The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-02-04
DISCUSS THE RACES
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE HAYE
A LONG ARGUMENT over
Whites TEACHING BLACKS

Some OF the Speeches Made by the
REPRESENTATIVES Of the State on the
Bill Prohibiting White Teachers
From Teaching in Schools of This
State.
The argument in the House for the
passage of the bill prohibiting white
teachers from teaching in negro
schools in this State was opened by
Mr.. Fortner, in favor of the bill, and
he took the position that education
for the negro was really harmful and
that 80 per cent. Of the negroes IN
prison to-day were Of the educated
class. He insisted that his bill was
demanded by the people of the state
and that public sentiment wished to
call a halt on white women teaching
In colored schools and he feared that
the present situation might lead to
social equality.
MI. James Of Bishopville said that
he favored segregation Of the races
not only on the trains, but in the
schools, and that he had lived long
enough to see that the coming Of the
races together was bad thing. Mr..
Rittenberg asked him if he wished
to throw more than fifty young wo-
men In Charleston out Of employ
ment. Mr.. James suggested that Mr.
Rittenberg's friends" would have to
ind something else to do.
Mr.. Lilies Of Orangeburg, who is
blessed with a remarkable voice,
threw himself into the breach and
made a vigorous speech against the
measure. He took the position that
the best results would be gotten by
permitting white men to manage ne
groes in the schools, but that he was
opposed to white women teaching ne
groes. The burden of his argument
was that as it took white men to
manage negroes so imperative was il
that white teachers>shouid be employ
ed to teach the negroes subserviency.
Personally he believed that the negro
was not a beast and was possessed OF
a soul, and that if taught right by
white men and shown that which was
right that they would be less trouble
some and more obedient. He wished
It understood that he was not in favor
of any form Of social equality and
that any demagogue that undertook
to twist his position into favor of So
cial equality told a lie, but he insisted
that he felt it his duty to oppose this
bill, because he frankly believed that
the best results could be gotten by
having men instruct the negro. Mr.
Lilies reiterated his position and said
he regarded white supremacy above
all else.
Mr.. Stanley Of Horny created some
thing like CONSERVATION by this
amendment: provided, that the
proviosions Of this bill shall also ap-
ply to negro walters in hotels and
eating houses, negro servants IN
white hospitals and negroes working
. in the same esta blishments that white
women are employed, negro nurses in
private homes-to the extent that the
two races shall not be permitted to
engage in same work at the same
time at any place or in any manner
whatsoever" This was not joker.
Mr.. Stanley insisted that the State
might as well face complete negro
segregation, and he did not want the
races to mix anywhere. He even went
so far as to take the position that ne
gro farm labor was worthless, and in
sisted that the sooner the white peo-
pie realized it the better. He said
the only way to avoid danger was to
meet the situation fairly and square
ly, as he proposed.
Mr.. Barnwell Of Charleston pre-
sented logical argument, and began
by stating that he came from Sec
ton that had a problem that was not
so conspicuous in the up-country. His
people had met the situation by white
people undertaking to some extent
the early training Of the negroes in
the schools, and that the result had
been subservience, discipline and
obedience. OF course, there were ex-
ceptions, but he argued that the
teaching Of white women in colored
schools had not been harmful. The
first idea that the colored child got.
and was made to get, from his white
teacher, was respect and obedience.
and to realize that the white teacher
was his superior. Either this would
have to be done as it is now down in
Charleston, or the negroes would be
taught by negro preachers, who very
often were Of the most insurgent
type, or by Yankee women, about
whom complaint was now made.
Speaking for Charleston, he felt that
the races there got along as we'll, or
better, than elsewhere, and he be-
lieved that this condition was largely
brought about by the colored children
being taught in early life that they
must recognize the white people, as
exemplihed by the white teachers. as
their superiors. Mr.. Barnwell wished
It understood that he was always in
favor of white supremacy, but he re-
garded the pending bill unwise and
inexpedient.
Dr.. Wyche Of Newberry said it was
a very easy matter to arouse race
prejudice. Some almost would make
It crime to speak to the negro. If
we have erred it has been in not
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