comments E DIT O RIA L PAG E OPINIONS I
THE OMAHA GUIDE
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Entered as Second Class Matter March 15, 1927, at the Postoffice a
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..EDITORIALS..
EDITORIAL OF THE WEEK
Prom .he Washington (IX C.) Post, July 26, lfT!7
THE SCOTTSEORO CASE
Dispatches describing Alabama’s abrupt action in freeing
four of the nine “Scottsboro boys” suggest ,Siat the hooks on
tlic ease may now be closed. It is predicted/Jjrom Dcciuur that
if no appeals are filed in behalf of tho o her five NegrocP, Jxe
governor will commute a. least the single death sentence now
st auding.
Dndoubtedly most of Alabama hopes for .just, this. The
six-and-a-half’-year rape t'<gal has done no little to csiiance the
State’s reputation. On the contrary, mention today of the name
of Alabama raises all manner of unpleasant thoughts of in
justice, blind prejudice and abject social failure. Ten times
Alabama prosecutors rose in court w|lth only the word of a fe
male tramp to justify their demand for Jhe lives of! nine Ne
groes. Ten times Alabama juries acceded to the request, hut
closing their eyes muyjowly not only to competent medical tes
timony but most important—to the oath of one of the women
involved that the whole story of the attack on them was framed.
The organizations and individuals who have been defend
ing the Negroes have let it be known they will fight the con
viction of the five “to hell and back.”
Some little redemption was achieved when, after the Ped
q^al Supreme Court had set aside the denjth verdicts because
only while men had been willed for jury duty. Alabama ad
mitted i s error and ordered Negroes listed as veniremen. But
inofle than this is needed.
A BACKWARD GLANCE OF FIFTY YEARS OVER THE
HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE NEGRO
MY KELLY MILLER
When 1 entered Howard University November 1st, 1880,
the higher education of the Negro was then in its infancy. It
was, however, a lusty and insistent infant, full of hope and
promise. Negro colleges and universities grew out of the ill
starred Freedman’ Bureau, in combination with philanthropic
organizations. They all spring from the same impulse; were
founded about the same time (18G6-1870) and were consecrat
ed to the same purpose.
I recite chiefly my experience at Howard tJni versify afc
this will illustrate the spirit, method and purpose of the other^
from one learn all. __
Howard University was founded by General 0. 0. Howard
and chaptered by Congress March 2, 18G7. At the time of ray
registration, the University had paseed thsrougli its most glor
ious and glamorous stage, and bad fallen upon evil days. Gen
eral Howard had been fqpced to withdraw because of the evil
fate which overtook the Freedmen’s Bureau. His highly sur
charged personality, ppestige and zeal have not been duplicated
in the institution’s subsequent history. He was followed by
Prof. John M. Longston as noting president, but hesitating to
entrust a colored man with such laplge and complicated inter
ests, the trustees failed to give him a permanent tenure.
Dr. W. W. Patton was called to the presidency in 1877.
Being a/relative of President, Rutherford B. Hayes, he was en
abled through bis connections asd influence to secure an an
nual appropriation of $10,000 from the Federal government.
This has been the mainstay and chief support of the University
throughout its subsequent history and its only hope for the fu
ture. This annual npjylopriation has increased gradually up to
$700,000 for the present year.
The late Bishop W. P. Thirkield was called to the presi
dency in 1907. ITis chief contribution consisted in securing from
the government a science building. Never before in our history
has the Federal government ever contributed a building to an
institution under private trustees. This was the “Thirkield Mir
acle” and laid the foundation of the manfvelous expansios in
buildings and ppounds of the present day, climaxing in a mil
lion dollar library now under construction.
Howard University diffq*n from other institutions of its
class chiefly in that ij_ is located at the national capital; car
ries the full quota of professional departments: enjoys a Con
gressional chtyter, and is supported by Federal bounty.
When I entered the university in 1880, there was a total
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No Coior Line at Chicago Vacation Camp
I
CHICAGO PLAYS HOST TO THE KIDDIES
Unique among file summer vacation grounds
of the eoun.ry is Chicago’s famous Forest Pre
serve Camp Iteinherg where underprivileged
mothers and children of all -voces and creeds
can escape the sweltering heat of the city for
, ten days and enjoy fishing, swimming, boo -
ing, hiking, etc., at the expense of Cook eoun
tv. Ill the above photo, Geore Smith, popular
superintendent of Division Xo. 2 of the Forest
I’rcsiyp’e visits Camp Reinberg and hands out
candy to the vacationing kiddies. The moth
ers arc in the background, as the candy line
“forms to the right.”—(ANT)
enrollment of 265. Ninetees mere enrolled tin the Preparatory '
Department and sixteen in the College Department. It was con
sidered marvelous that 1 could entcyi the Preparatory Depart
ment without preliminary instruction.
I was the first to enter the public school system opened by
the Reconstruction governments of the South, at the age of
five, in 1868. With such preparation as I could muster from tlie
rural schools and the Fairfield Institute, es ablished by the
i PresJbyterian Hoard of Missions for Freed men, I yah enabled to
enter I he Preparatory Department with advanced standing.
This indicates the general type of Negro education in the South
i at that time. The cii?jieulum of the Preparatory Department, as
well as the j of the College Department, consisted chiefly of bat
in, Creek, mathematics and English. There were four profes
sors in college; only one of whom wais colored! The cirriculum
was of eourtfu, not so expansive as that of today, but the in
struction was no less thorough and the instructors were devoted
to their tasks under the dynamic impulsion of spiritual motive.
The material outfit consisted of recitation buildings, boys’
and girls’ dormitories, and a building for the Medical School.
Tlie secretary-treasurer, with his student helper, transacted
1 lie entire volume of business.
There were three me inhere in my graduating class of 188G,
' Rev. W. I. A. Palmer, a distinguished minister of the gospel in
the Methodist Episcopal Church, who died two years ago; Mrs.
Josephine T. Washington, retired dean of women at Wilber
force University, and myself. These meager ^beginnings project
ed against the expansion of the present day seem striking by
contrast. The Science building, costing .^OO.OOO, secured by Pres
ident Thirkield, has been supplemented by dormitories, class
room edifices and service buildings to the extent of four mil
lion dollars'; and President Roosevelt, in libs address at the
dedication of the Chemistry Building, assures that tlmpe are
more to follow.
►Someone lias called statistics a dismal science. Size may be
a measure of power, but not always a true measure. The grow
ing and expansion of Howard Univeffii'v is paralleled by that
of other insiitutions for the higher education of the, Nfegro.
Howard University graduated in June more than fifty times
the numgfyi in my class of fifty years ago. In student body,
faculty, grounds, buildings, income, salary list, pay roll and
annual budget all Negro institutions of higher education have
expanded amazingly during the past few years.
Negro colleges and universities fifty yeans ago were sup
ported wholly by charity and philanthropy. It was hoped that
the race would shortly he able to support its own higher leagu
ing but, alas, this expectation was doomed to disappointment.
The race is no more ready to support its own colleges and’ uni
versities on the elaborate scale on which they are now project
ed than it was half a century ago. Philanthropic foundations
with studied calculation rather than spontaneous enthusiasm,
now come to the rescue. The Federal government is providing
handsomely fey Howard University. How long these sources of
support, will continue we may not prophesy. The missionary
spirit, which formed the promoting motive has gone with the
wind whifch bloweth whepy it listeth, and ye hear it, but can
not tell from whence it cometih o-p whither it goeth, White fac
ulty members have been generally displaced by Negro teach
ers. The spirit of sacrifice, consecration, devotion to the spirit
ual ideals have been lost to the pfleftent dfay generation. The
dominating motive was to Christianize the Negro; impart to
him as much of the higher learnirvg us he was a)ble to carry;
imbue him with a (tense of sacrifice, devotion and service, arid
send him feyth as an intelectual, social, moral and spiritual
| leader of his race. As T look hack over a vista of fifty years
Lynch Threats Made
As Six are Held in Fla.
Panama City, Fla., Aug. G (By
James H. Boykin for CNA)—Lynch
threats were heard in this city this
week as three men were arrested
by Sheriff .TPohn Scott in connec
tion th fatal stabbing of G. B. Bar
row, white, at ay Harbor, near here.
Three women are held os material
witnesses.
Jim Grant, white, who operates
a store in Bar Harbor, a Negro
community, told the Sheriff that
he found Barrow’s body in front of ,
his store early Friday morning. He 1
said that one of the women, Ida
awakened him ar.d told him that
the body was there.
Sheriff Scott claimed that he
found evidence of blood and bloody
clothing in the home of the Winn
family.
- - — ■ - ■
| Calvin’s Digest |
I ^ By Floyd J. Calvin jj
Compromise Begins
Surprising as it may seem, al
though it was really expected, act
ual beginning o the great Scotts
boro compromise has come. Death
his not been asked by the State of
Alabama for Andy Wright, who has
twice before been convicted and
sentened to death in the same cas
es. The attorneys for the prosecu
tion explain to the jury: “It is not
for you members of the jury to
ask why we did what we did (ask
for life instead of death). That is
for the State.”
What bearing this new turn will
have on other cases remains to be
seen. Whether the Scottsboro boys
v ill get their freedom is still a mat
ter of conjecture, and is doubtful;
but that they will not die in the
electrio chair is now certain.
Trouble for P. D. R.
We tore Apprehensive for th'e
success of other Roosevelt projected
reforms because of the furore creat
ed by the Court Bill. The Anti
Lynching Bill is of more import
ance to colored citizens then the
Court Bill; and the drift of events
may endanger other important piec
es of legislation which are also of
importance to all citizens.
It is our hope that the President
may still be able to ride the storm,
and carry the major reforms which
he feels the people want because
they have given him such unpece'
dented popular support. The fact
remains, however, that popular sup
port merely places one in a posi
tion of power; generalship is what
is necessary to deal with the cun
ning and the shrewd. The President
has demonstrated he has general
ship, too. We believe will pull
through.
Lawyers Meet in Philadelphia
Colored lawyers, meeting in their
fifteenth annual session of the Na
tional Bar Association at Philadel
phia early in August, may take
pride in some notable achievements
of their profession.
The naming of Judge Hastie to
the Federal bench was a distinct
gain; the writing of the book, “Ne
groes and the Law,” by Atty. Sty
les of the Philadelphia bar, is an
other achievement worthy of com
mendation; te organization of a
State association of colored lawyers
in Oklahoma, which was addressed
by a Federal judge who said col
ored would get a fair deal in his
on 1 he higher education field, I am impelled by a mixed feel
ing of elation and sober reflection. Is the fundamental purpose
and spirit of the. higher education of the Negro making pro
gress or is its bulk merely taking on augmentation? Are our
colleges and universities nearer the jr|oot of the race problem
than they were at an earlier day? IIow far are they fulfilling
the hopes, the ideals, and dreams of theijd founders? Or how
far have they exhibited the resourcefulness and genius requis
ite to devise new ideals in harmony with present day demands?
Let Howard, Fisk, Lincoln, Atlanta, Shaw and the rest answer1.
This is no time for idle exultatios of the greatness and
granduer of the several institutions nor the captious criticism
of their preent day control and management. But the cool re
trospect of history demands serious thought on these things.
Standouls
«5
,A GlAMOKOUSSON&mt) :
ft WHO FLASHED RIGHTO* !
ON NEW yOHX'S &KENT i
WHITE WAY A THE,
W' WQR.LOS FAMOUS
f; COTTON CLUE—-,.
SHE IS NOW TQUMNfr
1 f THE EAST AND MID’
R WEST WITH THE
COTTON CLUB
i KQAD SHOW™
ftObfcV C ASTON ' 'NOINO WU NY J~OY )
SCNNV WOOOS AUO WUH \AvKM\ASHV
IS NOW U AMI D WTH Git AT ,
SUCCESS IN THE LOUIS A0.MSIM)H&
AGGREGATION- '•
• . ,- .
0 1»S7 ISTIMIATIIMAL NTilBO l'PJ"!8r ~f
I
court, and the naming of a color*
ed lawyt.- by the State Board c'
Affairs of Oklahoma to represent
it are worthy of note; the naming
of a woman (Elise Austin) as as
sistant attorney general o£ Ohio,
and the naming of a woman (Jane
Bolin) as assistant Corporation
Counsel in New York, are not to
be overlooked; and finally the fact
that a stronger spirit is develop*
ing among the lawyers is a hope
ful sign for the future.
THE LOW DOWN
*---from--.|
HICKORY GROVE
Somehing wrong some place or
other, ding-bust if tfrere isn’t. Now
you go and take news like you see
in the paper
whhere the estate
of a fellow in
Michigan, Where k
it was all bonds,
when he died,
about thirty mil
lion dollars. And*
all of ‘em gov-|
ernment and!
municipal 1-■** ' •' •**
and free from taxes.
This kind of bonds, they are a
place Where a feller can duck the
l ;nd of taxes he would have to pay
on other things and investments.
And on top of that the money
which the government of the cities
got, when they sold this man his
bonds, this money was put into
dams and power houses and build
ings that also pay no taxes.
It is a kind of a two-ringed, dou
ble-jointed affair, these exempt
loads, and the average feller,
were the government is in business,
he just gets a double dose of taxes,
and is sunk.
Old Sambo’s new idea of havin’
his fingers into so many things,
and all the time borrowin’ money,
land shootin’ cross-eyed at the big
[guy, he is most of the time, hittin’
somebody else.
Yours, with the low down,
JO SERRA
NAACP Wins Equal
Salaries for Teachers
In Maryland County
Rockville, Md., August 7—In a
settlement out of court, the board
of education of Montgomery coun
ty and its attorneys agreed with at
torneys of the National Association
for he Advancement of Colored
people to equalize salaries now be
ing paid to white and colored tea
chers in the county.
The board will raise the colored
teadliers’ salaries fifty per cent
beginning August 1st and will raise
them the other fifty per cent Au
gust 1, 1938, at which time they
will be equal to the salaries of
white teachers.
This means that if a colored
teacher in Montgomery county is
now drawing $400 a year and a
white teadher is drawing $800 a
year for the same work, the color
ed teacher w-ill be paid $600 a year
beginning August 1st and $800 a
year beginning August 1, 1938.
A total increase of $30,000 will
go into the pay envelope of Negro
teachers in Montgomery county ns
a result of the NAACP legal ac
tion, and $16,000 of this amount
will be paid beginning August 1st.
It is estimated that in tlic whole
state of Maryland Negro teachers
are receiving a total of $50,000
less than white and it is believed
that the action of Montgomery
county will cause other counties to
equalize the salaries and thus bring
bigger checks to Negro teachers.
When .Thurgood Marshall and
Leon A Ransom, NAACP attorneys,
filed the suit, attorneys for the
county board of education filed a
demurrer to the whole proceeding,
which, if granted by the court,
would have dismissed the suit. Rut
the court, after hearing the argu
ment, refused to grant the demur
rer and ordered the county board
of education to answer the petition.
It was at this point that the coun
ty decided to settle out of court
and equalize the salaries of the
teachers. An agreement to this ef
fect was signed July 23rd by Dr.
Edwin W. Broome, superintendent
of schools, and William Prettyman,
attorney for the board, and Thur
good Marshall and Leon Ransom
acting for Gibbs.
