The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-09-20
RECOMMENDS
BLACK BOTTOM
Prof. Smith Thinks That
Place For High School.
So States to Pupils Many Sad
Hearts at the Thought-Location
Most Objectionable One
Principal Expresses His
Views-Was not Called by
the Board-Matter Came
Up incidentally.

The question of a High School for
Negroes is becoming a common topic
in this city. 1t was conceded by all
that just as soon as the white High
School was completed the authorities
would become dissatisfied with the
inadequate facilities of the present
High School for Negroes And it
develops that the opinion entertained
was mot farfetched.
Recently, however, it was said that
statement was made by Prof F. G.
Smith, Principal of the High School,
that aroused the Indignation of the
Negroes of Nashville, and one that is
not believed will be accepted by the
school officials. 1t is said that Prof.
Smith few days ago told the pupils
Of the High School that the Board
Of Education had sent for him and
asked him to point out a suitable To-
cation for a new High School. 1t is
further stated that he told the pupils
in the school that he told the Board
that the present location was the
very best that could be found in
Nashville, and that the new high
school would be erected on the pres
ent site. The young people went to
their several homes, many of them
with tears in their eyes, and all of
them with heavy hearts.
The present high school for Ne
groes is located in Black Bottom, a
section of the city that has been
condemned and that is referred to
by every daily paper in Nashville as
the most corrupt and most filthy
community that can be found in any
city. Black Bottom is known far
and near as one of the worst dives in
the country. And had it not been
that too much politics was injected
into the election here few years
ago that whole section of the city
would have by this time been wiped
out People going through Black
Bottom on the cars are always
shocked at the vulgarity of the in.
habitants. Several committees have
visited there and each one has re-
ported of the filth and vice that was
found.
One young girl, after hearing the
statement by the Principal of her
school, went home and told her Sis
ters of the same and then told them
of the conditions that obtained in
the community, how that most every
day when they are leaving school
for their homes they walk out in
full view of men and women as vul-
gar as it is possible for a human be-
ing to be, and who have no regard
whatever for the modesty Of girls of
tender years This is the communi-
ty in which it is said the Principal
Of the high school recommends that
new high school be erected.
OF all the communities in the city,
it is said that he selected this bot
tom, a section where it is almost
impossible to maintain sanitary re-
gulations. When the water rises it
seeps all through this bottom. Busi-
ness houses there are forced to move
their wares, and the people who live
in the dives are hustled out like rats
When they leave their quarters the
spectacle is sickening, and the
drunkards, gamblers, murderers and
thieves who are driven out of their
homes by the back water and forced
into other communities make 1t un-
comfortable for other people; and,
worst of all, back waters have been
known to come up in the cellar of
the school where the janitor re
sides, causing him to have to look
for other quarters until they receded
and it is said that it is this commu.
nifty the Principal recommends the
Board of Education to build high
school, a new high school, in which
hundreds of thousands of dollars
will be invested. The people are
very much wrought up over what is
said to have been statement by the
Principal.
Prof. Smith was asked if he had
been correctly quoted as to the above
and he said he had not. He said the
Board of Education did not send for
him: instead he went to the supeIfn.
tendent's Office to ask him of certain
studies that have been introduced in
the new High School could not also
be added to the Pearl Higs School
course and while there, he, Prof.
/ Smith, asked the superintendent if
he thought the new high school for
Negroes could be provided for this
year, and it was then he says he was
asked to suggest location and he
suggested the present site. He said
the whole mater was brought about
by a question asked by himself as he
thought of a probability of the school
being moved to some corner, but the
matter was in no wise official