The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-05-18
GOVERNOR
TRAMMELL

j NE1I IL AAAA
Makes statement in Regard to the
vst,.r Of White Teachers Teaching
Neoro Children, a Question That
uas Been he Cause Of So Much
Agitation Recently. The Governor
mana This Statement Necessary,
because of Some Press Dispatches
Sent Out From St. Augustine That
Nav Be Misleading.
Tallahassee, May 17.-Governor
porl Trammcll was called to wash
;rgton saturday night on important
,nhlic business, but before leaving
aove out the following statement on
tho situation arising Ia st. Augustine
recently from complaints made to the
Governor regarding the teaching OF
negro schools 10y white teachers In vi
ola,;on Of the law. and the refusal of
those continuing to teach the school
20 stop such practice when called upon
10 do so. The governor deemed the
statement necessary because Of some
press dispatches sent out from ST.
Augustine a-n"N.Jt misleading in
their wording.
The governors statement follows: ;
sIn the month If March of this
wear complaint was received at the
governors offiee signed by six names,
the first paragraph of " Eich complaint
was as follows:
we. the undersigned citizens of st.
Augustine and the state Of Florida,
appeal to you as our governor, pledg-
ed to enforce the laws Of the state
relative to enforcing the law pertain
ing to white persons teaching negroes
in this State.'
Then followed what the petition
ers had to say relative to the facts.
Following he same course l pur-
sue in all similar complaints, I for
warded this complaint to the sheriff
Of st. Johns county, with the request
that he kindly investigate this COM
plant and give the same proper at
tentlon.'
March Goth, / received from Sher-
in Perry, Of st. johns county, a re-
port. The substance of the sheriff
report was embodied III the following
language:
The facts are, white persons have
the direction Of This school; it is at
tended solely by members of the ne
gro race; It is a private school. and
those in charge contend that they are
within the law.
Il am advised that an act was pass
ed in 1913, chapter 400, prohibiting
white teachers teaching negro chill
dren in negro schools. This is a
school operated by the Roman Catho-
he church, and Is no5 a negro school,
but private school where negro chill
dren are taught by the Sisters of st.
Joseph, who are white teachers.
"The sheriff concluded his report in
the following language:
I advise you or these facts, follow
ing my investigation, and l ask that
you advise and direct me what course
to take Immediately
After getting the report from the
sheriff and having before me the facts
as reported by him, replied to him
On April 4th, and, after reviewing the
sheriffs report. concluded in the fol-
lowing language:
The facts set forth in your letter
snow the school in question to be n
negro school operated by the Roman
Vetholic church and taught by white
teachers.
Section l Of chapter 6490 of the
avs Of Florida, acts of 1918, pro
"des as follows:
Section 1. From and after the
passage Of this act it shall be unlaw-
iul In this state for white teachers to
'each negroes in negro schools, and
'of negroes to leach in white schools.
IL appears from the facts as you
.'a'e them, that the school in question
oeing conducted i'm violation Of the
saio chapter 6490. The application Of
'-s law is not restricted to public
'enools' but applies as well to private
moods, and was intended to prevent
white teachers from teaching negroes
F" all negro schools
answering your request that 1 let
you know as to what steps you should
N IN this matter. beg to advise
~ you should proceed as In other
0'es Of law violation
Yours very truly.