Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-14
REFERRED TO BOARD
QUESTION REGARDING STATUS OF
JOHN coLvIN's CHILDREN.
Protest Filled Against Their Admission
to the Public Schools-Allegation
Regarding Race.

The protest of the Kenilworth Citizens
Association against the attendance of the
three children of John Colvin at the Kenil-
worth white school, on the alleged grounds
that Colvin Is a colored man, has been re-
ferred by the District Commissioners to
the board of education for report. The pro-
test from the Citizens Associations was re-
ceived by the Commissioners late Saturday
afternoon, and Commissioner mcfarland.
Immediately upon receiving the document,
recommended that it be referred to the
board of education.
The matter has previously been placed
before the board of education. but the cit
liens complained that the board has been
tardy in it's action on the matter. Conse-
quently, in accordance with a resolution
adopted by the association. the case was
presented to the Commissioners.
why was the matter referred by the
Commissioners to the board of education,
when 1t had previously been presented TO
the board?" Commissioner Macfarland was
asked by Star reporter this morning.
The Commissioners have official
knowledge that it has been presented to
the board MIR. Macfarland replied. THE
Commissioners also desire to ascertain all
the facts from the board and to ascertain
the boards views the matter
rs there any law in the District requir
ing white and colored children to be sep
arated in the public schools?'' ;-.f
:. Il do not know of any such law the
commissioner replied. Il do not know
whether there is one or not
Question of Authority.
Commissioner Macfarland said he did not
know what authority the Commissioners
would have in the case. He stated that the
Commissioners want to ascertain what the
board of education has to say about the
o,I an a
with the case in the possession of the
board. He said that the Commissioners
will not know until they obtain all the facts
what they can or should do in the matter.
According to number of officials and
prominent citizens of the. District the tenor
Of the laws relating to public schools is
taken to imply that separate schools shall
be provided for white and colored children.
day requiring white and colored pupils to
be taught in separate schools. In section
2S2 of the Revised Statutes of the United
States relating to the District of Columbia,
noted:
ANY white resident shall be privileged to
place his or her child or ward at any one
of the schools provided for the education of
white children in said portion of the Dis
trict he or she may think proper to select,
with the consent of the school board and
any colored resident shall have the same
rights with respect to colored schools
Board to Decide.
In many of the other provisions relating
to the public schools the white and colored
schools mentioned separately. 1t is also
argued by attorneys that the bard Of
education has authority to maintain sep
arate schools for white and colored chill
dren, and to decide such questions as the
one under consideration. In the act of Con-
gress creating the board it is provided that
THE board shall have complete jurisdic-
ton over all administrative matters con-
nected with the public schools of the Dis
trict of Columbia excepting the expendi-,
lures of public funds for school purposes
Secretary Rodrick of the board of educa-'
ton stated today that he knew of no law
specifically stating that colored children
should not attend white schools He said
that the reason the board had dropped the
Colvin case was because Colvin assured the
board that he was not a colored man. OPP
posed to Colvins statement were the al
legations of the Citizens Association. 1t Is
stated that Colvin claims that he has In
dian blood In his veins and not negro blood.
History Of the Trouble.
The detailed report of the trouble on be-
half of the Kenilworth Citizens Association
was presented to the Commissioners by AL
len w. Mallory, secretary of the associa-
ton. The association asks that the Com
missioners inform the association as to their
rights in the matter. The association Is
ignorant as to whether there is any law
prohibiting colored children from attending
a common school with white children in the
District of Columbia.
The associations statement shows that
the attendance of three children of john
Colvin, whom they state is a negro, at the
kenilworth school was first brought to
their attention September Z, and that a
committee, consisting of J. B. Homes ].
w. Fultz and A. R. Lindsey, was appointed
to protest against their attendance.
The associations protest. 1t Is stated, was
filed with the board of p6I1ca tinn ptapot o.
II, and under date of September ID the as
Sociation was informed by letter that the
board had taken the matter under consid-
GRAFTON and that it had been referred to the
proper committee
According to the associat ion's statement,
letter was-received from Secretary Rod
rick September % stating that Supervising
Principal Patterson had been instructed to
ascertain whether colored children were at
tending the keniworth school, as stated,
and II so to direct the said pupils to the
nearest school for colored children. The
statement continues to allege that a letter
was sent to the supervising principal of the
principal of the Kenilworth school of the
complaint, and to send any colored children
attending the school to the nearest school
for colored children.
The statement says: you will please note
how adroitly the board of education re-
trained from mentioning names, throwing
the responsibility on the principal of the
kenilworth school, who happened to be a
woman :
Takes No Action.
The statement says further that the asso-
citation met September &c and took no ac-
ton, pending decision from the board On
October the school committee reported to
the association that no action had yet been
taken by the board of education, and that
the Colvin children were still attending the
school, in spite of the personal assurances
of several members of the board that the
associations request would be complied
with.
October II a request was received from
the board for written statements proving
that Colvin Is negro. Affidavits to this eff
feet were filed with the board on October
%. A letter was received from the board
on October q, saying that the matter was
being given very careful consideration and
that Mr.. Colvin will be communicated with
+ at once and as soon a reply is received
from him prompt action will be taken in
the matter"
The communication from the association
closes with the statement that on Novem-
Der the citizens of Kenilworth decided