Phoenix tribune., 1918-09-21


to the taxpayers, voters and parents
residing in the State of Arizona
Let us as American citizens, awake
to our sense of duty. Look around you
at present conditions, and ask yourself
these questions Am l making any
progress, or taking any steps to better
the conditions for The children of my
race who reside in my community? Am
going to sit contented and with arms
folded. face the same concitions this
school year that have stared me in
the face for the past five years?
AS president of the Parent Teachers
Association of Douglas scool which po-
sition l have filled for the past two
years feel it my duty to call atten-
ton to the many branches we are neg
lecting. Since we have segregated
schools, let us help create jobs for
our boys and girls. The law says:
"They shall segregate pupils of the
African race from pupils of the white
race and to that end are empowered
to provide ALL ACCOMMODATIONS
made necessary by such segregation
Does that law read that where there
are two or three African children,
they shall have a white teacher to in
struct them? No. But the idea seems
to prevail that such money is TOO
EASY for our people and unless we
come together and DEMAND a strict
enforcement of this segregation law,
we will be denied the privilege Of
having members of our race teach our
children.
We who live in the capital city,
where laws are made and changed ev-
cry day, should help our brother, who
resides in different part of the state,
to get what is properly due him, while
we help ourselves. In some parts OF
this state, our children are being.
taught in unfit rooms; poorly ventil-
ated and absolutely unsanitary. We
must DEMAND school building with
ample Accommodations and a large play
ground. If the School Board will not
give us the required building, we won't
give up, but shall take an appeal to
higher authority.
The time to force our demands, is
now. With the state election less
than two months off, let every voter
who wants TO better conditions for
our school children, interview the can
didate he intends to support and ask
him what will he do for our children
and their school conditions, if he be
elected to office. | say MAKE HIM
LIE, or make him help in the battle.
Why can't we citizens of Phoenix
get together in a mass meeting and
elect a committee on education and
see what we can do this year?
Visit Douglas school and see the
promising group of boys and girls with
four teachers this term who are pre-
pairing them for the Union High school.
Visit the Union High school and you
will find fourteen bright, healthy stu
dents enrolled with more to come lat
er. If general appearance and ambi-
ton would carry them to the top
rung of the ladder, they would need
no help; but it will not. They need
training thorough and instructive.
Consequently, it is up to us to get
them what is rightfully theirs.
The Kindergarten has a good enroll
ment of children from five to six years
of age, who are being trained for the
graded school by a teacher who has
specialized in that line of work. The
girls will be taught sewing and cooking
at Douglas school this year. We have
succeeded in getting few more things
this year for the children than we did
last year and yet there are many
things needed still.
If we will only take time and find
out exactly what we want, and go after
it in the PROPER WAY, we'll get it.
am not A GUTTER, Wnl you enlist
in this battle for better school condi-
tions for the COLORED CHILD in the
State of Arizona?
Yours truly,
MRS. JESSIE JAMES,
Pres Douglas p. T. A.