Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-09-10

tons of learning have been from the
South with fresh incentive Of the mass
eS upon them. But as their numbers
increase and concentrate III tho larg-
CIR celitcrs, the circle of racial oppor.
tunity widens. The inspiration or rae
ial lifo and uplift gives spurs to high.
or aspiration. The inherent needs ana
necessities Of the masses create oppoT
tunitiCS in the higher lines Of leader
ship and service that demand the full
est educational equipment. Wherever
the number Of Negroes in q commun.
ty is too small to create center Of
racial life and activity there Is apt to
DO Shown Il corresponding lack ambi.
ton and upward purpose on the part
Of colored youth. Wherever Il handful
OF Negroes are gathered together IN
the North, there springs up Il little
church, which serves as an outlet for
leadership and as center Of race
aspiration. The largest Negro cities
In tho world are found in the North
New York. Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Washington, and Chicago contain each
Il sufficient number OF Negroes to en-
gage the highest human powers and
Faculties to answer the needs Of So
large number Of human beings. Tho
ever widening field invites the high.
est ambition of Negro youth TO rise to
tho Lowell Of tho opportunity that Il
waits them.
In all Of tire northern cities tho Nc
gro in concentrated in segregated
, areas ana districts. This residential
segregation creates demand for lead
crship aud self direction. Large as
his numbers seem, taken by them-
! selves, the Negro constitutes only n
small percentage Of the total popult-
| ton except in several Of the border
cities. If they wcrc evenly distribut.
! cd throughout the white population
! TREY would be practically unnoticed
as factor in the general equation.
One hundred and fifty thousand Ne.
GroeS in New York in the midst Of
six mi lion whites, if evenly diffuscd
would count but one in forty, and
would be u negligible entity in the
general life Of tho metropolis. But a
hundred thousand Negroes in Harlem
; constitute u city within a city. The
; racial needs Of this large mass must
I be supplied by thoir own leadership,
almost rs If they constituted IL separ
alto community. Negro minister's
physicians, lawyers, editors, teachers
ana business men must conform With
reasonable approximation to tho pre-
,Vailing standards of the community.
This opportunity gives incentive and
, ambition to the youth Of the race TO
equip themselves with tho fullest edu
cational qualifications
III most of tho northern states
primary education is compulsory, so
that every negro child, in compliance
with the law, must attend the public
schools for a given period of years.
in the near future we may expect
that tho Negro will approximate his
full quota in high schools, normal
schools; technical schools and cole.
ges in the great centcri Of population
whore he is rapidly congrcgnting.
There were more than four hun
dred Negro graduates from high
schools in the class Of 1920 and
more than one hundred graduates
graduates from colleges and profess
"irrri schools IN tho northcrn strics.
This Indicates tie rapid growth In
enrolment Of tho Negro In second
airy as well as in higher institutions.
There were probably 500 Negroes
enrolled In colleges and professional
schools Of the North during the past
year. This educational awakening
IN the North but indicates what may
be expected in the near future.
! The question naturally arises as to
how far separate educational facil
ties will be deemed advisable for the
Negroes in the northern cities as
J,r{, rJ>ls
IL already IL mootea question in such
c'dcs rs PHILADELPHIA. Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati, and Chicago. In Wash
ingtoE, Baltimore, st. Louis, and
Kansas City, where separate colorcd
schools are maintained, there Is o
much larger enrolment of colorcd
pupils IN the higher levels of In
struction than In philadelphia, New
York and Boston, where the schools
are mixed. Tho separate systems
seem to invoke keener incentive
and Zest.
VIII separate schools bring out the
higher aspirations Of the Negro and
lead to the unfolding Of his powers
and possibilities? is the question
countcred by the query; VIII not
scholastic separation on racial lines
lower the standards of the less IA
vored race? This controversy will
doubtless engender great heat of
feeling and luminosity on part of
both races.
The final outcome should be de-
termined III the light of the best
good to the Negro as we'll as that
OF tho community. The purpose Of
the schools is to produce good and
useful citizens. This objective should
transcend all theoretical question Of
manner or method. And yet tho
great democratic ideal must be kept
constantly In mind.
! while the mass OF the race re-
mains in the South, the educational
center OF gravity will be shifting
toward the North. Ambitious youth
will flock to the centers Of the best
educational advantage, regardless Of
national or racial border lines
i! Northern institutions are filled with
white southern youth, because they
at