The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-07-31
OPPOSED.
re WHITE PRINCIPAL IN NEGRO
52%.tt =, ~ SCHOOL. -. .s ,r,.s.I>
Lynchburg Negroes Declare Appoint.
;I,ent Of White Woman to Succeed
: Coaorcd Woman Is Backward y
Step and Ask Reconsider
:. ~ 2, - - alton. - .t"t ~.

- q ---------s q
f. xLynchburg, Va, July 22.-Because
the school board Of Lynchburg an
pointed a woman principal of Paynes
school, ths largest school here, in the
place OF one of their race, the Me-
groes Of this city, are very much ex-
ercised. They - are holding mass
meetings and doing all in their power.
to make the school board replace the
white principal with Negro. ~
| Meetings have been held at the
Diamond Hill Baptist church under
the auspices Of the Civic and Educa-
tonal League Of Lynchburg at which
forcible speeches were adopted to
push the matter until the Negro cits-
2zens OF this city receive proper con-.
sideration. -. #
Prof. George Stephens, Prof. T. P.
Smith, Drs. D. w. Shaw, Tyrell and
Robert W.. Goff have been appointed
a committee to arrange the course to
pursue. :. 4
While the league does not Dues
ton the right of the school board to-
make changes when necessary for the
good of the system it resents the APP
pointing of white principal in the
place of colored teacher. -. J.
Paynes school contains IL rooms
and all the teachers are colored.
Miss Legrand was appointed to fri
the place Of Miss Smith who has been
offered lower position. ~ .:
Under the heading. "a Step Back
ward the Lynchburg American
Trumpet recently said: L.
=. Proud old Lynchburg, at one
time the most liberal city of the
south toward the Negro, has taken a
| step backward. The school board
has appointed white lady principal
of the largest colored school In the
ctty. The former principal was one
OF the Oldest and best teachers In the
| south-she was colored woman
she was removed and offered another
place In the system.
I'VE, do not mean to say that the
school board did not think it was
| pest to make change, but we do
| mean to question their motives, in
| placing white principal over that
school. If In their judgment change
OF principal would be best for all
concerned, why is it that they did not
put colored man at the head of the
lschool? Many of ,us have been tell
ing our folks that the southern white
man was our best friend, and In the
| lace or our effort to bring about a
| better feeling between the racesr we
I: are constantly reminded that Athere
| is a Negro problem. 49,.
4 -, We ask for cOlored teachers tn
I Teach Negro children.-It is our priv
l1ege TO have them. When we had no
| Negroes capable of teaching our chill
dren, we> considered it a great thing
1er the whites to condescend and as
| slst In elevattng us; now We have
graduates whom these white teach
ers said were competent, then, why
hot> let them teach? If we asked
Tor Negro to be placed in the fire
department, the answer would have
peen: 1T looks too much like So
c1ai equality, and this IS a. white
mans job If we had asked for a
Negro on the police force, thew
would have said that it would cause
trouble, as white law breakers would
OBJECT to being arrested by Mig.
ger. Ii we had asked for q Negro al
GERMAN or councilman, we would
nave been\ qutckly informed taht it Is
against southern democracy to have
Negroes In the government of it's mn.
niicpal affairs. e.
The position \of a school teacber
Is one'of less pay than any other nub.
Tic servant-and now, they are fax.
ing that away from us--fs there anv-
thing like right and justice in this
VINO VIII wonder why the Negro Is
so resentful In the south? He is be
ing hounded and crowded out even
among his own people. There; are
now flye white teachers in the col.
ored schools Of this city; these lify1e
JOBS ought to be heI6 by Negroes II
race separation Is a good thing. whv
not have 1t in the school house, as
wen as on street cars. The very
presence OF a white mistress at the
paynes building is reflection upon
those colored ladies who now teach
Chere~-ft says to the world that thew
and their Negro principal could NOT
oo as much toward the proper train
lns OF young Negroes as one white
Ihese teachers were Mrs. Smitb'a 60
ciat equal and enjoyed - degree Of
social contact, which Is now impossi-
Die. But why did the board not give
us a Negro principal? Out OF that
humper OF teachers that have been
1each'ng for more than 20 years
| were there none found worthy7
/. 1T Is In the white mans power to
help us; 1t is his duty to surnish
money to educate us. We have ESQ
years to our credit, from which we
nave not received one cent. And, tho
amount Of taxes we pay on our own