The Washington bee., 1910-11-05
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.

Jun DO - AMI NIhLLC.
Does it ever occur to the col
Ored people in this city the sad
condition in which their boys and
girls are in? Is it not a sad spec
tacle to look at when we see that
every avenue is closed against
them? Even after their gradua-
ton from the colored normal
school they fail, to great ex-
tent, to be appointed to schools
to which they are entitled, after
their parents have struggled so
hard to educate them. Just think
of it! A few weeks ago a teacher
died, and her class or school was
closed, and not one of last years
graduates received the appoint
ment to this vacancy. What does
it all mean? VIII the people who
pay taxes for the support of their
schools continue to tolerate this
discrimination without a protest ?
We can't appeal to the white de-
partment stores to appoint our
boys and girls, because they have
boys and girls by thousands of
their own to look after. All chat
they can hope to receive from any
department store is the position in
the ladies' toilets, and if they don't
take that they can get nothing,
If our girls marry, the men are
so worthless that they soon return
to their parents. What are we to
do, then, for our boys and girls,
after they come from our normal
and the Armstrong Manual Train
ing schools? A more beautiful IL
lustratiOn of the condition of our
boys and girls cannot be found
than in a recent sermon delivered
a few Sunday mornings ago by
Rev. Walter II. Brooks. That SER
mon should be in the home of ev-
cry parent. We need a business
high school connected with our
public schools. We have advO-
Gated such a school, and believe
that it will do much good at this
time. Our boys and girls should
be taught how to conduct and
manage a business. They should
know how to keep books. There
should be more business enter
prise among our people, and our
boys and girls should be employed.
Then we would not have to de-
pend so much on the more fOrtu-
nate members of our society. The
white man takes care of his boys
and girls. They protect them
while in their employment. The
girl in business should learn how
to protect herself and be careful
of the inducements held out to
her. They should be taught to
watch their surroundings and ig-
more the bait that is held out to
them. The great trouble with some
cOlored men is that they harbO1
the thought that every female Is q
woman of easy virtue. When
the man dispels such a thought
from his mind and protects the
girl where she is employed, the
morals of the community will bt
better. Every girl cannot be {
school teacher. Every boy can no.
be a clerk. The honest business
girl or boy demands the same re
spect as a school teacher or clerk
Public office doesn't make a lady
or gentleman. The gutter cleaner
or the street sweeper or the
washer-woman can be Just a
much a lady and gentleman al
any of the foregoing. The cool
in the kitchen can command the
same kitchen as the lady in tn,
parlOr. 1t Is no disgrace to work
The child should be taught from
infancy how to work and what il
is to work and earn an honest liv,
ing. The way to command respect
is to respect those for whom we
work or by those we are employed
The question is, what shall we do
with our boys and girls? Some
of the moralists condemn the
moving picture shows. Some of
them are elevating, and good