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TAGE FOUR
ilie f mimumli Srftomt
Established 1875
By J. H. DEVEAUX
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“American practice must more closely
approach the American creed, and if we
f are to have true democracy, artificial done
distinctions and prejudices must be Embree
away with.’’_ —Edwin R.
A TIMELY REQUEST
t It is gratifying to note that the Negro
teachers of Chatham county have tak¬
en the initiative in requesting the Board
of Education to pay them the same sal¬
aries it pays the white teachers. This
is as it should be. It is a sign of grow¬
ing up. of citizens
Several years ago a group
approached the board on the matter of
equalizing teachers’ salaries, but the
teachers did not warm up to this effort.
Some of them became panicky, and some
even repudiated the movement- There
were a few who protested that they
were satisfied with the salaries as they
were. These attitudes on the part of
the teachers dampened the interest of
the citizens who gave up their effort in
more or less disgust.
We can understand the fear and hesi¬
tation the teachers showed. They knew
that in some communities teachers who
led in similar movements wfcre discharg¬
ed. School administrators considered
them disloyal. In Atlanta just recently,
two teachers w ho took a leading part in
the suit for equal salaries, were suspend¬
ed indefinitely, ostensibly for being ab¬
sent from work without proper permis¬
sion. While this has occurred fre¬
quently, we believe school authorities
generally have come around to admit
that the claim of Negro teachers for
equal salaries is just and no longer re¬
gard a request for equal salaries as a
disloyal or an impudent act. In some
instances salaries have been equalized
without the necessity of going to court
which has meant a useless expenditure
of funds on the part of school authorities,
and an unfair sacrifice imposed upon
teachers. In view of the court decisions
that are almost always favorable to the
teachers, it seems that there is really
no good reason why court cases should
be resorted to. We commend our
teachers for their desire to have satis¬
factory adjustment accomplished out of
court. The teachers stated their case
well, and we believe it will receive proper
consideration from the Board of Educa¬
tion.
WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
Mr. Schuyler and those who agree with
him need to define Jheir terms. This
is indicated by the prominence given
their statement by reactionary white
newspapers which seem to get so much
comfort out of them. Such statements
do something to the hopes of thousands
Gf Negroes who toil and struggle with¬
out thought of ever ceasing, while col¬
umnists write and sycophants bandy
about their euphemisms. It is not fair,
to say the least, to say that “Negroes
are their own biggest handicap.” It is
untrue, as the reports of scholars reveal,
who have no axes to grind, no pet the¬
ories to advance, no desire to play the
role of a Moses, and who have no compen¬
sations to make. We refer to such scholars
as Arthur Raper, Ira Reid, W. E B. Du-
Bois, and Vance, all of whom assisted
Dr. Mvrdal in his voluminous study of
race relations in America. We go along
with them-
A man, of wide experience and broad
knowledge of farm conditions in this
country, tells this significant story:
“I visited a thirteen mule farm some
time ago, and returned recently to find
Masonic-Eastern Star Notes
Savannah was proud to hav?
our Grand Master in its midst
for a few hours during the
week It is an inspiration to
always have him.
This week is one of corner¬
stone laying among the Savan¬
nah Masons.
Prince Hall Lodge No 28 was
invited to lay the cornerstone
of St. Matthew’s Episcopal
church. This is being done to¬
day at West Broad and Ander¬
son streets. Worshipful Mas¬
ter C. H Bias and his officers
were authorized by the Grac'd
Master to do so.
A dispensation was given Py¬
thagoras Lodge No. 11 to lay
the stone of the First Pilgrim
Baptist church. This church is
located on Huntingdon street,
Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post
Office at Savannah, Ga. under the Act of
March 3, 1879
National Advertising Representative:
Associated Publishers
562 Fifth Avenue
New York 19. New York
only two workers and one tractor. I ask¬
ed what had become of the other eleven
workers. They had left the farm, driv¬
en away by the machine.” The impli¬
cation here is that there are many
things that enter into living on or out of
the soil. It is not as simple as the col¬
umnist would have us believe, who wails
loudly for a different education for ru¬
ral children and their teachers. We
wonder for what purpose have the gov¬
ernment and certain agencies been spend¬
ing huge sums of money? What has been
the purpose of providing home and farm
demonstration agents, 4-H club leaders,
Jeanes supervisors, teacher trainers in
trades and agriculture, and collojes?
Have not all these agents and agencies
been provided to meet the needs of farm
and non-farm rural people? For at
least 21 years under the leadership of
an agriculturalist, the Georgia State
College has been preparing and train¬
ing the youth from the country for
“down-to-earth,” service through a pro¬
gram of “realistic common sense educa¬
tion.” Besides the fact that all other
Negro colleges have been on the wrong
track, what has been the trouble?
Where has been the failure? How much
do these things have to do with the
problem of living efficiently in the coun¬
try: the desire to live in the country first
of all, the ability to buy desirable or us¬
able farm lands, the skill and knowledge
ot ilve off of th soil, the good-will of white
people, good schools and well informed
teachers, habitable houses, health ser¬
vices, etc.? Do not these things consti¬
tute the realism in the scene?
THE YMCA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
On first thought it would seem that
Negro people in Savannah are not very
much concerned with having a YMCA-
This may appear to be so because scarce¬
ly five-hundred of our citizens have
taken out membership in the “Y”. It
is perhaps highly optimistic to believe
that apparent lack of interest is attribut¬
able to lack of information about the
work and purpose of a YMCA. The
“Y” purposes to develop the spiritual*
social, and physical abilities of the youth
and men in a community, with the help
of the whole community. The West
Broad St. YM( A has already proved its
usefulness to this community as is at¬
tested by the fact that more than 400,-
000 people visited thb building during
the last 17 months, and more than 76,-
000 used the facilities and services dur¬
ing the same period. But the fact that
only 266 persons held membership paid in
full, and that 40 persons paid 61 percent
of the total received from the last mem¬
bership campaign, is a reflection upon
the sense of social responsibility of 40,-
000 Negro citizens.
The “Y” belongs to the people ,both
building and institution, and they must
support it. It takes money to do this.
Two or three thousand members can con¬
tribute a small amount each and support
the program of the “Y” in good shape.
It should not be left to 404 persons to
do. To complain of delinquency among
our youth, to bemoan the fact that they
frequent undesirable places, that they
are lacking in social poise, in physical
and spiritual stamina, is idle and insin¬
cere in the face of our failure to give
the YMCA the support it deserves. The
record of the YMCA movement is un¬
impeachable.
The basic membership fees are: adults
$5.00, young men 16-18 years $3.00, boys
13-15 $2.00, and boys 8-12 $1.50. These
are annual fees. Won’t you join, and
won’t you secure as many memberships
as possible from others?
near West Broad street. Wor¬
shipful Master A Shepherd
planned to have a large attend¬
ance at the ceremony.
Last Sunday was observed as
(Chapter of Sorrow occasion
Many of the chapters urged
large attendance. This occas¬
ion should be near to the hearts
of each of us
Monday night of last week
Prince Hall Lodge entered two
(candidates with the obl’gation
by one of the young brothers.
Tuberculosis can be secured,
land patients who have receiv-
jcd the’r medical discharge from
| the hospital can be employed
' | in tions. useful, satisfactory occupa-
FlfTY AG0
Files of The Savannah
Tribune
NOVEMBER 24. 1898
Thanksgiving Day observed
in several of the churches.
Rev. L. B, Maxwell will lec¬
ture at Beach Nov. 30-
Dr s. Palmer Lloyd seriously
ill.
Many of the churches and
schools remembered Charity
Hospital Thanksgiving Day.
Armour Lodge No. 1884 fair
will begin Monday night at
Harris street hall-
In chest X-ray surveys of
large groups of people, about.
70 per cent of the tuberculosis
found is still in that early stage
it is easiest to cure.
THE SAVANNAH TRIBUTE
C JA?atche’is and ^A^orkets
By George Matthew Adams
OF ALL the strange things in this
world nothing is stranger than human
nature- No one has ever been able to
solve all its mysteries or its moods. We
don’t even understand ourselves. How,
then, can we hope to understand others
beyond a limited point?
What is it in our make-up, for ex¬
ample, that makes us so curious and
speculative about other people. Why
does a crowd gather to watch workers
at a job that is perfectly familiar to all?
Perhaps we can divide humans into two
classes — lifters and leaners, or watch¬
ers and workers. Hundreds of people
will stand for hours and watch the ex¬
cavating of an ordinary building in a
big city, and on the park benches you w ill
note as many watching others on their
way to work.
Every once in a while one of these
watchers will do a deal of thinking as he
watches — and the result is often an
improved way for doing a thing, or of
creating a newly invented machine. I
recall the story of one of our greatest
industrialists, w ho was an ordinary la¬
borer, but one who used his eyes and
his brains. He believed that the wheel¬
barrow's, with the heavy loads, would
save s trength and time for work¬
ers if they were rubber-tired. This w r as
done. Then he kept making other sug¬
gestions, so that today he is at the head
BETWEEN THE LINES
By Dean Gordon B. Hancock for ANP
OUR GREAT VINDICATION VOTE
The returns of the recent election show¬
ed not only an upset in the prevailing opin¬
ion, but they in many ways showed a vin¬
dication vote of the people. One of the
majestic strengths of democracy is this
selfsame capacity of the American people
to register in an unmistakable way their
opiiy ons on public matters.
it is true that there are some Repub¬
lican die-hards who are trying to dispar¬
age the Intelligence of the American voter,
but to these we say, the same American
voters have formerly registered themselves
in favor of that which is Republican, just
as they have recently declared themselves
n favor of that which is Democratic.
In M4G, the American voter turned Re¬
publican and gave Republicanism a “break”
but the old line Republicans muffed their
chance by engineering an obstructionist
policy through the 80th Congress. The
American voter became disgusted with such
flagrant display of midget politics and re¬
nounced such tactics in the recent elec-"
tion.
The recent Democratic vote and vic¬
tory was a vindication of the lamented
Franklin Delano Roosevelt who sleeps at
quiet Hyde Park It was the genius of
Roosevelt that saved this nation from the
throes cf a bitter revoiut on. The Repub¬
licans had set the stage for this tragic
eventuality, but Roosevelt was too resource¬
ful and too imaginative in the premise. It
is true that he bought off the revolution
with American billions but ours was the
better of the bargain.
Our ship of state that was listing bad¬
ly resumed an even keel under the magic
touch and genius of Roosevelt. Truman’s
promises to continue the New Deal inaug¬
urated under Roosevelt appealed to the
people and their vote vindicated Roosevelt-
It is true that since his passing there are
those to disparage him and even malign
him; but this is merely a case of rats com¬
ing out to play when the tom-cat is away.
The vote was a super-vindication of
Truman, the abused, the maligned, the
d sparaged, the ridiculed, the despised and
rejected of the Dixiecrats. And why? Sim-
* ply because he advocated the most un¬
TO LAY CORNERSTONE
TODAY
Today (Thursday) the cor¬
nerstone of the new St. Matt¬
hew’s Episcopal church. West
Broad and Anderson streets,
will be laid by Prince Hall
Lodge of Masons. The princi¬
pal address will be delivered by
the Rev. Tollie Caution of the
j|ational office of the Episcopal
church- The ceremony will be¬
gin at 10 a m. Rev. Gustave
of several of the biggest manufacturing
plants in the world. He watched — and
worked!
Most open-air watchers, however, are
mere idlers. People with things to do
cannot afford to stop and look at others
at work. I often wonder w’hat goes
through the minds of those hard at
work as they view* those w'ho merely
stand and watch. I am not a believer
in the truth of that famous line that
they also serve who only stand and wait.
If you are waiting or watching for some¬
thing to turn up, it’s the best pjan to
work as you wait-
It would be well for all of us to
take notice of those who clean our
streets, who go into deep holes in our
cities to repair electric cables, w'ater, and
sewer pipes, without which a city could
not adequately function. By watching
these workers, their importance is em¬
phasized, and our appreciation for their
services should be increased.
There is another kind of watcher.
Some call him “the Boss.” He w'alks
around watching those at work, to see
that he gets every ounce of work for
Which he pays- People work better—
and happier—however, when not watch¬
ed. Just trusted. Most workers take
pride in what they do, and don’t need
watching. That’s something that should
stand out as a living fact.
popular doctrine of civil rights for Negroes.
It must be observed, however, that the
cause of civil rights for Negroes is not
nearly as unpopular with the people as
with the press.
Herein lies the brighter hopes for the
cause of race relations- The recent vote
was a supervindication for a man with
moral courage to stand up and be counted
as unequivocally committed to civil rights
for all the people, Negroes included. It
was this stand that enraged the Dixiecrats
and their northern sympathizers of whom
there are not a few.
The election was a vindication for the
better South. With Tuck of Virginia and
Thurmond c-f South Carolina trying to
stampede the south against Truman and
his civil rights program, we witnessed one
of the superbest flattire campaigns ever
waged in the South. Of the 13 southern
states the flat-tired Dixiecrats carried only
three states, the writer here is giving Ala¬
bama the benefit of the doubt and assum¬
ing that had Truman’s name been entered
he would have carried Alabama. The name
was left off by the “leaders” anfl not the
people, who speke in the other nine south¬
ern states. i
This writer repeats what he has often
asserted that the South is growing in moral
stature in ways too often obscured by the
Thurmonds and Bilbos and Rankins and
Tucks. T.ie fact rema ns the liberal South
swallowed Truman, civil rights and all and
this to its credit must be said.
The election was a vindication of the
Negro in his stubborn fight for full citizen¬
ship in this country. As we predicted in a
pre-election release, the election would in'
marv ways be a race relational poll indi¬
cating just how fast and how far the Ne¬
gro had gone in his fight for his rights. The
election was a vindication of the people in
particular who defied a reactionary leader¬
ship and registered their own convictions
at the poll with astounding results.
The American, people are doing their
own thinking, thanks be. They are not to
be herded any more like dumb driven cat¬
tle. The great American, people take over
Our great vindication vote!
H. Caution is rector of the
church.
Florence PTA
The regular monthly meeting
of the PTA of Florance street
school was well attended. The
children from Mrs. Pope, Mrs
Greene and Mrs. Hannar’s
classes rendered a lovely
Thanksgiving program.
The PTA and Jhnior America
are calling upon you for your
support in their drive to raise
HOME EDUCATION
THE CHILD WHO GIVES
Helen Gregg Green
“The Child’s Ilrst School is Ifio
Family-”—Froebel-
(L.sued by the Natonal Kin¬
dergarten Association, 8 West
40 th street, New York city.
These articles are appear mu
weekly Li our columns).
“Does Aunt Loretha smoke,
Mommie?” five-year old Bobby
asked, as he cut out and past¬
ed pictures in the scrapbook he
was making for a Christmas
gift. Then, answering mis own
-question, he said, “I know she
does, Mommie; I saw her
smoking one day. So I’ll paste
a pipe in her book.”
WhsJ relating this amusing
incident, Bobby’s mother told
us that she had encouraged
Bobby to make, or to buy at
ihe ten-cent store, gifts for m s
near relatives and many of his
friends-
Little children should not
only receive remembrances at
Christmas time; they should
also be helped to enter into
he spirit of giving yoem-
An intimate talk about the
different members of the fam¬
ily and close friends—ime ac¬
uities in which they like to
engage and the knd of things
hey like to have near them or
.o use—is a good introduction
to the child’s consideration of
what to give. It is wise to be
as helpfully suggestive alorj'
ohese lines as the parent can,
but when it comes time for the
child to choose a gift, only
such assistance should be of-
iered as is quite certain the
•hild desires—no more.
A friend of nine was worri¬
ed because her small daughter
seemed to be growing selfish.
•I’m going to start preparing
inexpensive presents for Vicki
.o give to her father and me
and to her playmates,” she
said. “I shall help her to wrap
up all of them, except the one
for me; her father will help
her with that one. So far she
The Labor View
By George F. McCray for ANP
What Labor Expects from the
New Congress
The trade union leaders and
and their millions cf support¬
ers all over the country will
be in an exceptionally strong
position to demand what they
want from the new Congress
in January. The surprising
support which labor aroused
for Harry S. Truman and the
efficier:„ way they purged
anti-labcr congressmen, leave
no doubt as to labor’s ability
to get what it wants. The only
question is what will labor de¬
mand and be sat sfied with-
The taft-Hartley law is cer¬
tain to be changed if not op¬
enly repelaed. However, the
tens of thousands cf Negro
workers who voted for Truman
and the defeat of Taft-Hartley
congressmen should considei
carefully what it is they were
actually trying to achieve.
The millions of workers in
this country, Negro and white
who were aroused by the Taft-
Hartley law, want' a' trade ' un¬
ion movement which is funda¬
mentally democratic amd un¬
hampered by malicious govern¬
mental restrictions or employer
opposition.
Jn the fight over the repeal
cf the Taft-Hartley law which
promses to be particularly
bitter, Negroes and other ra¬
cial minorities along with re¬
ligious and nationality groups
will want to make certain that
if the closed shop is again le¬
galized it will conform to the
principle of non-discrimina¬
tion and fa r employment prac¬
tices.
If labor is permitted to exer¬
cise the sort of job monopoly
cr control as is represented by
the closed shop, there should
be equal opportunity for al
workers to enter a given field
of employment. Certainly this
is not too much to expect.
It cannot be said that this
equality of opportunity exists
for millions of Negroes, Span-
ish-Americans, and other Amer¬
ican citizens when such groups
are excluded from unions which
have virtually complete control
j over Americans a field of employment. familial
Most are
with the long and bitter strug¬
gle which Negro firemen and
enginemen have Had with un¬
ions which, in the railroad in¬
dustry, operate with the effec-
tiveness of the closed shop. In
a similar manner, Negroes have
been kept out of the printing
industry, most of the machine
to purchase a movie pro¬
jector. The PTA has assigned
various parents to conduct a
house to house campaign in or¬
der to reach each parents and
former student of Florance St
school.
Mrs. Pope’s class won the
banner for the largest attend¬
ance. Don’t forget to meet
with us on the third Wednes¬
day in December at 7 p- m.
Your children need your sup¬
port all the way.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25
has bean the recipient of most
cf the fcjaily-tiea bo$ &■ She
i needs to learn the joy of pre¬
paring them for others- When
!_ue is older I shall teach mer
1 to make simple gifts.”
I When boys and girls do make
| the gilts that mey give should away, be
the whole procedure
i treated with the seriousness
ai.*l intere stimat all children’s
| plans deceive.
I have never forgotten a g ft
| that I made for my father
when I was seven. It was a be-
ribboned whisk-broom holder
—for his dignified law otfice!
; "Now, Mother,” 1 remember
! saying, • “this is to be a real
1 surprise! Don’t tell Daddy
about it.” i
One day, however, a slight
susp cion having been aroused,
I asked, “Moaner, you didn’t
tell Daddy about his surprise,
did you?”
| Being over-truthful, Mother
admitted that she had told
him. I was overwhelmed with
| disappoh Lnent- All the joy
in the gift vanished.
| It Is often difficult for paf\
i ents to understand and appri^
ciate the growing child’s emo-
tional reactions. For this rea-
! son adults frequently cause
hurts and deep disappoint-
ments over , things which to
them seem trivial, but which
to the child are cf tremendous
import.
So, Mother, or Dad. when a
present is made or has been
bought, and you are taken into
the secret and told it is to be
a great and important surprise,
do remember it is important,
fer your child may be testing
the satisfacton that comes
Irom carefully considered giv-
i’/J. Even if poor judgment
has been shown, be sure that
the child awakens to this only
gradually and naturally and
that in the meantime he ex¬
periences the full joy his un¬
selfish effort deserves.
shops of the country, and va¬
rious occupations in the con¬
struction industry.
The Taft-Hartley law did no¬
th ing to prevent union, or em¬
ployer discrimination against.
Negro workers. The cifaition
of a democratic closed shop
should be h'gh on the civil
rights list. It seems that the
Urban League, the NAAUP, the
CIO, the National Council of
Negro women and other groups
interested in a democratic la-
movement, should make ev-
ery effort to prevent the closed
°hcp from being re-established
as a menace to the rights of
\' tiroes and other minorities.
FLORANCE SCHOOL
NEWS
Junior America of Florance
street school has begun to work
n earnest on various activities
in the year’s program. Much
interest and enthusiasm are
centered in the efforts to pur¬
chase a movie projector.
The Gray is sponsoring a
campaign to aid the -^itienif*
of Charity hospital. The The art art
department is busilv engaged
in making plans to enter a
float in the Merchant Council’s
parade Nov, 26- The cafeteria
department worked with the
health department to launch
the immunization program.
The first issue of the school
paper was enthusiastically re¬
ceived.
SEAL SALE
GETS GOING
The Christmas Seal Sale, of¬
ficial campaign of the Chat-
h a m-Gavannah Tuberculosis
ind Health Association to raise
funds with which to help erad¬
icate tuberculosis, got going
this Week, according to an an-
nouncemeAt made by William
Gibson, chairman of the sale
j among Negroes in Savannah
and Chatham county.
According to Mr. Gibson,
seals have been mailed to the
homes of many Savanniahians-
In addition, as the campaign
progresses, workers will call on
individuals, and, later on, the
street sale will be held-
Persons desiring seals and
not being able to secure them
through any of the media
lj nied above, are asked to
contact Mr. Gibson or any
, member of the Seal Sale com-
1 mittee, the names of whom
| ed. have previously been publish-
__ .J