The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-12-11
OFFICIALS THINK
THEIR PLAN BEST
Writer, However, Says Separation
Creates Animosity, and Is One Of
the Causes Which Lead to Lynch
ing and Rioting-Colored Repub-
hean Club Interested.

The negroes of Gary have entered
formal protest against the board of
education for their intended segrega-
tion of the colored and white students
in the public schools. The matter is
row being considered by the Colored
Republican club. which reorganized aft
er election for social and beneficial pur
poses.
At their meeting Tuesday night a
committee from the Colored Republican
club will be appointed to confer with
the board of education on the estab-
lishment of the school for colcred boys.
They regard the action one that will
be detrimental to their race for the
which they bear in school. and are in
clined to carry to certain extent
through life, is not attained when they
are taught separately
The zdeasof Mr.. Writ, superintendent
of the board of education, in establish
ing a separate school, was to give the
boys better instruction by having a
colored teacher and a course which will
be more suited to their needs. At first
they planned to start the school on
small scale and then gradually increase
it until they had a building of their
own. The whole idea of the project
was to benefit the condition of the col
ored children.
One of the officers of the Colored
Republican club has written a com
munication to THE TIMES. in which his
position in the matter is set forth. He
says that he thinks the club will be
unanimous in protesting against the
segregation of colored children. He
also says he thinks the coIored chill
dren ought to be benefited by the good
moral effect of white children's con-
duct.
The writer of the letter to THE TIMES
even goes so far as to say that the
segregation of the colored pupils means
future race hatred and will in time pre-
cipitate race riots and lynching. The
following is the letter:
The Letter.
ITO the Editor of the Gary Evening
Times-Dear Sir: I notice, through the
columns of your paper. that the board
of education has concluded to educate
the white and colored children separ-
ately.
there was colored principal and all
colored teachers.
After that ! attended mixed school
of the same grades, and l noticed the
school paraphernalia was such that a
child could learn easier. quicker and
more accurately.
Besides. in the minds of all good
people. it drives out prejudice and ii
helps to elevate the black boy when
he becomes a man.
Now. for instance suppose you
wanted a clerk and I applied for the
position ana because I am a black boy
yen would say. I think you inefficient,
ana suppose there should be a clerE
in your employ that attended schoo
with me.
IF he was gentleman and a scholar
and was not prejudiced. he would speaI
up like man and say 1 am ft.tat
up like man and say. If I am fit hs
is fit because we attended school to-
gether and graduated from the same
class
IF a sheep and a wolf are raised
together they will be friendly whel
grown. If they are kept apart the vol
will devour the sheep.
SO a white child and a black child
if they are reared and attend schoo
together will be friendly. Such step
as you are taking causes lynching an,
barbarous treatment such as the col
ored people are undergoing In variou
parts of the south.
We could hardly expect any NOR
from Tillman. vardeman and othe
representatives of the south Remem
Der, at the polls we have no separat
ballots.
Il am respectfully yours,
READER. GARY EVENING TIMES