Oakland sunshine., 1915-06-05
AenI.ye,.s nj Ct .s,s AssoelatIe;.

OK fne Negro Teacher5 ASSOCIATION or
Virginia. Under his direction this or
ganization has become vital force In
the educational aEairs OF the state
among colored people. Through the
associations activities and its affiliated
organizations the colOred people have
been inspired to put over $100,a0O into
their public schools since 1914. when
President Long was elected he, d Of tt,
association. lie speaking about this
good showing prominent educator has
the following to say of President Long:
"a moving force In this good showing
for Improvement in Virginia Is the as.
sociation's president, Professor e. A.
Long, principal of the Christiansburg
Industrial institute. Cambria. Va. Pro
fessor Long took the leadership Of the
association at lime when 1t neeSed a
strong hand to guide 1t. and within the
past four years he has organized it into
a vital, active force for carrying for
ward the work of educational efficiency
and social uplift throughout the state"
President Longs Annual Address,
In his annual address President Long
said in part:
1t is significant that Just fifty years age
another army captured Richmond. Mid
the din Of battle and the clash of arms
they came into your city. With stream
Ing banner and shrieking fife they parad-
ed your streets. and the drums beat,
which to some was the note of victory.
was to us the funeral march Of slavery.
which died here. was buried at Appo-
mattox and which will rise no more. The
death of slavery meant the resurrection
Of the slaves. Today, after the lapse Of
half century, a new army which has
been fighting that men might have life
and have it more abundantly comes up
to Richmond. Those who fought and bled
and died for the country's honor Sod, thus
lighting. freed the body of this people. de-
serve our gratitude and viii have their
names carved in marble and bronze which
must crumble with the lapse of years. but
those who fight in the army for the eman-
cipation of mems souls. my friends, VIII
have their names written In the hearts
Of grateful people as we'll as inscribed
In that hall Of fame in the "city with
foundations whose builder and maker is
God"
The state association lays no claim to
directing the work of the teachers in their
lfforts to create better school conditions
1t furnishes. however. means for an ex-
change of experiences which always
proves helpful There Is engendered a
friendly rivalry between teachers which
helps nightly in the spread of profes-
sional zeal. We do collect what has been
done by the teachers under their various
agencies and thus keep somewhat OF a
record Of the progress made from year to
year The first year, 1872 OF which we
have any authentic record, the sum Of
SIS. 1888 was raised through the various
school leagues, In 1918 s24. 1893 was raised,
and In 1914 s42,923 was raised. This year.
when the records are all in, we believe 1t
will be over $4,000 Not counting thk
year however. more than $S2. 600 has been
put into the public schools by the Negro
people of Virginia These figures do not
include work OF which no reports were
made to this organization. These splendid
results have been made possible largely
by the supervising teachers under the d.
rection Of our own Mr.. Jackson Davis.
who represents the most progressive spir-
II of the new south
II is we'll to be proud of what has been
accomplished, but it is better to remember
what is yet to be done. According to the
last figures for 1928 there were 2.4n
children out OF school. The summarized
reports Of the division superintendents
show that the capacity Of the Negro
schooihouses Is 1O3,953. The records show.
however, that there were u7.017 children
enrolled In the schools. This means that
there were 1904 more children enrolled
than could be seated in the schools. Let
us not forget that there were S,fl1 chill
drer who were not enrolled. 1t means
that jIs: one-fourth Of the Negro children
In the Virginia schools cannot be accom-
modated in her schoolhouses at the pres
ent time Here Is a situation, my fellow
teachers, that calls for your thoughtful
consideration. If We cannot induce the
school authorities to build schoolhouses
for our children let US go down into our
pockets and build them ourselves. Some
Of the buildings In which Negro children
20 to school are not fit for COW stables
We are able to build magnificent churcf
edifices In which to parade our hypociisy
and show off our fine clothes and send
our children to a junk house to imbibe
character They get it, too. Of tha kind
that fills the Richmond penitentiary with
youthful offenders
Effect of Environment on Character.
When we learn to properly appreciate
the effect which environment has upon
the formation of character we are going
to take some Of the money used in these
fine churches and put 1t into the building
of better schools. How about that.
Brother Preacher? Perhaps you don't
like this kind of talk, but want to say
here that the time has come when you
ministers of the Gospel have got to preach
less about mansions in the skies and more
about better schoolhouses in Virginia II
you don't some of those same mansions
are going 10 have the For Rent" sign
hung on them for lack OF tenants. Next
in importance &c getting place for the
children to go to school Is the question of
keeping the schools open long enough to
make them really effective
1t means this, that Il you viii raise
money to extend the school one month
the state will put up enough to extend 1t
one month: IL you win extend 1t half
month the state will extend 1t another
half. With this opportunity before IN
every Negro school in the state ought to
be brought up to an average of at least
seven months. And 1t can be IL you
teachers win take hold of the matter In
earnest Conference with some of the
officers Of the department Of public In
struction has convinced me that they are
anxious to have our schools get their pro-
portion Of this fund Surely We cannot
be so negligent as to allow 1t to go by
default because We do not rise to our
opportunities. as was the case with the
graded school fund. / am told that q
part of this fund which was set aside
for Negro schools was never used because
no demand was made for It. It is time
my fellow teachers. that we were waking
up and claiming our own We have stood
back too long, scared to present our needs
because OF being afraid of losing our jobs
II We ask for what is due US. Let US stand
up and plead our cause. not In anger. not
in bitterness. neither by cringing nor
fawning, but respectfully and firmly as
men who ask mems rights.
Nine Local Business Leagues Formed.