The broad ax., 1915-02-27
CHICAGO, Feb. "a, 1915.

chicago, req. q, 1910.
Julius =. Taylor,
Editor The Broad Ak.
Dear sir:-Your readers viii be very
interested to know the outcome Of the
conferences between the teachers Of the
Wendell Phillips High School and the
citizens committee appointed at a
meeting Of the Negro Fellowship
League, January 18th. 1T win be re-
membered that on that day both Miss
Fannie Smith, dean Of girls at the Wen
dell Phillips school, and Mr.. Perrine,
assistant principal, addressed the
League in explanation and defense Of
the segregation Of White and COlOred
children in the social room.
An account which appeared in the
daily papers a week before, stated that
a protest had been made about this So
eial arrangement, by Miss Marion Tai
bot, dean Of girls at the University Of
Chicago; that Miss Smith justified her
action and that Mrs. Ella Fagg Young,
superintendent of schools, endorsed it.
In keeping with its policy the League
invited Miss Smith to make An address
and explanation. As many will remem>
Der, our Reading Room was crowded
and the feeling was very strong; the
outcome Of the meeting being the ap-
pointment Of a committee to visit the
school, it being the accommodation Of
Miss Smith herself. The following
committee was appointed: Mrs. I. B. W.
Barnett, Mrs. Stella Majors, Rev. A. L.
Stewart, Mr.. Frank Hamilton and Mr..
George W. Ellis. This committee called
at the school Friday Of the following
week, January 22nd, only to find the
examinations for the new year and COM
meneement exercises were on foot. 1t
was regretted that we could not see the
social room in operation, and we were
asked to defer our report until we
could come again after commencement
exercises were over and new pupils had
been received from other schools. For
this reason our second visit was made
February 18th.
After a lengthy conversation with
Miss Smith, who still insisted that she
thought the best results with the chill
dren Of the two races could only be
achieved by having them in separate
social groups, the committee told her
plainly that the Colored people would
never consider such a necessity nor
aequiesce in this decision; that we
came at her request to her, rather than
to the school board, but that if we did
not succeed in convincing her Of the
unjust and undemoeEatic attitude, We
would be forced to take it to the school
board.
Because Of this firm stand, she at last
yielded the point and assured Us that
she would not again have the social
groups assemble along the color line;
that whatever she undertook in the fu-
ture would be composed like the class
room groups Of the different nationali-
ties represented in the school. Where
upon the committee retired, feeling that
it had achieved bloodless victory; and
desiring to let the public know about
it, we are sending it on to you.
The committee has since heard that
both the French and German teachers
have attempted to humiliate and to lee
ture the Colored pupils in the presence
Of those Of other races. We are unable
to go into that, because the persons
bringing the complaint gave no names
Of teachers and no specific time when
these occurrences were said to have
taken place. When they do 50, this
committee feels safe in asserting that
the only way to meet such a situation is
to file charges against any teacher
guilty of this race prejudice before the
Board Of Education and insist on his
or her removal from the schools.
1t is only by such drastic action that
any of the teachers who feel called on
to insult Negro pupils can be taught
that our race viii not stand for it any
more than other races would do. The
committee would be very glad to have
definite information Of that character
lodged with it.
It win doubtless occur to most Of
your readers that the pledge Of our
Colored candidates to use their influ-
enee to put a cOlOred person on the
school board is not without warrant,
and am sure that we win al be very
glad to help elect Mr.. DePriest to the
city council for that reason, if for no
other.
Yours very truly,
Mrs. Ida B. wells-Barnett,
Chairman.
Mrs. Stella Majors.