Evening journal., 1919-02-08
COLORED WOMEN AND
THE SCHOOL BILL

THE SCHOOL BILL
To the Editor OF The Evening Journal:
Dear Sir-Among the associations in
the city OF Wilmington which have en-
dorsed the bill proposing a new Board
/ OF Education for the city, we notice
/ that the Federation of Christian Work
ers Of Colored Women is listed as hav-
ing endorsed said bill. We feel that
In simple Justice 10 ourselves and per
haps 10 many other colored women In
the city, the statement should be made
that the federation, as body, did not
endorse the bill. The meeting at which
the bill was commended was so small
as to represent a negligible quantity
of the entire membership, and we
should like, therefore, TO make the
statement that the endorsement does
not represent the combined opinion OF
the colored women Of the city.
Our personal reasons for not APPROX
ing Of the endorsement OF the bill by
any body Of colored people in the city
Is because we do not see In u any pro-
vision made for the representation OF
the colored people on that board. Our
population is about one-tenth Of the
entire population in the city. and as
such represents a contingent large
enough to be adequately represented In
matters so vital as the education OF It's
children. Since there has been a col
ored member Of the school board In
the past two years, the colored schools
have greatly beneflted-notably In the
opening Of the nelghborhood work at
No. % Not that in former years the
colored schools were inadequately cared
for, but that a colored member on the
board, one closely In touch with his
own people, recognizes their peculiar
needs, and is able, because Of his close
alliance with and interest in the people.
to speak for their needs and capabill-
tines.
Therefore, we do not feel that any
measure which in itself does not pro-
vide for colored representation on the
board. should have the wholesale en-
dorsement Of the people most vitally
interested In the education OF their
children.
We fed that many Of the people are
not sufficiently acquainted with educa-
tional administration In other cities to
rush into wholesale endorsement OF
the proposed measure. While the five
member board has been very success
ful in many cities, and the fact Of its
success has been bruited abroad amone
those discussing the bill, 10 may not be
generally known that In thirteen large
cities under discussion where the Ave
member board has been a signal sue
cess, only five Of these cities elect the
board at large while eight OF the re-
naming boards are appointed, either
by the mayor, the City Council, or 3
commission. A five member board
elected at large from the oity Of Will
mington, would necessarily eliminate
the coloret member, and successful
though such a board may be for the
population at large, our interests need
as they are at present
safeguarded by the ward representa-
tion.
In proposing TO rush into the en-
dorsement OF a measure because 4
will take the schools out Of politics"
we are apt to forget that the very
wire-pulling necessary to manipulate
city machinery TO obtain desired recog-
a special provision Is
put into the bill stipulating oolored
representative-wil speedily degener-
ate into the worst kind OF political
This, however, is aside from the ques-
tion. AS members of the Federation
Of Colored Women Of the City, we wish
to speak for ourselves as not endors.
Ing the proposed new board, because
we do not find in It any provision made
FOR the representation Of our racet and
we feel that for the Board OF Education
10 have no representative Of our peo-
pie upon II in the future will he q
distinct step backward IN these davs
when every racial unit needs evervs
thing possible done for It's betterment
We thank you for your patience and
Very respectfully yours.
E. GERTRUDE ROSE,
No. 427 East Eleventh St.:
ALICE DUNBAR-NELSON.
No. 92S French St
Wilmington, Del, Feb. 5, 1919.