The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-09-27
EDUCATING THE NEGRO.

EDUCATING THE NEGRO.
5 The effort of Gov Hall and his col
: leagues of the board of trustees o
/ the Southern University to find al
appropriate and advantageous sit.
for that institution outside the cit,
of New Orleans, as they were direct
; ed to do by act of the general as
sembly, has brought out the fact tha1
there are very few parishes or com
munities in Louisiana that care to of
fer any inducements to have a uni
i versity for the education of negroes
located in their midst. More than
this, a decided hostility to such 10
cation has been manifested in a. mum
! Der of instances, and in some few
cases discussion of the question has
evoked actual opposition to giving
the negro any facilities whatsoever
for acquiring an education
From only two parishes, Ascension
and Iberia, did the board receive Of
fers of bonuses for the site. All the
other responses were from persons
with property to sell but nothing to
donate. Iberia was made the choice
of the board because the proposed
donation of 800 acres OF land was pre-
sumably regarded as of greater mon
etary value than the fine mansion
and SO acres OF land at st. Elmo ten
dered by the Alluvial Land Purchase
Company Of Ascension through the
Donaldsonyille Chamber of Com
merce.
f.rn 20 ,s4
committee and the trustees by the
statements of number of the fore
most citizens of Ascension that
not only was there total lack of
hostility toward the location of the
university at st. Elmo, but that all
elements of the adjacent population
were cordially DESTROYS that this site
should be chosen. That condition of
public sentiment still exists here.
While similar representations were
made with regard to the attitude of
the people of the section of iberia
where the preferred site, the Landry
plantation, is located, it has since
transpired that some $50 white resi-
dents of that vicinity have signed a
petition vigorously protesting against
the project Of establishing the uni
versity in their midst, declaring that
it viii depreciate the value of their
property and provoke racial difficult
ties and disturbances.
Under these circumstances it would
seem to be the part Of wisdom for
the trustees to accept the Ascension
site without further ado
The position of the people OF As
cension parish with regard to the
problem of negro education can be
stated in few words. In the first
place, they believe in the axiom that
Ignorance is remedy for nothing y
and that the negro, in common with
every other human being, is entitled
to such measure of instruction as will
enable him to distinguish between
right and wrong and to make the
best OF his opportunities in the
sphere Of life where he has been |
placed. Secondly, they know that |
the complaint, Educate a negro and |
spoil a field hand" can be best cir
cumvented by giving him the kind
of education that will make him a
better field hand. and this is the I
kind they expect the Southern Uni
versity to impart. What the negro
needs for himself and what the coun-
try needs for him is industrial and
agricultural instruction fitting him
for scientific and economic tilling OF
The soil and Intelligent work in the
trades and pursuits to which his ply
steal and mental qualifications are
best adapted.
It is this point Of view which leads
Ascension to ask for the location of
the Southern University at st. Elmo,
and which will assure the Institution
and its patrons an environment OF
cordial goodwill and friendly CO
operation if the invitation is ac-
eepted.
A FOOLISH 5LAW-IF IT IS A LAW.
James M. Thomson, publisher of
he New Orleans Item, was arrested
Ind charged with perjury in that city
asst week for having sworn to and