The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-11-04
Proceedings of the East Carroll Ed
ucational Association, Colored,
Held at Lake Providence, La,
Oct. 6, 1889.

We the colored citizens of East Car
roll met pursuant to call, with Mr. ;.
w. Green acting as temporary chair
man.
The meeting opened with prayer by
Rev. Frank Brown. :.
Mr. S. w. Green was made temper
ary chairman and Mr. |. j. Griffin
temporary secretary. Ii was then
moved aud carried that the meeting
90 into permanent organization. The
following were elected ofiicers:
NJ e. Massee, sr President.
Matthew Page. Vice President.
l j. Griffin, Secretary.
Rev. S. II. Green, Treasurer.
After the election of officers, Mr..
Massee addressed the meeting AS fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of this Convention: We,
the colored people or East Carroll,
have met in convention TO organize
our schools, nineteen In number. we
intend. from this time on 10 raise
money at each school so that IL can
stay open two or three months after
the regular term IL closed. We want
better teachers, longer terms, better
pay for The teachers; and we call upon
each school and its supporters to see
that each male pays bis poll tax,
which, when paid, goes TO educate his
children. Ii this is paid the school
board will have $3,26l more than
" hat they have been getting for edu-
calioual purposes. Gentlemen of this
convention, We want better schools,
longer terms and better teachers.
Allow me 10 impress this upon your
minds as good citizens. | appeal TO
YOU IN the name OF Him, who is on
high, to pay your poll tax. lfyou do
that, tho school board will have $3261
more with which TO run the schools.
| ask you 10 do another duty. Do not
wait Oh the parish 10 educate your
children. Now then, ask .you TO or
ganiZe each school with thirty good
men aud women, who will give $500
each. That will give you 800 90 to
pay a teacher for three months. 1t is
The duty of the above members 10 go
10 work among your people and ge,
them 10 give something to run your
schools. Keep your children 10 school.
This 10 the ouly way to work out your
problem. Gentlemen OF this conren-
ton, especially the land rentors, II be-
comes you 20 lease your land for a
number of years, 60 that you can fix
up around your homes, raise hogs aud
plenty to eat, plenty OF corr, potat oes
and pumpkins; aud when you do this,
you will not have TO buy on credit.
Use economy; save your money; do
not reut any more land than you and
your family can work; do not depend
on hired labor, at the present low
price OF cotton.
There will be nineteen schools in
the parish. Now let us see what
amount of money it will take 10 run
these nineteen colored schools for three
months. Seventeen ofthem at $50 per
month, one at $50 per month, and the
town school for nine mouths. Ii will
: take over $1,000 We all should know
/ that the school board has not sufficien,
money to run the schools long enough
to learn the children anything. Now
then, after knowing the true condition
of the schools, i, becomes the duty o.
!, every man to pay his poll tax, aud the
duty Of every mother, daughter and
son TO do all they eau to help educate
their race; for the time has como fol
the colored people TO do something ID
trying to help educate their owl
children. 1t is not right for one Il
: look or wait for another TO do for him
self thing that he will not himself do
Ii is the duty of every school 10 organ
i've aud save money 10 run their schools
, as. long as they eau. 1t is the onl,
salvation for the race. Education i
something that no Que can take frou
: you. Ii makes 3 better citizen of you
l overcomes ignorance, fits the head 70
business, aud brings men in line will
the world. Read Tor yourself tbi
statement from the assessment roll o
the parish, from the taxable proper'.
: of the white aud colored people. Th
: white people pay for education $l2S6
/ the colored people only pay 1854
Only II mills on the dollar goes Il
= education. We have 360S colore'
: children eligible for schooling in III
parish. This goes 10 show that til
1854 you pay will not run the schoo!
one week, if all Of them are open il
: the parish.
After the address of Mr.. Massee,
: was moved aud carried, that com
, mittee Of five be appointed by th
h President to draft resolutions, T.
: consist OF Matthew Page, Chas. II
= Scott, G.. w. Stewart, Adolph Rees
D and Andrew Su,6eld,
Moved and carried. that the officer
: be elected annually from this the 81
of October, 1899.
The committee on resolutions mad
{ the following report:
Be il resolved, That we the colore
u citizens aud taxpayers Of the paris
. of East Carroll, in convention Assem-
: bled. will organize in each'school dis
Il ,rict for the purpose Of coilectin
fluids TO extend and supplement III
"a term of the public schools; that con
. miltee of three, to represent eac
ward, be appointed 10 organize a
each school an associaiion 10 cOllet
}, funds 10 extend the public school tern
:, Whereas, The term Of the countr
:. schools of the parish was only tw