The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-01
LETTER TO THE TRUSTEES
EPPS ENDORSED BY MESSRS
GILLIAN, OF TARBORO.
FIVE APPLICANTS GET LIFE CERTIFICATES
Every One of Those Who Applied Passed thu
Examination Successfully. The Record
of All the Normal Schools
Looked into.

The State Board of EXaminers met
in Supt Mebane's office yesterday
morning, Mr.. Mebane and Profs. l.. l..
Hobbs and NJ. G. S. Noble being pres
ent.
The chief matters to come before the
board were the examination of pa
pers of applicants for life certificates
to teach in the public schools of the
State, and the case of G. NJ. Epps, an
alleged eX-conyict, now a teacher in
the Plymouth colored normal school.
There were but five applicants for life
certificates and all passed the eXamina-
ton successfully. They are as fol-
lows:
w. s. Surratt, of Boomer; G. NJ.
Garren, of Buena Vista; John H. Gray,
OF Hartford county; Il. j. Johnston, o:
Ronda; Will Nj. Peterson, of Burns
vile.
All of the papers presented were ex-
cellent.
The board also went over the re-
ports made to the superintendent OF
the work being done at the various col
ored normal schools of the State.
In regard to the case of c. Nj. Epps
first assistant in the Plymouth colored
normal school, charged with being an
ex-convict, the board sent the following
letter to the trustees:
Raleigh, y. c., Sept. sc, 1899.
ITO the Members of the Local Board
of Managers of Colored Normal
School. Plymouth, n. c.:
81 n. ~ n 4
| to the Superintendent of Public In
struction that Mr. c. NJ. Epps, first
assistant in the normal school at your
| place, is an ex-convict and that the
school has suffered and will continue tC
do so unless said Epps is removed.
The Superintendent of Public In
struction has a copy of a letter before
us which was written July 9TH, 1899, tc
DR.. w. III. Ward, member of your
| board. In this letter he respectfully
asked that your board investigate the
matter, but he has heard norhing what
ever from your board. He has how
ever. been informed by the Superin
tendent of the school that the matter
has been placed before your board il
full, and that no action has ever beer
| taken.
"A statement is before MS that the
| colored people will not patronize the
school while Epps remains. That tbs
| trustees of the school property met anC
| agreed to deed the property to the
| State for the school. but that they vii
| not now on account of the eX-conyict
/ in the faculty. A statement is be-
| fore us that the person in question
was convicted of forgery and sent to the
+ State prison.
/ Now, therefore in consideration oil
| these statements, we, members of the
State Board Of Examiners, respectfully
/ request as did the Superintendent OF
/ Public instruction, that your boart
| lroceed at once to investigate the rec
| ord of this man Epps and il found to bC
| as reported i'll the statements above, OF
| course we, and the public expect fol
/ You to dismiss said teacher; if, however
| the statements are found to be false
we ask your board 10 set the matter
| right before the public and do jus
| tice to the accused
| We are prompted to make this re
| quest in order that the interest of the
| school may not suffer.
Very respectfully,
| &c. H. MEBANE,
| IL. l.. HOBBS,
IN. G. S. NOBLE.
Members OF State Board of Exam
iners''
The superintendent of the schoo
wrote on September 9th that he haC
laid the whole matter before the boar(
| but it had taken no action.
HOW EPPS WAS APPOINTED.
Tarboro, N. c., Sept. 80. Especially j.
The appointment of G. NJ. Epps at Ply
| mouth was made upon our recommends
| ton. We unqualifiedly endorse the an
pointment and undertake to justif,
| the same.
DONALD GILLIAN.
HENRY A GTTJJAN