The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-03
THE PROTEST OF AN ALUMNUs.
Injustice to COIOrcd Applicants for
Positions In Howard University.

Injustice to CoIOrcd Applicants for
Positions I'm Howard University.
To the Editor Of The Times:
have read with much interest the arti-
Gle in your issue OF December Is, on the
conduct Of affairs at Howard University,
and I write to state that in so far as the
article essays to represent the feeling of
discomfort among the eolored people in
general, and the Howard alumni in par
tieular, It is essentially correct
Howard University stands as the practi-
cal representative Of the nations interest
in the higher education OF the negro. 1t is
supported mainly by Government aid.
through Congressional appropriation. and
is the one opportunity which the nation
offers exclusively to colored youth to fit
themselves Tor the higher intellectual pur-
suits It's privileges and emoluments we're
intended mainly for the coIored race This
Is not only the spirit and purpose Of its
origin. but il is equally the reason for its
maintenance. and the president Of such an
institution should be in thorough sympathy
with IT'S aims and purposes. In accepting
ITS presidency, be should be willing TO sub
ordinate his personal pTCjUdiCes and even
his personal preferences, to the one pur-
pose OF maintaining the spirit OF the in
sJtution in its attitude Of heipfulness 10
the colOred race. II its doors are open
for the training Of negro educators they
should be equally open 70 the employment
or negro educators. This, in the nature OF
present conditions, cannot be expected
Of the hundreds OF white institutions Of
learning where colOred students are ad-
altted, but Howard University is essen
taliy negro university. and was prl-
marily intended 10 furnish a sphere Of ac-
tOn wherein the negro could be free 10
work out his highest intellectual capabiii-
ties, alike as student and instructor.
The present president Of tnat institution
has certainly not brought this spirit 10 the
discharge Of his duties there. on the con-
trary, he mas in numerous ways exhibited
a degree Of personal prejudice which r.n-
ders his service in that position a positive
hindrance TO the real progress OF the in
stitution. To carry out the fu-l purpose Of
the founders Of the Institution. e. should lie
the aim of the president TO give positio s
as instructors in the university 10 capable
cOlored men and women preferably when
they are found to possess the required
qualifications. and this should be done there
all the more willingly since IL is well
known that capable colOred applicants are
so uniformly Disseminated against on ac-
count OF their color In nearly all the in
teIlectual industries controlled by the other
race But on this point the present pres
ident IS certainly open 20 the charge Of
most fragrant abuse OF his power. Within
the last three years, out q nine impO-' ant
appointments at the university, only TWO q
the appoiutecs are &. .Ored persons. and 1ne
Of these was Liven q minor position TIE
seven other appOintees. namely VI. 8 Bar
ker. Miss Rugg. Miss Moore, Miss 1nsOn.
L
all white and none Of them holds a posi-
ton that could not have been filed over
and over again 10y colored applicants with
equal intellectual equipment and higher
claim Tor consideration.
The placing Of Miss Flora Johnson,
young white girl, in the position Of libfar-
ian. after she had entered competitive
examination with two young colored women
for the position and had utterly failed %
make even a respectable rating In the con-
test. was a species OF unmitigated tyranny
without reason or excuse Mrs Raker. the
Young colOred woman who made the high
est mark IN the examination, was OH
cially informed that. While her rating vas
the highest On the competition, she, with
/ the others. lacked library experience.
wheTeuVou Mrs. Baker Immediately went 10
Amherst Mass. entered the department OF
[ Library Economy in The summer school Of
| Amherst College. completed the course, and
returned 20 Washington only 20 find that
Miss Johnson who had failed IN the eN-
animation. had been given the position. AT
/ frs, temporarily, as a preyeNt, and then
! permanently.
When the former secretary and treasurer,
j. b. Johnson. died. there were several
capable coIGrgd men candidates for the
| p0siuou-suCh men as DT. =. ]. Shadd. A.
I r Hi,yer and j. n. MoTiwe-har all Uol-
/ lege graduates all alumni Of Howard Uni
! vsrsIty. all men Of business experience
and fine character. But these were al
/ ignored. being COlOred. and the president
| Of the university went down 20 one Of the
/ Government departments. fshed ONT
/ white man holding a subordinate clerEship
4 al about $1,000 O. year. and put him 10 the
I position 81 $500 q year. merely because
/ he was the sun-in-Iaw OF General Balloch.
I the same one who complained in The
( Times article about the DOlOTed people
| wanting positions" Again. the clerk to
. the former secretary was a young coIcred
. man named Mitchell He studied law
f. graduated. resigned and began the prac-
f. tIce Of his profession in Philadelphia His
successor is a young white woman named
. Miss Rugs. while a dozen c0.0rCd girls are
I denied opportunities FOR employment in
. as many Offices throughout the city mere
. ~ on account Of their color.
1 The crowuiug injustice of This whole
. business was reached when The president
Of the university. whose salary is 500 q
. month. with a handsome residence free.
T and nearly 81 600 year additional for al
. lovauces- appoints his own daughter ar a
. salary of 81 uG0 . year. 90 succeed cOIorad
woman. when a dozen young cOiorcd W0-