The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1904-05-14
THE AFRO-AMERICAN AND THE
J - PUBLlC& SCHOOLS. 49,

To the Afro-American in the South:
The problem of providing proper
school facilities for our children is OF
>gravest importance to us as a race.
The thinking people Of New York and
of Massachusetts feel that a ten
months school session is necessary to
fit their children for life, and gener-
GUS public school system answers this
demand. How much less can we at
ford to give our children? The object
of this appeal is to force from Afro
American fathers and mothers, from
men and women who
feel and think, prompt and effective
answer to this vital question.
The great majority of our people
must depend upon the public schools
for all the education they will receive.
Not more than one per cent OF the
Afro-American children of school age
will enter private or an endowed
school, and upon the public school
rests the burden of educating the re-
naming ninety-nine per cent, if indeed
they receive any education. 1t is evil
dent that our progress in the indus
tries, in business, in college and indus
trial schools. as in morality and relig-
ion, will be based upon the foundation
work done in the public schools.
To fail here, then, to neglect our
youth in the most formative period OF
their lives is to do them an IRENE
dial harm. To speak more definitely,
find Nat after careful investigation
the Afro-American children in the ex-
slave states are in school on an aver
age of 1O7 days in the year, and that
only one-third of the children of school
age are in school; that in North Car
DINA, for example, the average school
term is only 60 days, and that only
1925 per cent of the AfrO-American
children attend school at all. l find
that in thirteen Of the former slave
states 80 per cent of the Afro-Amer'
lean children of school age did not
attend any school for as much as six
months during the year 1900, taking
that year as an example.
1t requires Nc argument, then, to
prove that if these conditions control
we shall continue to be classed as an
ignorant, illiterate people.
question, then, is, What shall be done
The first answer is that we pay our
taxes, and thereby aid the state in
supporting the public schools. Be-
cause of their poverty, and perhaps
in some cases, their Indifference, the
states are not supporting an effective
school system for our people, espe
cially in the smaller towns and rural
districts. The system is but little
better for white children outside OF
the large cities. Mere fault-fnding
with public officials will not educate
our children. In the present condition
of the public schools, [ would urge
with all the earnestness I can summon
that our ministers, teachers, business
men, leaders, parents and newspapers
insist that our people shall
1. Go before the public school au
thorities and ask for better school ia
cilities.
2. See that all taxes, especially the
poll taxes, which go directly in most
states into the school fund. are
promptly paid.
g. Cooperate in every way possible
with the public school officials, and
raise money by private taxation, OF
other methods, to supplement the pres
ent school funds until the school terms
are extended to at leastseight months
Unless the child is not kept in school
for at least seven or eight months in
the year, we cannot expect him to be
educated. A three months school
means practically no school.
4. In connection with the school
term of proper length, erect a good,
c0mfOrtab1e school house and properly
furnish it. Some Of the schools to be
found in the rural districts are not fit
TOR any child to spend day in.
! In conclusion would repeat that in
the present important period in our
growth as people, immediate atten-
ton to the public schools is fundamen-
tal If each community will do its full
duty. the whole race will be lifted and
strengthened. and general quicken
ing will be evident everywhere.
- Booker T. Washington.
= Tuskegee, Ala, April 25, 1904.