The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-06
DUE JANUARY !, 1856

a question every one should ask him
self, and answer to his own satisfac-
tion. Urless you are in the farming
business for your health, let the dollar
consider alton aid you in rendering your
decision.
The following are extracts from an
address prepared by e. ID. Whitehead,
Chairman of the Education Committee.
We, yocr committee on education,
have since our appointment visited sew
erel schools and talked to the people
on educational lines, especially as eff
fects the common schools of this and
the adjoining counties. We have
through your efforts, Mr.. President,
\ caused several of the public schools to
be extended from four months in the
year at salary of SIS per month to
eight months at $50.
There are in Wilcox County 10,722
colored children between the ages OF
and 81 years. The State allows from
the general appropriation for educa-
tional purposes one dollar and so cents
per capita: thus 1t is clear that the coll
ored children of Wilcox County should
receive fer educational purposes from
the general appropriation alone SIG 0S3.
We could not get the facts concerning
the exact number of our schools In the
county and cannot tell how much
money is given each of our schools
people are not given $3.50 per capita.
1t seems that the law means now that
the school money Is given to the sew
eral counties at $3.50. but the school
officers are not compelled by law to
give any school. white or black. $3.50
per capita.
Wherever there is a scarcity of mate
rial necessary for the development of
individuals and races, the ignorant must
suffer. And though Wilcox County re-
ceives her educational appropriation
largely on the basis of her coiored
school population. the colored schools
are sadly neglected Some of them re-
ceive the small sum of 80 cents per
capita And yet our children are ex-
pected to. be intelligent subjects, and
obey the law the same as our white
neighbors. Now 1T may be said that we
do not pay our poll tax, and therefore
our children are not entitled to the con-
sideration as are the white children.
From surface facts this statement
seems to be verified; but a careful con-
sideration shows that the amount APP
propriated for educational purposes
does not mean the poll tax which /
grant that SO few colored people In
Alabama now pay; nor do the majority
OF us pay direct taxes of any kind.
But paying exorbitant rents defrays
every dollar of the expenses In taxes
incurred by the man who owns the
land; nor Is 1t always the fault of the
officers of the law that we receive such
little school money, but sometimes our
own neglect of duty; petty differences
among ourselves; sometimes our schools
remain untaught for years because of
UNCONVENTIONAL differences and more
often they are divided on the same ac-
count.
1t is necessary that all pastors of any
denomination whatsoever have their
members start and maintain a common
treasury to be used wholly for the ed
ucation of all the children.
The money that is spent for whiskey,
snuK and the like, If saved and put
into a common school fund would In a
short while accumulate sufficiently to
buy land, build and equip a beautiful
schoolhouse. The money that is lost on
Saturday evening, and during the
months of July and August. and during
the winter months. should be saved and
used to extend our school terms seven
or eight months during the year. We
firmly believe in local taxation for
school purposes and hope that ere soon
all the county public schools attended
by colored children will be supported
by local taxation plus the small amount
given by the Board of Education, We
should pay our pol tax If for no other
purpose than this money goes to the
education of the race paying it, Nor
should pay our poll tax IL for no other
our poll tax is one of the conditions
necessary to vote, and we firmly be-
lieve that every Intelligent negro should
vote. and we cannot as a race hold our
identity if we are deprived of this in
herent right. In fact any race denied
the right of suffra ge is a race in slavery
The education of our children is an
other qualification necessary to main
tain our identity. We cannot maintain
our identity very long unless we can
have something to do with the laws
by which we are governed. BY a fail
uie to have the proper representatives
our Acknowledgement has been taken
from us. The anology holds in respect
to the public school funds.
Representation is necessary; but in or
der to be represented properly we must
have educated Christian men to do So
Do we not know that we are walking
on our own opportunities when we fail
to send our children to school? And
moreover in order for children to get
the beneft OF school. they should en-
ter the first day and remain as long as
the school Is in session. And I would
to God that our people could wake from
slumber and see the deep sense OF their
responsibility. Were / a member of
the State Legislature / would intro
duce a bill to compel every negro
mother and father to send their chill