The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-25
BISHOP AND THE NEGRO.
system of Education Should He
Planned for His Environments.

|
the Negro Question" The bishop
writes as follows:
Permit me to take the questions in
volved in this matter in seriatim:
First. Can the negro problem be
solved by education?
1t is absolutely necessary to have a
clear and definite idea of a question
before attempting to solve it. What
is meant by the negro problem?"
Does it refer to his social position?
If so, l have no hesitation in saving
that education cannot and should not
affect him.
Providential limitations are not af-
fected by examining one with infor-
nation.
Furthermore any attemnt by legisla-
ton or political action to establish So
cial equality will be of incalculable in
jury to the negro. and will be resisted
stubbornly and successfully by the
whites.
If II is question as to whether or
not the moral and intellectual status
of the negro can be improved by edu-
cation, | presume there could be no
doubt as to the nature of the reply;
but difficulty arises from another
source.
~ IN lHT6e
viii certainly have no effect on the
moral character of the negro, nor will
a scientific or classical course affect it.
A system of education which DELHI
erately ignores the training of the
heart and conscience can have but in
furious effects on the moral character
of blacks or whites.
A system of education which merely
refers to certain moral principles, or
simply states them, or demonstrates
their practicability or utility, is as
| equally injurious. False systems of
morality may be taught, as well as
| grossly absurd ideas of religion.
| In order that education may Improve
| the condition of the negro, it is neces-
| sary that it should be suited to his en-
vironment and adapted to his needs,
| present and future. ,--7.,-,- =,
Now. the position of the negro is
! fixed.
He may accumulate more, and may
in many ways better his condition, but
the avenues open to him are limited.
This limitation is based on his ca
| pacity and condition. The betterment
of some of the conditions under which
! he lives does not and viii not affect
the general status of the negro.
l am not interested in the discussion
Con which, however, / have definite
views) of the question as to the capac-
/ 1Iy Oh the negro LOT what
is called higher education.
What need has a carpenter, a brick
layer, stonemason, a Barber or a
plasterer for Latin, Greek or higher
mathematics
fully admit that my argument may
likewise be applied to the whites
We are simply examining the Juve-
nile victims of our school systems.
Is there in the South any other open
y = L
referred to? 4l e,csl
What is the present negro child to
become in after life? That known, the
problem seems easy of solution.
l have not asked the question re-
garding the status of the negro in the
North.
There he is not wanted.
And the interest displayed by the
North in him is generally based on his
utility for voting purposes in a Re-
publican convention.
Second Is education for the negro d
failure?
must distinguish.
The present system is imperfect, in
adequate and pernicious. Naturally, II
is failure.
The negro needs a strong moral re-
straint.
He is not, as many suppose. naturally
| d
and no better evidence of this is need
ed than the patent fact that his reli
gion commences (and nearly Away:
ends) at his feet.
An education which makes hin
dissatisfied with his surround
ings and envious of a position which
he can never fill, will make him asham'
ed of honest work and make success
only attainable by wrongdoing; and is
| | ia
the teacher and unjust to the child.
But an education which fits him fol
his life work, which teaches him self
restraint as well as self-reliance, which
implants practical Christianity in hi:
heart and mind, is one, and the only
one, which will benefit the negro.
The state cannot give that to him.
In dealing with the question of tht
+, moral side of the negro character 1t II
curious to notice how completely sat
urated he is with the principles pro
mulgated in the sixteenth century.
He is firm believer in the all-suf
, ficiency of faith and the utter unim
portance of works.
The first is pushed to credulity, anC
the second illustrates familiar phas,
of his character.
Third Can men like Booker Wash
ington solve the question?
With the eliminations made in m,
reply to the first question, and assum
ing that the moral and intellectual
status of the negro are the points a
issue. l would say that, while admit
ting the honesty of purpose OF Booke
! Washington, l cannot see how the NOR
al character of the negro viii b.
strengthened by his proficiency in va
rious trades.
t The result--admirable as one ma,
admit it--of such training will un
questionably be to make the negro
more skilled workman than he is to
) day.
, And In so doing Booker Washington
Is helping the negro, and giving min
a much more suitable education thar
J he Is getting In the schools.
2 But is there any consequent i'm
; provement In his moral character?
, Though not directly within the scop'
OF your questions, let me suggest a linz
J OF thought:
twenty-five years from now we viii
have skilled negro laborers banded 10
gethef IN unions composed exclusively
OF blacks
The labor market II open.
An may compete therein,
What Will be the inevitable result
when the negro eompetea successfully
with the white iaborerf
Upon the white man's work depend
the happiness, perhaps the lives, %
women and children. and there ar'
conditions defyinE laws ANA 0rdi
nnnCoN,
Wn ihere be- avenues 0f indusiri
exclusively open Az ihe neFf0Y
Booker Wellington u helping hii