Of the township, [ think it better
10 haVa SIX men-three white
meu toT sne white schools and
sLr1e coiored men for the coloreo
sc-~o.s q the township.
We mast do all we can tC
AVOID lace prejudice. The mixed
committees give the enemies OF
public schools and others some
thing to object to. We must
remove all the objection we
possibly a in operating our
public schools.
I'VE have two distinct races
and must have two distinct sys-
tens Of public schools, as far as
possible without injury to the
general system of the State"
We give Superintendent Me
bane due credit for having the
courage to condemn a policy
inaugurated by his party. No
man having the welfare Of the
public schools at heart could do
less.
But what, pray, might Mr., Me
bane mean by saying the mixed
committees give the enemies of
public schools, and others some-
thing to object top Does Mr..
Mebane hold the men who object
to mixed committees" as en-
emies of the public schools?
The enemies of public schools
are not the men who object to
mixed committees but the men
who forced mixed committees,
and black committees, on the
white schools. The men who did
this dastard1y piece of work
knew as well then as now what
the result would be. They knew
that under negro committeeman
the standard Of the public schools
would be lowered, the attendance
would fall off, and the interest of
the people in the public school
would give place to a feeling of
revulsion and disgust.
With these facts before them
the public schools were deliber-
ately dragged into the arena of
partisan politics and, in the des-
perate search for offices to re-
ward all the clamorers, big and
little, the places Of school CONS
mitteemen were given to negro
heeleEs as rewards for political
services, in lieu Of something
better.
Lei US have no mugwumpery
cant about the men who object to
negrojzjng white school boards
being enemies Of the public
schools. We need longer school
terms, more money and higher
standards, but SO long as the
management Of the ;hools is en-
trusted to 9 gentry advanced in
civilization only a few PAGES bes
yond the breech-clou5 stage, no
self-respecting white man is 60
ing to vote one cent more tax
upon bimselt to support them.
There shall be no shifting of
responsibility, Mr.. Mebaae. The
enemies cf public schools IN North
Carolina and the enemies of white
civilization are identical, A few
years more of their rule and the
public schools of all eastern North
Carolina will the merest farce.
The better qualified teachers wi
seek employment elsewhere, as
they are already doing, in fact, the
fathers who are able to pay for
the education of their children
will send them to private schools
and those who are not will keep
their children at home.
The enemies of public schools
in North Carolina are nc. the men
WHO object to mixed committees,
but the men who are responsible
for their appointment. That
fact shall not be forgotten nor OBJ
scured.
No astronomer ever pictured
it so, but there are some thirst
aid other reasons why in the dog
days the dog star, with growler