The Washington bee., 1910-07-02
REASONS FOR A CHANGE.

REASONS FOR A CHANGE.
The Duke of Wellington is
credited with the remark that a
fool could place a million men
III Hyde Park, London, but it
would require a General to march
them out. The colored children
IN the public schools in the Dis
trict of Columbia. nearly 1900
strong, are put there not by fools,
but by honest and hard working
parents with the hope that Gen
eral-nOt a Freak-wOuld conduct
them safely and thoroughly along
the firing line of education. What
blasted hope! Not since the day
of George F. T. Cook and Win
field Scott Montgomery have the
cOlOred schools of the District of
Columbia had master mind at
their head. An institution of
learning of the capacity of the
public school system for cOlOred
children has long passed the ex-
perimental point and requires a
brOad-gauge educator, without
college frills or furbelOws, as sub
stitute for common sense. College
education, when accompanied
with mature Judgment and prac-
teal experience, is a good COM
paniOn, but when bereft of those
essentials, is only a pleasing
dream of departed days. The lack
of cohesion between the present
Head Master and his teaching
force Is in broad contrast with
that of the administration of
Cook and Montgomery. During
the official life of those gentlemen
as Head Master perfect harmony
existed; confidence reigned su-
preme. No satellites were sent
among the teaching force to ere
ate discord; no whispering cor
ners breathing forth the superior
ity of the chosen few and dis
counting the brains of the many.
Prior to the accidental incum-
bency of the present Head Master
the children in the cOlOred schools
had no veneering education. but
foundation upon which
was built a lasting superstruc-
ture. The fancy and theoretical
educational lines laid down by the
present Head Master smacks of
the cold trimmings left over from
some trademark from either
Harvard or Tuskegee. or both.
The deep interest we have in
our schools, knowing them as we.
do from our early childhood, in
spires us to champion their cause
when we see them drifting from
their safe mOorings. The educa-
tion of the negro boy and girl is.
too sacred a matter to be entrust-
eel to inexperienced and i'm
mature eXperimentalists simply
because they talk college. In this.
practical day those who are, nu-'
in authority in the ad-
ministratiOn of school affairs owe
it not only to themselves. but to
the large number of cOlOred citi-
zens and taxpayers in the District
of Columbia. that a thoroughly
competent and practical man is
placed in charge of their schools.
The white schools have in Mr.. \.
7. Stuart a Head Master that any
school system should be proud of.
His breadth and depth as a gen
tleman and scholar are unmeasur-
able; his learning and integrity
are cOmpanions-One of broad
culture and the other mquestiOn-
able.
1t is not to be expected for the
cOlored, or any other schools, to
get the duplicate of Mr.. Stuart.
"For nature made but one such
man and broke the mould" etc.
The cOlored people do ask, and
will insist that their schools be
made good public schools, and not
a poor imitation of college. The
school days fir the negro boy and
girl are by reason of poverty and
combination of circumstances linn
tied. Therefore it becomes a nee
essity to give them something ed
ucatiOnally substantial, and not
waste the few golden days in alb
stract deductions. There are