The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-22
KIDS" ON STRIKE
Race Question Causes Trouble
at Lincoln School.
White Boys Object to Presence
of Negroes.
TAKE BOOKS HOME.
Will Not Return Until Colored
Children Leave.
Principal Magaw Refuses to
Take Detection Seriously.

-
The race question is being fought
out in round about manner at Lin
coin school, corner Fifth and Madi-
son, and Monday afternoon a large
number of the boys and some of the
girls attending this school left with
out warning and now declare they
VIII not return until the colored chill
oreh nave been expelled from the
oulldlng. For long time the feel
ing mas been intense in this vicinity
ana the fact that an increased num-
per or negro pupils have registered in
the school this year has caused the
situation to grow more serious. Every
day reports have been coming from
this school concerning the dissatisfac-
ton OF the children on account of the
colored pupils. and the climax has
been reached since the; miniature
strike was called yesterday afternoon.
The boys and girls who went out
on the. strike yesterday were indignant
at the situation and with the consent
| of their parents they openly declared
that unless the Lincoln school was
made strictly white institution they
would refuse to return.
When interviewed on the matter the
principal of this school, Mr.. w. G.
| Magaw. refused to take the matter
| seriously. He said that in every
school there were, a certain crowd of
| irresponsible boys who could not be
| depended upon and who had an in
satiable desire to cause trouble and
the race question was the easiest out
| let for their complaints. He insisted
| that the school was in just as much
| order as at any time and he saw no
| reason for any dissatisfaction on the
| part of the pupils.
Superintendent Whittemore, of the
city schools. had heard nothing of the
matter this morning and said the
strike would not be considered unless
further trouble arose. He thought it
| could have been noting but quarrel
| division between the white and col
ored children would be made.
i Several of the people living in the
| vicinity of the school building were
seen this morning by Journal re-
porter and they all said they had
heard something of the trouble and
complaints of the children, but thai
they had heard nothing of a genera
, strike. They all expressed desire
that the division would be made II
the school at once
One of the young strikers, Franz
Williamson who works Saturdays d
the Edison plant, was greatly excited
| about the matter and in speaking o.
the trouble he said 10 -
Yesterday afternoon a big bunch o.
US kids and some of the girls toid TN
| principal that if they wanted to mak'
Lincoln a niger school they had pet
ter do it right away but if they wanted
| to have us whites there they WoulC
. have to cut out the colored kids. HI
wouldn't do anything about it and W.
| all struck and we are going to keep OF
| striking until we can get out the col
! ored kids, or else we Will go to anothel
| school," Another little seventh grader
was seen yesterday and he said: Al
| most all of the kids are afraid to qu1
| school but they want to just the sam'
| and SO do their folks but they daresn'
tell 'em. Us kids what quit YESTERDAY
are going to keep it up"
All was peaceful at Lincoln schoo
this morning and no outbreak wa
made but it is feared that sometime
will happen soon If the children are no
; satisfied Residents in the neighbor
hood of the school say that almos
, every day a number of colored men
well dressed. stand out in front of tn
building and watch the children marcl
in and then walk away. 1t is though
that they realize the smoulder1nt
flames of an outbreak and they are de
sirous of protecting their children
| Every day a fight of more or less seri
| ousness occurs between the coloret
bows and the white lads and in SOM
! cases a regular free for all was carried
|, | out.
One day last week, three colored mel
stood out in front of the school ant
during the professional into the build
ing one white boy and five colored boy'
were ierked out of line by the principa
on account of their bad behavior. Thu
| colored men swores and mumbled u
| themselves something about the treat
ment of the negroes and then the.
went away talking eXcitedly.