Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-02
DISTRICT CoLoRED SCHOOLS
A Letter Sent to Senator Stewart on the
Subject
The Course of Superintendent Cook
Commended and It's Beneficial
Results Indicated.

VI titt pedCe VI DoStOIl, VINO "dS tuuSotSu
at the colored public schools of the District
and afterward graduated at Harvard. has
written letter to Senator Stewart of Ne
vada in which he says:
"Sinee the law governing the classical
ton of the schools of the District of Co
lumbia prescribes that there shall be sep
arate white and colored Schools there are
really only two reasons which might JUS
tify the wiping out of the Office Of super
intendent of colored schools, and merging
the same into office of one white super
intendent. First, it must be established
that the office is unnecessary; second. that
the highest interests of the colored people
OF the District of Columbia demand 1t. In
fact, these two propositions shade one into
the other, and might be considered collec-
lively
in no other city of this country can
you find a separate colored school system
under the direction of colored superinten-
dent. and in no other city of this country
can you find separate colored schools as
well organized and as efficiently managed
and instructed are the colored schools
of the city of Washington, D. c. They are
the most eminent examples of their kind in
the whole United States of the capacity of
the negro citizens for executive admnistra-
ton. No wonder. then. that the colored peo-
pie of the District of Columbia are proud of
and derive an immense inspiration from what
they justffiably regard as the product of
their labor and zeal for the past thirty-two
years. Abolish this system and you strike
a death blow to the pride, incentive and
esprit du corps of the colored citizens of
Washington. 1t is the highest function of
government to engender and promote these
qualities of citizenship; and any legislation
which retardS and STILES these civic emo
lions is not only reactionary but dangerous
The present system, then, is far from being
unnecessary. Do the educational and ma
terial interests of the colored people of this
ND a rhr ty,
thirty-two years of loyal devotion to duty
indefatigable zeal and a service of unim-
peachable honesty on the part of Superin-
tendent George F. T. Cook, it is suggested
that there is something wrong in this sys-
tenn of colored schools, and something so
inherently good in the white system that
the dictates of duty and conscience demand
mat the colored children be no longer kept
away from these rights and advantages
Beware of the Greeks bearing gfftsv
Comparison of the Classes.
Since systems are estimated by their
results, it is necessary to resort to a COM
parison of the results of the two classes of
schools in this city. And this method be-
comes impossible when the pupil ceases his
or her relation to the schools and becomes
a product because the social conditions
in the community and in the nation keep
the Two races apart. The only fair test
then. is the work done in the school room
and challenge contradiction when I say
that the methods of instruction and the re-
suits produced in the colored schools of the
District of Columbia are at least equal to
the standard of the white schools
while it Is not strictly within the prov
ince of the public schools to fit students for
college, that system which encourages the
desire for the higher education and LAYS
a foundation upon which such education
can rest must commend itself to our UNI
qualified appreciation. Here again the col
ored schools of this city have not been
backward. Whether due to the system or
to the man who has SO long been its head.
the fact remains that the colored schools of
the District of Columbia have sent more
colored young men and women to our fore
most colleges and universities, such as
Harvard, Yale Cornell. Dartmouth, Am
hefst, 0berlin, Columbian University, Cath
ole University and Exeter Academy, than
the colored schools of any other city in the
edge l can say that these students have
actually outstripped their white fellow stu
dents who have, come out from the white
schools of this city.
Superintendent Cooks Policy.
"Iu conclusion, will say that the system
In the colored schools is certain and deter
mined. Superintendent G. F. T. Cook, with
his characteristic tact, discretion and high
souied devotion to duty. has always adopt
ed and followed the course of instruction
laid down by the trustees, whose duty 1t is
to map out 1.-The course, and has never
wrought confusion created an impossi-
Bile state Of affairs by using the schools as
psychological Laboratories for the testing Of
his own tentative methods and theories
Upon what grounds, then should the excel
lency of these colored schools be jeopar-
died by change which absolutely lacks
Justification? Since reason and justice fail
to lend their support to this proposed aboli-
ton of the office of superintendent of col
ored schools of the District of Columbia, /
profoundly trust that your committee NOR
ally pledged as it is to promote the highest
interests of the citizens of this District.
will not be influenced by that local and ma
tional spirit of greed and barbarous preju-
dice which seeks to strip from the negro
his few remaining vestments of public
rights