The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-10-29
TOWN STIRRED
BY VICIOUS LIE
Pugh-WezIs Republican Herald
Nal hes Dastardly Attack
Upon a Popular Woman


Under the caption Foul Pro-1
paganda Being Spread in Our
City Graded Schools" The He
raid, the Republican newspaper
owned by c. R. Pugh and Jack.
son Wells and their creditors,
published another campaign lie
last week which has aroused the
righteous resentment of every
decent man and woman in this
city and the effect of which will
be to show men, Of the Pugh and
Wells type just where they
stand in this community.
Without even reliable rumor upon
which to base their report and with
out having asked Mrs. L. e. Skinner
herself for an affirmation Or denial OF
the story, The Herald accused Mrs.
Skinner of a foul lie and held her up
to the community as teacher who
.should be forever barred from the
school rooms of North Carolina"
The Herald reported with screaming
head lines that Mrs. Skinner had told
the little children in. her school room
that if the Republicans win next month
that white children will have to sit next
to colored children in the public schools,
and then proceeded to condemn Mrs.
Skinner.
Mrs. L. e. Skinner is a primary tea
cher in the Elizabeth City public schools
and is one of the most efficient and best
loved teachers in the state. She has
done wonderful work in her depart
| ment and won the highest confidence
| and esteem of hundreds of parents and
children. Mrs. Skinner never did what
lThe Herald accused her of doing, as The
z9sram could have ascertainea BY inter
| viewing either Mrs. Skinner or any o.
| her little pupils. Little children do no'
lie about matters Little children who
drink in every word that Mrs. Skinner
| saws in the school room say emphatl-
cally that they never heard Mrs. Skin
ner say anything about white and color
ed children going to school together
They will tell you that Mrs. Skinner
has told them to get their mothers tt
/ register and vote for better schools
| Mrs SINNERS own statement is pub
| Eshed elsewhere in this newspaper to
day.
But here is what the Annanias Jour
nal. the Herald told its readers las
week.:
/ FOUL PROPAGANDA BEING SPREAD
In OUR CITY GRADED SCHOOL
One Teacher Is Telling Her Pupils 1hat nesroe
And whites May Attend School Together
4 - Under Republicans
Democrat who tells grown men and Vome
| tbst negro dominance would follow Repubhca
| victory in Pasquptank county in November ust
/ ally wastes his words. because his hearers ca
| understand for themselves that he is merely
, misguided or dishonest spreader of the pet can
paign under the Democratic party mere. IN
| Intelligent cnes to whom he speaks know, In tn
first nlace that negroes are forbfdden by statut
| To hold Office in North Carolina, and in the s.
| cond place that the spectacle OF negro holo!l
| authority over white here is as dsgustlr
, | - +be white Republican as to the white DEM
II crat Therefore, the man or woman VINO yel
, snigger' at the Republicans gets but little e
couragement from grownups VINO are ouaiiiieu
reason the thing out for themselves
The spectacle of a teacher in our CITY Gfaoe
. Schools telling little children who accept n
Ieyery word as the absolute and unqusstlonao
III
t those children may have to sit next. 10 negro
eI in school, and that they may have to learn the
lessons under negro school teachers; and VINO
Inmates that she has no use tor anyone. WI
votes for Harding by of these possloanue
is entirely different from the radical Denocr
who is willing to resort to yels OF negro oeil g
nance because he hopes by his Ignorant OF ol
honest representations to swing few decelV
V voters his way He talks to older people, "a
| he does not impose upon the falth ana creuuh
: TTE HERALD is reliably informed that MI
II E. Skinner, third grade teacher In
| Elizabeth City Graded schools is telhhg
| At+ley pupils eight, nine and ten years oiu, =
y -, s+bings~ stated above and that she is paint
| for them disgusting word-pictures of schoolrooi
:, | in which white and colored children may be
81 dseriminatedly mixed, under Republlcan rue.
| NTrs-- skinner is as intelligent woman as she
| said to be she KNOWS that she is descrlb1ng
r her trusting little charges condltion Wiz VIZ
CAN NEVER EXIST IN PAsoooIANh: sEA:,,.,er Ooo
Try UNDER ANY PARTY, Mrs SKINNER
| racoouized as an able teacher and the HEhAI
| learns with real regret that she Is iett,ne
prejudices lead her into violation Oh the ce
e fidence which her pupils, too young 10 1uage !
I, | themselves repose in her Or else, someDouy,ni
n nm IN the councils of the Democratic parry, "
e sibly by threatening her with the loss OF her
: sition in the schools, is intimidatng her IN inpo
course which is certainly mot in accord with
high ideals which actuate the really conscientio
1, Il teacher. - .
: This newspaper regrets that it must drag
e name of a woman into a political scontrover
II is only after the matter has repeatedly be
brought to the attention of the edltorial stai sa
d THE HERALD that this step Is taAsa. Hs re-
- Iieva that the spreading of such propaganda shol
not 90 on in our schools, and that teacher "
e wilfnlly aids in it should forever be barred IL
ID the schoolrooms of North Carolina. ~ :
dl An examination of the children IN MI
SINNERS department in the City Ora
d led Schools has established the fact tn
s. she never made the statements eI
" dited to her by The Herald
t. Mrs. Skinner has demanded an ap
ogy of The Herald and threatenslto S
for damages. Mrs. Skinner has
forth her demands in letter address
severally and Individually to c. K. Pu
D. and Jack Wells, owners of The Hera
ii and to Ralph Pool, reporter now e
:! Concluded on Page %