COMMON SCHOOLS.
Mr. RYAN obtained consent to report from the Committee on Education the bill [H. R. 322] concerning Common Schools, recommending its passage, with amendments, striking out the words "the person (Trustee) elected at the first election after the passage of this act, and every three years thereafter, shall be a woman."
The report was concurred in, and the bill was read the third time.
page: 231[View Page 231]Mr. NEFF moved to reduce the number of Trustees in cities and towns from "three" to "one."
Mr. RYAN said the practice of having three Trustees worked well, and as it is not good policy to change the rule, therefore, he moved to lay the amendment on the table.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. THOMPSON moved to amend Section 6, line 8, by inserting the words "sixty days"--referring to the length of time allowed for the teacher to procure a license after the old one matures.
The amendment was adopted.
The SPEAKER (Mr. Gilman in the Chair) moved to strike out the word "white" in the clause providing that Trustees shall establish and locate a sufficient number of schools for the education of white children. Mr. RYAN could see no reason why this motion should not prevail He did not see why any distinction should be made between white and colored citizens. They stand upon equal ground. The provisions of the law are that the same facilities shall be offered colored children as white. He said this bill contemplates, where there are a sufficent number of colored children, the school offices may organize them into a separate school: otherwise they can attend the same school as white children.
Mr. NEFF affirmed where provisions have been made, as in this section, for the education of the colored children, there were reasons in his judgment why the word "white" should remain as it is. He thought that such striking out would not only disarrange the bill, but would make its passage doubtful. Strike out this word and some person perhaps will get up a disturbance, and will, in violation of the spirit of this act, crowd their children among the white children which will be a disvantage not only to the white, but colored children as well. He wanted the colored children to have an equal chance in the race for life, but when ample, provision had been made for them, they ought to be satisfied.
Mr. BENHAM--This law provides for white schools and black schools; and in case there is no school for colored children they can attend the white school. If this word is stricken out they can attend a white school when there is a colored school in the community, thus producing discord. He, therefore, thought it ought to remain as it is.
Mr. WRIGHT took the position that the word "white" in that section was illogical and out of place; that the spirit and intent of this bill is to provide educational facilities for all children of the State, irrespective of color, and that it was about time for the people to accept the inevitable. He saw no reason for keeping up this distinction of color. He measured men by their brains and hearts, not by color. [Applause.] The black soldier of the war had the courage to go out in defense of the country, and he considered the son of a black man good enough to go to school with his boys. The spirit of the times is that there shall be no distinction on account of color, and the sooner the people stop quarreling about this matter, or becoming frightened about the nigger in the woodpile the better.
Mr. BUSKIRK thought it would not be expedient, and was something unasked for by the colored people themselves; that they were content with the provisions made for them, and he could not see any good to be accomplished by the change now. He thought a spirit of liberality had already been shown in the drafting of this bill, and considered it wrong to disarrange it by such an amendment. He opposed the striking out of this word.
The SPEAKER recognized no distincton by reason of color He said he offered the amendment with a view of guarding the evil that has existed upon the force of the law itself. This section, as it now reads, makes provision for white children of the State. This amendment will extend that privilege to the colored children. He realized the fact that the colored race in this country, so recently coming up out of bondage, have got to be educated up to the social and intelligent standard where they will be an honor to our country; and in doing that, the same laws and privileges should be extended to them as to other classes of citizens. Mr. M'INTOSH said he could find no statute prohibiting colored children enjoying all the rights of white children. The colored people seemed to be satisfied, and he thought the white people ought to be.
Mr. CAUTHORNE did not think there could be any harm in striking the word out of the section, as Section 9 provides for colored children when there is a sufficient number to organize a separate school. This section being a general one, requiring the Trustees to provide for all the children, he thought it would be better for the bill if the word were stricken out.
The amendment was adopted--yeas, 59; nays, 22.
