The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-04-28
SOUTHERN EDUCATION BOARD.
Its Object the Education Of the White Child
FirSt-m Session In Richmond, Va.
The State

Richmond, Va, April 23.-In order
once for all and forever to set at rest
the intimations and suspicious set
ahoat concerning the Southern Edu-
cation board, the representative of
the State today sought an authorita
tive statement from one of the prime
movers in the board.
The gentleman selected is native
Of North Carolina, who has attained
conspicuous success in the North,
Walter H. Page, editor of the Worlds
Work. Mr.. Page was asked several
direct, unequivocal questions con
cerning the boards purposes as they
relate to the negro and negro educa
ton. Mr.. Page answered directly
and positively every question:
The States correspondent told Mr..
Page plainly that he had come here
to see if there is nigger in the wood
pile. To this Mr.. Page, after answer
ing the queries put to him, replied:
"You will find when the wood pile is
turned over not negro, but an un.
educated white boy. That is what
We are AFTER"
"Mr. Page" 1 asked, "does the
Southern Education Board propose
now or ultimately to encourage or to
approve the coeducation of the races
or social equalityS"
"No," emphatically replied Mr..
Page, "nobody ever for one moment
dreamed Of any such plan.'
"Does the Southern Education
Board propose now or ultimately to
foster negro education before the edu.
cution Of the white children: that is
to say, is negro education the primary
and white education the secondary
object Of the board?"
"No," said Mr.. Page, with equal
emphasis.
"Are these two purposes, or is
either of them, negro education first
and negro equality, cherished by the
northern gentlemen, MIR. Ogden for
instance, who are officially prominent
in the Southern Education Board ?"
"Certalnly not" said Mr.. Page.
care these purposes, or is either OF
them, cherished by the General Edu
cation Board or by any Of it's pro
moters?"
"No."
These questions were nnswersd nll
in the negative by Nj. Pag. with
great earneatnese, but in tho same
friendly spirit in which thy we're
asked. H. declared his riire ard
completo confidence in the uor,hero
gentlemen who are associated with
HIM in this work and declare that
they have no desire or remote pur
pose to push negro education ahead
Of white education, but ara honestly,
earnestly deslrous of assisting the
white people who need education as
we'll as the negro, the white child
coming first because, ns Mr.. Page
expressed it, "There ia " man, and it.
is the man We want to reach"
During tha latter part Of the con-
versatiou with Mr.. Page there WIS
present DR.. Charles w. Dabhey,
president Of the University Of Ten.
nessee, who il one Of the field age nts
of the board. DIR. DAbney, u south
ern man OF southern men, gave hearty
assent to all that Mr.. Page had said,
az did Dr. Charles d. Mclver, of
North Carolina, another director and
field agent.
These assurances ought to be suffi.
oient to convince all who are inclined
to be suspicious and resentful OF tue
"movement" Of the larger purposes
of the board Ths State will speak
later.
The feature of today's session OF
the Southern Education Conference
was the magnificent address of DR..
St. Claire McKelway, enitor of the
Brooklyn Eagle, aud the feature of
that address WAS glorious tribute
to Robert T. Lee, which brought pro-
longed applause and patriotic tears
from a great audience of northern
and southern men aud women. DR.
McKelway's address was in his bril-
liant style. His sympathetic un nder
standing Of southern conditions and
problems won the confidence Of his
southern hearers, whose approval