The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-11-15
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER is, 1912.
n. ,onas, oninion.

Or, JOnG6 OPihiNh"
Tn a recent issue an editorial ap-
neared in these columns favoring a
Negro for the presidency Of Fisk Uni
versity. 1t was not thought that all
would agree with our position, and a
free and frank discussion of the case
from the Negroes point of view was
hoped for.
DIR. Jones, President of Turner
Normal College at ~Shelbyvile, Tenn
in a communication, which appeared
in the Globe recently, takes the posi-
ton that a Negro will never D
president of Fisk University as long
as the institution belongs to white
people; but he does not dVanc a
single a why he made the asser-
tion. To say a Negro will be
elected because the institution be-
longs to white people and is CONTROL
ed by them is unfair unless there is
no proof to s~ubstantiate the asser-
ton. Every man has a right to his
crinion, but opinions are not necessa-
rily facts. Negroes have been elect
ed to the presidency Of schools owned
and controlled by white people and
of which the majority Of the Trus-
tees are white, and to say that the
trustees of Fisk University will
never elect a Negro president would
infer that they have prejudice
against black men. If that is the po-
sition of DR.. Jones, /. is a very seri-
Gus charge, and yet, if it is true, the
Negroes of the country should know
it.
We have the information from
a very reliable source that there are
white members of the present trus-
tee board of Fisk University who
favor the election of a Negro presi-
dent. We cannot say that they are
in the majority, but if it is true that
a part of them have expressed them
selves as favoring a Negro it Is rea-
sonab,e to suppose that in course Of
time a majority or the entire mem
bership Of the board will be of the
same opinion.
II is clear that white men are fall
ing as presidents of Negro colleges;
not only at Fisk, but elsewhere. First
Of all the men who are elected to
these positions now do not come in
contact with the Negro as those mel
did who took up this work at the
close of the civil war. Men like the
late DR.. Cravath, the late DR.. Braden
the present Dean Hubbard, Of Mehar
ry, and the late DR.. Owen, entered
this work in its incipiency. The
conditions then made it necessary
that they come in personal contac
with nearly every student in tn
school. So much so that they learned
the Negro thoroughly. They knew
his sentiments and they knew hi
weaknesses and his virtues. All o
these men have passed into the grea
beyond, with the exception Of Dea,
Hubbard, of Meharry; and today, i
his advance age, he can do more 70
a Negro school than can a man muc
younger, but who has not had tina
personal contact.
The students who enter colleg
under a white president and a whit
faculty, enter with the feeling {
restlessness and discomfort. TIL;
friendliness which should exist b
tween teachers and pupils is missin
and as a consequence, there is a co
slant unrest on the part Of the st
dents, and when they graduate ar
go out into the world they turn the
backs upon their Alma Mater, and
their way in the world, and why? b
cause that personal friendship h
not been cultivated.
We heartily approve of the idea
Negro schools. We believe that t
day has come when the Negro shou
establish and support the very be
schools he can. It is a big underta
ing. but it can be done and shou
be done. We do not agree with t
contention of Dr.. Jones that VIII
people will cease TO contribute
Negro education when Negroes &