The Chicago Illinois idea. (Chicago, Ill.) 19??-19??, 1916-10-28
COLLEGE MEN DISCUSS THE
SOUTHERN RACE QUESTION
University Commission Asks For Lar
ger Share Of School Funds.

In it's first open letter to college men
Of the south, issued early in 1916. the
university commission urged them to
unite their efforts with those Of the
press, the pulpit, the bar, the officers
Of the law and all other agencies Ia
boring for the elimination of the mon.
ster evil Of mob violence. These agen-
cies have labored diligently and with
substantial results, as it indicated by
the decrease of the average annual
number of lynchings from III for the
decade 1S86-95 to seventy for the de-
cade 1906-15. Nevertheless the COM
mission wishes to reiterate it's appeal
with renewed emphasis, knowing that
the eradication Of so virulent a social
disease as the lynching mania can be
effected only by the prolonged and
vigorous efforts Of sane and patriotic
citizens.
In this letter the commission wishes
to direct the attention Of college men
to the educational aspect Of the race
question, inasmuch as the solution Of
all human problems ultimately rests
upon rightly directed education. In
its last analysis education simply
means bringing forth all the native
capacities Of the individual for the
benefit both Of himself and Of society.
It is automatic that developed plant,
animal or man is far more valuable
to society than the undeveloped. It is
likewise obvious that ignorance is the
most fruitful source of human ills.
Furthermore, it is as true in social
as In physical sense that chain is
no stronger than its weakest link.
The good results thus far obtained, as
shown by the Negroes progress within
recent years, prompt the commission
to urge the extension Of his educa-
tional opportunities.
The inadequate provision for the ed
ucation of the Negro is more than an
injustice to him; it is an injury to the
white man. The south cannot realize
its destiny if one-third Of its popula-
ton is undeveloped and inefficient.
For our common welfare we must
strive to cure disease wherever we find
1t, strengthen whatever is weak and
develop all that is undeveloped. The
initial steps for increasing the eff1cien-
cy and usefulness Of the Negro race
must necessarily be taken In the school
room. There can be no denying that
more and better schools with better
trained and better paid teachers, more
adequate supervision and longer terms
are needed for the blacks as well as
the whites. The Negro schools are, of
course, parts of the school systems Of
their respective states and as such
share in the progress and prosperity
Of their state systems.
Our appeal is for a larger share for
the Negro on the ground Of the COM
mon welfare and common justice. He
is the weakest link in our civilization,
and our welfare is indissolubly bound
up with his. Many means are open to
the college men of the south for arOus-
ing greater public interest in this mat
ter and for promoting more vigorous
public effort to this end. A right atti-
tude in this as in all other important
public questions is condition prece-
dent to success. For this reason the
commission addresses to southern col
lege men this special appeal.
J.J. Doster, Alabama; D. Y. Thomas,
Arkansas; James NJ. Farr, Florida; r.
J. III. DeLoach, Georgia; William o.
Scroggs, Louisiana; w. T.. Kennon,
Mississippi; e. G. Branson, North Car
DINA; Josiah Morse, South Carolina;
James D. Hoskins, Tennessee; William
s. Sutton, Texas, and w. M. Hunley.
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