The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-11-25
BETTER RELATION
OF RACES is URGED
PRINCIPAL DAWSON NEGRO
PUBLIC SCHOOL WRITES IN
TERESTINGLY ON SUBJECT.

Editor Dawson News: | have just
read two articles in the Atlanta lnde-
nendent under the caption OF "A Bet
fer Day." meaning better relations
between the races. These writer's take
the position that there is progress be-
ing made along this line, and that in
dications are that there will be still
further improvement.
| am very glad to have such eX-
pressions from those OF our group
who are able to mould sentiment and
provoke thought To my mind there
should be more such utterances, both
publicly and privately; for there sure
is more to be hoped for and achieved
by an optimistic and hopeful method
than any other way.
Editor Davis thinks better un-
Outstanding of each race by the other
would increase the pace along this
line. | am of the same opinion, and
as an illustration relate what was
told by Rev. Mr.. Barwick, white
Primitive Baptist minister.
He saws a white man had colOred
man hired to work about the house
and farm. This negro was very dutitul
about getting to his work mornings,
and would be there before light This
aroused the suspicion OF the employer,
and believing the negro was coming
early in order to remove something
from his barns or cribs, etc, he got
up early one morning and concealed
himself near the barn. The man came,
fed every COW, hog, horse and mule
and locked the doors and went a little
wav off, kneeled and began to pray.
After some few words of petition the
white man heard him pray Gods
blessings upon him and his household
and for the success of the same. For
fear the negro would finish his prayer
and see him the white man quietly
returned to the house never to feel
uneasy about anything else as lar as
this negro was concerned. | am sure
there are many negroes who pray Tor
their white friends.
A few mornings ago ! sat in chapel
while a program celebrating Armistice
was being rendered There was deep
interest manifested by the pupils, and
| saw tears in the eyes of pupils and
teachers as we were being urged to
love, defend, and, if need be, die for
this country. Then the question came
to me: Does the white man know to
what extent the negro loves this coun-
try?
1t is just as possible for the negro
to be in ignorance of the white mans
interest in him as for the white to be
uniformed as to his position fully.
Hence a better understanding is nee
essary. Roscoe Simmons says the
white man is the negro's best friend,
and that the negro is the white mans
only friend There is food for thought
in this statement.
| believe the white man is the ne
gros friend because of what he has
done for him. l believe it when |
think how many of them have given
money, time and moral support to the
education OF the negro Only recently
Hampton and Tuskegee received some
million dollars each from the General
Education Board. Fisk University was
able to put over her endowment pro
gram by reason of the generosity OF
her white friends. Instances could be
multiplied in illustrations of this fact.
/ remember very well a white man
giving me land, teams and labor in
building a school house the first year
| taught This man was said to be
mean Negroes told me he was, and
that he did not want them to have
school The night | went to his home
he was as approachable as one could
ask or hope for. Upon the unfolding
of my plans he told me he would glad
" cooperate. This he did, and as a
result we erected the school. The ne
groes there who had been around this
man did not understand him, and |
also found that he did not understand
them.
1t is just as easy to show instance
after instance of the negros love and
devotion to the white man as it is to
point out the white mans good will
towards us. From the time the first
shipload was landed till this good
hour the negro has been loyal and
faithful in peace and daring and pa
triotic in war In more than a few
instances he has conducted himself