Evening star., 1947-12-06
A Lesson Out of School

Plcketlng parents VINO nave pulleo IAie1i
children out of the Browne Junior High
School and its temporary annexeS, the
old Blow and Webb Schools are handing
out mimeographed sheets which state
these grievances
That the children must walk fifteen
blocks between morning and afternoon
classes; that the Blow heating system is
Inadequate; that there are no gym
nasiums. shops, cafeterias, lockers or
libraries at Blow and Webb Schools; that
the children are exposed to the hazards
of weather and of traffic; that In walking
to and from school the children are
tempted to skip classes, thus inviting
Juvenile delinquency, and that the two old
buildings (now being used temporarily to
eliminate part-time instruction at Browne)
are drab and not properly equipped as
Junior high schools.
Well, the parents probably feel that they
are exercising their rights as American
citizens in picketing and holding their
Youngsters out of school. There is plenty
of precedent for this sort of thing in
free country and perhaps it is the best
way to teach the children real Ameri-
canism.
By the way, what about the children?
Something ought to be done to help them
occupy their spare time while out OF
school. Why not have some of the picket
ing parents leave the line long enough to
take them in groups to the Congressional
Library and let them read up on the life
of a great American? His name was
George Washington Carver. He died five
wears ago next January S. The annlver-
sary of his death next month Will be
marked by the issue of commemorative
postage stamp bearing his likeness. Per-
haps the children would like to learn
more about him in their idle hours.
He was born a slave. AS little boy he
and his mother were stolen one night by
slave raiders and taken away. His owner
caught up with the raiders and swapped
a horse for the child. Nobody ever knew
what became of his mother. He was
sickly boy and he worked In his masters
house until he was nine. Then ne SET
out for himself, penniless and alone, into
the world. He worked his way from school
to school. he prepared himself for college,
he lived on what he made while going to
Tuskegee to develop department OF agrl-
cultural research, equipping his laboratory
with what he could find. Before he died
Presidents of the United States, statesmen
and industrial leaders sought him out in
his laboratory to talk with him about the
great things he. had done as a scientist.
He refused worldly wealth, for he was not
interested in such things But he died
enormously wealthy-wealthy in the ven-
Grafton of his fellow men, in their respect,
in their. affection and in the satisfaction
shat comes from having used ones talents
Tor the benefit of others.
It is true that he never had to walk
fifteen blocks to the Blow School, between
mornsig and afternoon classes, where
there is no gymnasium or swimming pool.
1t is true that he never had to attend an
old elementary school, temEcxsSily as
signed as junior high annex, uncH .ssw
school is completed. - , true th@& y
never had to ..se drinking fountains that
were built for elementary school children
and are therefore lower than those de-
signed for Junior high school boys and
girls. It is true that he never had the
advantage of parents who are willing to
picket in his behalf, take him out OF school
and thus teach him the correct way to
win his rights.
Being spared such a series OF ordeals
and deprivations, he became great man
and when he died he knew what inequality
meant-for there we're few indeed who
could claim to be his equal.