The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-28
A SOUTHERN EDUCATOR
MAKES INTERESTING STATE MENTS AS TO INTELLECTUAL
 CAPACITY OF THE NEGRO,
Declares the Race Is Deficient in Reasoning Faculty-Favors Rudi- mental Education-Thinks
 Money for Higher
 Studies Wasted:

The Chicago Tribune has taken up the negro question in a manner not hereto fore attempted by any paper not of the South-it has sent trained newspaper man to get the facts of the situation. The following appears in The Tribune under date of June IA. from Savannah, Ga. and is signed by Raymond:
 "The Chicago Tribune has taken up the greatest problem in this country. I be- lieve it is significant of a change of pub- iic opinion looking toward the settlement of this great question. I am glad to help you in this direction. Some of us in the South have been sitting steady in the boat doing the best We can to steer to some safe port, and we are ready to well come. such opportune assistance from the great Northwest"
 With these cordial words Prof Otis Ashmore. Superintendent of the city schools of Savannah. responded to my statement that was here for the express purpose of treating the negro question fairly and giving to the people of the difficulties which confront the Southern people in the settlement of this problem.
 Prof. Ashmore has been an educator during the whole of his manhood life. Having just turned his second half cen- tury he Is connecting link between the days of slavery and the days of freedom. He has the direct supervision of 6.491 white and 10,717 colored children in this county between the ages of 6 and years. Ills observations are, therefore. based on personal experience, and are not a mere matter of theory. He has studied espe- cially the intellectual capacity of the me- gro as shown In his daily work in school, and the result is startling.
 T have found." said Prof Ashmore with the deliberate enunciation of the trained school teacher and scientific edu- cator. that the negro is undoubtedly deficient in the reasoning faculty. This is not an accident. but it is apparently constitutional. The negro children un- der my observation display considerable ability in matters which involve only per- ception and memory. In fact, in har- mony with the well known law of com pensation. the deficiency in the reasoning strength of memory. Allowing for asso- citation and for defective home training the negro boy frequently if not usually shows the same capacity as the white boy in mere memorising of lessons.
 Tt is about the age Of IA. as educators know, when the lessons in our schools begin to require the constant use of the reasoning faculty, and 1t is here the ne- gro boy begins to fall behind his white
 
 tionably deficient in logic. He Is unable to argue from cause to effect, and when he cannot memorize he fails.
 This Is not temporary failing of the negro. It Is not the result of social con- dition, nor Is 1t the result of slavery. It Is clearly constitutional, and probably racial. It sets a limit to the present achievements of the negro race. This bar may be removed by generations of training. but 1t does exist today. The generation we are dealing with in tho schools is at least the second since slav- cry. but the child is repeatedly like the father, comparatively easy to perceive. ready to memorize, but incapable of any thing like real reasoning power
 Some of our friends in the North" said the Professor. have been pouring a good deal of money into institutions for the higher education of tSs negro. We have not discouraged this generosity. and will not do so. but practically all of that money is wasted.
 For the reason that have stated, the deficiency in the reasoning faculty. the negro Is unfltted for any real higher edu- cation although there are. of course, oc- casional exceptions to this rule. Tn the second place, the negro with anything more than foundation of education finds 1t nearly impossible to find position In which he can employ his knowledge. His own race will not hire him as a lawyer, a doctor, and architect, in any one of the learned professions. or even in the arts. The negroes turn to the white man for all kinds of assistance. because they know the white man is educated, and they sus- pect their negro associate is not. The black men themselves are beginning dim ly to recognize the limit which nature has set upon their education"
 This is a distinct field for the employ ment of the negro" continued this ob- servant superintendent of schools. ''The negro initiates well. he learns to do things with his hand. and, where 1t Is a mere matter of observation. he makes a plod- ding but a successful skilled mechanic. We have here in Savannah negro carpen- ters, bricklayers, blacksmiths, plasterers and other mechanical tradesmen. They do we'll wherever the trade is of such a character that 1t can be learned by ob- servation but wherever a trade requires the exercise of original reasoning facul- ties in the solving of mechanical prob lems the negro is instantly at fault"
 ventured the opinion that the negro was naturally adapted for agricultural pursuits, but 1t seems, according to Prof. Ashmore, that in this calling above all others his mental deficiency becomes ap- parent as soon as he attempts to do bus mess on his own account.
 l ne negro HICKS preNlslon ana pro- vision. said the professor. The farmer of all people in the world needs to look ahead. He must SOW today in order to reap tomorrow. and he must do things in one season which are to have results in another season. He is always antic- lpating the future. The negro simply finds 1t impossible to do this successfully. Hence he generally makes a failure as an independent farmer. although in other respects he has quite a genius for agri- culture.
 When he has a white man to super Intend his labors he gets along we'll but