The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1915-01-23
THE BUDDING OF A SOUTHERN
FLOWER Oh RACIAL DIsCRIM-
RAFIoN IN CHICAGO.

g. NATIoN IN CHICAGO.
The recent publicity of social activi-
ties at the Wendell Philips High
School, one of the public schools of
Chicago, at which about sixteen per
cent Of the attendants are Colored, in
the daily papers of last week resulted
in an open meeting at the Fellowship
League under the auspices of that
ideal and race loving woman, Ida B.
Wells-Barnett, last Sunday. The mere
announcement was sufficient to crowd
the leagues quarters to their utmost
capacity to hear Miss Fannie Smith,
the dean of social activities at the
school, and Prof. Perri9e, principal,
who had been invited to discuss from
their point Of view the necessity for
importing into the public school sys-
tenn of Chicago by subtle and apparent
harmless means the germ Of southern
racial prejudice by grouping of the
Negro pupils in the social affairs of
the school The meeting was, perhaps,
the first Of its kind held in Chicago,
and claimed among its eager and
heterogeneous audience some of Chi
eago's best citizens Of both races.
Mrs. Ida B. Wells Barnett presided,
and In her short and brief remarks be-
fore the introduetions of the speakers
cautioned her audience to be calm, and
to receive whatever message or expIa-
nation the speakers might bring or
give without demonstration.
She further stated that the question
Of discrimination was one of grave
concern to the race and should be met
by the best thought the race and its
friends possessed.
The first speaker was Miss Smith,
the dean who had iDaugurated the sys-
tenn, her address from an educational
view point was pregnant with some
splendid rhetorical and diplomatic
phrases calculated to deceive and lull
the Negro people themselves into
false belief that she had not only IN
der the circumstances done her duty
by inaugurating the system which she
claims was harmless, but had in fact |
done the Negro race a great service
and benefit. She discussed at length
the school system of division and class
grouping in which there was not any
attempt made at segregation and also
stated that segregation in the school
activities was not permitted, except in
the social affairs which took place
about once a week, and that at these
affairs the White and the Colored were
invited on different days for the rea-
ION that the White pupils objected Of
mixing IN socially with the blacks,
md that the ColOred preferred to group
With themselves. While she would
answer questions any one might ask,
he preferred that there would be no
discussion on her speech until one
Eeek from that day, 50 that the audi
nee might have time to consider seri-
luSly and soberly what she had said
md to reach a conclusion away from
he excitement Of the hour.
At the conclusion Of the speech, Dr..
I. W. Mcdowell was introduced and
made an impasSiOnate talk, said that
Ie was the father Of pupil attending
Wendell Philips High School, and that
e would spend 1000 to enjoin the
ehool from further social segregation
It persisted, after which the princi.
al, Pref. Perrine, was introduced and t
orroborated an that Miss Smith had
nd and in addition declared that Il
as not the purpose Of the faculty Of
he Wendell Philips High School TO !
issriminate against any one, and that
le system objected TO VAS not one Of
discrimination or Segregation, e. TIE
'eial function Of the school was no | 3
lEt Of the eduestional facilities, bnt \
as purely q social matter, IN which p
e fasulty rs ehdsavcring 70 make q
pleasant fer al ths studants. That &
} one esuid complain bsehuss another d
gsia nj Annoefais MA thsm n aIl
IsiL aanes O. ofholui1ss shat tie a
toel Wss tzyiilS e a. ut1i Vas ne u