Evening star., 1933-10-31
NEGRO IS URGED
T0|MPRESS WORLD
Association Hears Theirs Is
Chief Burden in Showing
Accomplishments.


Study of Negro Life and History, which
convened Sunday and will continue
through tomorrow.
knowledge of racial background he
declared to be essential in the encour-
agement of endeavor by Negroes in this
country.
"The Negro has done comparatively
little to stamp indelibly the impress
of the race on the civilization of the
world" DR.. Wood declared. I trust
this criticism is constructive for have
no intention of holding up to ridiculc
the men and women of the race. when,
as matter of fact, they have been
educated under a system where but
little attention has been given to the
group from which they come
Special Courses Favored.
This cultural background can best be
. instilled in the Negro student. under
present conditions. the speaker said, by
special courses rather than incidentally
during other studies.
Until We have a better informed or
q better disposed group Of historians to
write our histories and biographies, until
We have a more efficient or better dis
posed group to edit the text books
which all are required to use, in self
defense We must insist on special
courses in all schools where the various
races are taught" he declared.
He said it is as essential for the white
Child as for the black that those who
write history be loyal to the truth.
Outlining methods to instill in the
Negro student proper knowledge, OF his
cultural and historical background. Dr..
Wood said informal teaching OF the
$riS, Nf ha0in
from the time the child first enters the
elementary school and should extend
through his entire career.
Pictures Stressed.
I'm fact" he asserted, 'the pre-
school child should have seen in his
home pictures of notable men and
women of his race so that the step
will be easy when he enters formal
training Children of the kindergarten
and primary grades should be made
conscious of the contribution OF the
race by introduction Of poems written
BY Negroes along with those written
by other races. Pictures of those who
have made notable contributions should
be very much in evidence in the
schools of this country. Much valuable
material for composition and letter
writing may be had from communiti .
where the Negro has progressed well
and from the National Association for
the Study of Negro Life and History"
Warning that it would be q great
mistake to overstate the part played
by the Negro in the Development of this
country, he advocated a serious attempt
in senior high schools at teaching the
life and history of the race. He said
term papers and special reports furnish
ample opportunity to stress the contri-
button of the Negro in history, art,
science, music, literature and industry.
Distorted accounts of the post-Civil
in most histories. the association was
told. and DR.. Wood said no wide-awake
teacher should fail to seize the oppor-
tunity to correct these accounts.
Would Organize for Truth.
For institutions of higher learning he
recommended the formation of organi-
zation with the specific purpose of
emphasizing the truth about the Negro.
Membership in these organizations was
proposed as not limited to Negroes. The
groups would hold regular meetings
throughout the year and should insist,
he said, that the institutional library
contain adequate material for research.
While most of the work would be
done by the students themselves. occa-
sional speakers from other races would
be heard DR.. Wood said the oEganiza-
tion should have some form 6f pub
Lcation.
He suggested that these college and
university organizations cooperate
closely with similar organizations in
public schools of the community where
the institution is located
Such organizations should be sup
ported and encouraged, DR.. Wood de-
clared, by courses Of study pertinent to
the sWs Megfe; feel that it is all hut ,nnos-
sible to overemphasize the Importance
OF careful selection of instructors to
handle the special courses. which in
self-defense, must be C. ganized in the
various schools if we are to have more
than the half truth taught to the peo-
pie Of this and succeeding generations"
he continued.
Ideal Method Neglected.
MANY administrators, supervisors
and teachers throughout this country
deplore the idea of separate courses
in any school Thev emphaticallv and
truthfully state that the ideal way to
teach the contributions of the Negro is
to do this incidentally along with the
contributions of other races. l sub
scribe to this plan if it would work, but
all but handful of those who SO loud
ly espouse this ideal method teach
nothing at all about the Negro in this
incidental manner But few of the
courses organized in schools to teach
the contributions of the Negro are so
outlined and taught as to cover the
field intended"
He deplored the emphasis of sociol-
ogy over cultural and historical sub
jects.
This misdirection Of effort he attrib.
uted principally to the teachers.
Il pity those instructors who claim
that they are so limited and handi-
capped by boards of education and
prescribed courses of study that it is
the contributions which the race has
made" he said. mo board of educa-
ton. no course of study, can prescribe
everything that should be taught to
the children in our schools. A we'll
trained teacher will find time and op-
portunity to teach whatever he, him
self, believes should be passed on TO
his Students
lnltldUVc sponsored.
Dr. L. S. James, principal of the
Maryland Normal School at Bowie, Md,
presided at this mornings meeting and
advocated teaching that will tend to
develop race pride and initiative.
The Negro should take special pride
in his accomplishments and so en-
courage patriotism. loyalty, tolerance
and balanced philosophy of life that
his helpfulness to humanity will make
him as proud of being Negro as the
Anglo-Saxon. through his accomplish
ments, is proud of being white man."
he declared
Speaking at this mornings session.
Herman Dreer of ST. Louis said the
Negro lacked race pride because he has
not been educated to know and believe
in himself.
I'VE believe in the genius of the Jew
and in the genius of other people"
Dreer said, but not in the genius OF
the Negro. This happens because our
l.r r,Lrro,,J ic f11oI uy;fh tho uyorchin Of