The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-28
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THE NEGROES
IMPROBABLE,
DR.. Richard McIlwainc

y, l DR.. Richard McllWaillc
&a1 In reply to the inquiry; no you think
that education 1lns improved the negro
racer" would say that in my opinion
the negro race, MS q whole, has had very
littlo education" In tho technical and
usual sense OF that term. They hnvn
lad schools, but With raro exceptions
nothing about them to Inspire respect or
awaken Inspiration. SO, too tlioy have
lad teachers. twin n multitude OF cases
3lncompctcnts Iii qualification and weak
lii morals. whose example md influence
have not been snlutary. Perhaps no ono
is to blame for this, because under. our
conditions for tho past forty years the
best has been done for them that the
circumstances admitted and II Is hoped
that Improvement, both in teachers and
surely made Where they have been
cduca led under helpful surroundings and
instruction, there seems little reason To
doubt that they have been benefited and
better prepared for the work OF life. and
many OF them for a higher sphere OF ncs
tivity than they Jcould otherwise have
reached.
That tho negro a 8 q race Is inproYa-3
bio will not be denied by those who know
what he was when lie landed on these
shores ana what he had become before
his emancipation in 1866. Ho had re-
ccived an Industrial. moral and social
education which transformed him from
~ savage into n reasonable being. filling
his place well aud usefully III society as
1t was then constituted. 1t seems, there
fore, that lie had greatly improved un-
dor the benign influences OF slavery with
It's rcgulativc. Instructive, and stirnulat-
Ing agency. Why should wo doubt thnc
under new conditions the baleful inil,i-@
ences which afflicted and perverted him
Z oS, ,,,,, ,Nt t,,pf{ e.
ing heen withdrawn. with the substltt-
ton of iruer ideals and his adjustment 10
Ills proper place In tho social fabric hay
ing been secured. he will go on to Improve
and develop in those qualities which are
essential TO the worthy citizen and man!
AS a fact. a large portion OF the negro
race III Virginia are leading quiet, honest.
useful lives. They are Industrious, friI-
gal, respectful III their bearing. law
abiding. acquiring property. sollcitous Tor
tho welfare of their children and doing
the best they can under their circuni-
stances The black monsters who some
times shock communities and the whole
country by their deyilish deeds arc no
more representatives OF their race than
arc white men OF better lineage, sur
rounded BIZ more ahealthful Influences.
educated under happier auspices, who are
guilty OF deeds OF violence and ntrocity.
true types OF tho people from whom they
are SDTug. ~ or can IL DC t@'llSa Via = y
there arc not a few communities In Nir-
ginia where tho negroes outnumber the
whites. In which the people as a whole
are more vlrtuous. more law-abidlnS.
moro Industrious, more contentcd anu
happy, and doing far more for tho honor
and advancement OF the Commonwealth
than some other communities composed
wholly, or almost wholly, OF whites. Sta
tistics show this beyond contradiction
1t is also true that there are many thou-
sand OF the black race in the Southern
states who have reached higher plans
in all the clements that constitute good
and useful citizenship than similar mum
hers OF white men scattered all over the
country and who arc found in consider
able aggregates in some sections Why.
then. IL 9we do not despair OF the upli1t-
ing OF these whites and their children
Under wholesome educatiye influences.
should we despair Of tho Improvement OK
the negroes? 1t Is pretty certain thae
something OF material value has already
been done for the latter. Let the good
work go on!