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Tki il FOITB
§Iif $wavmh frilmne
Established 1875
By J H. DEVEAUX
60L C. JOHNSON Editor and Publisher
MRS. WILL A A JOHNSON. Asst, to Pub. & Mgr.
J h BUTLER Asso. Editor
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
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Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post
Office at Savannah, Ga., under the Act of
March 3, 1919
“We can not have freedom by destroy¬
ing it. . . When threats of blackmail
come, we must keep a cool head and re¬
mind ourselves that we must be devot¬
ed to the Constitution guarantees even
though they fail to measure up. Love
them, cherish them, and keep them in¬
tact despite the fact that they are dis¬
torted, for to keep this a better country
we must have those guarantees."
j_— Ralph MagiII
THE NEGRO PRIVATE COLLEGE
Almost before the smoke from fra¬
tricidal battle fields had lifted, private
colleges for Negroes were established,
mainly in the South. They were es¬
tablished by church groups and The
American Missionary Association. The
AMA founded many such schools and
colleges at a time when many people
pretended to doubt that Negroes, the
newly emancipated slaves, could learn
Very much. It is difficult to imagine
what would have become of the race if
it had not been for t he many consecrat¬
ed men and women who came from
the North to. teach these hapless and
unhappy people. Some southerners
were among the number of persons who
ran the risk of ostracism to help in the
work of educating the former slave.
For the first 25 or .'50 years, life for
these colleges was fairly simple: living
was cheaper, support from the North
was easier to get, curriculum offerings
were fewer and instructional costs were
low. Simple and inexpensive, as was
the education these colleges offered, the
spirit and ideals underlying the work of
these colleges in their earlier years
were rich and abundant and became a
great heritage. Despite* the fact vhati
during the early 1‘JOO’s it appeared that
the sources of funds were going dry,
these private institutions stood heroical¬
ly by the purposes of their founders;
they maintained the pursuit of their
ideals. They were dedicated to the
task of training leaders for the race.
This ideal was one side of a sharp con¬
troversy as to the kind of education
Negroes should be given, but as the
conviction grew that Negroes were hu¬
man beings with abilities and capacities
like other human beings, the contro¬
versy began to lose point and new
s o u r c e s of support were found. In
spite of the state supported colleges, the
private colleges have followed effective¬
ly the aims and course set by their
founders and are still the institutions to
whom we must look for leadership
training attained in an uninhibited, unre¬
pressed and unintimidated atmosphere,
where students, instructors and presi¬
dents can take part in community ac¬
tivities without hazard to their status
in the institution. In our state, within
the last three or four years, two college
presidents have been let. out. It has
been reported that they were let out
without being presented with the charges
against them, except of course, that
they overspent their budgets, ht one
ease, a college head was the victim of
an unverified and irresponsible charge of
communist leaning, and of sympathy
with the NAM'D. In the other case
no “bill of particulars” was given at
the time of the dismissal of the college
head. General opinion is that the real
cause for getting rid of these men was
that they were too intimate with activi¬
ties not in conformity with the tradi¬
tions the South holds dear.” The ef¬
fect, as intended, is to inspire fear into
Negro college presidents. The private
college preserves the freedom in admin¬
istration that is necessary for the de¬
velopment of independent thinking. De¬
spite the belated effort of the states
to provide equal and adequate school,
and college facility the private college
will continue for a long time to be the
Negro’s chief source of courageous and
intelligent leadership.
THE OLD MARE
There is no denying the fact that
segregation is a matter of national con¬
cern. Of course it is of greater concern
to the South because it is important
towards maintaining the “customs,, tra¬
ditions and ways of living the South
holds.” 11 substitutes well for other
issues of the past on which Southern
politicians rode regularly into office,
state and national. Many politicians in
the past used the Negro problem—keep¬
ing him in his place, denying him po¬
litical. social and economic equality—as
a pony on whose back to ride into office.
The poll tax. lynching, maintenance o
the white primary, the county unit sys¬
tem of voting, have been the issue with¬
out which many a Southern politician
would have remained "unwept, unhon-
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ored and unsung." The race issue,,
however, has been becoming progres¬
sively less effective as a vote determi¬
nant. There are several reasons for
1 his. The level of literacy is higher and
the “wool hat hoys” (the tribe is thin¬
ning out) are less easily diverted from
more important questions by it. Church
groups and the League of Women Voters
have thrown the weight of their influ¬
ence against injecting the race issue into
politics. Of course, some civil rights
questions remain unsettled and will
become campaign “chow” yet awhile.
The school segregation question seems
to he cutting Georgia politics down the
middle; the Governor and the amendment
to abolish the public schools, to be sub¬
mitted to the people, on one side; on
the other side all the candidates that
have so far announced their candidacy,
the Macon News, and the League of
Women Voters. This is an interesting
development, ft is a sign that there
are people in Georgia who do not like
the Governor’s plan of schools saving that the
schools by built abolishing a't them, of ef¬
have been up great cost
fort, planning and money. themselves 'The can¬
didates have committed
against the plan, but for segregation.
We could expect nothing else. Candi¬
dates for office in a democratic country,
running on a platform designed to dety
or circumvent the law IK. S. Supreme
Court decisions become law) must pre¬
sent a puzzling spectacle to the rest of
the world.
After all. the race issue is not as pop¬
ular as campaign fodder as it used to be.
The song goes, "The Old Gray Mure
ain’t what she used to be.”
SOL C. JOHNSON
Sol C. Johnson has passed, and the
community has lost a good citizen, hi-
church a devoted member and sincere
leader, and the Masons and their aux¬
iliary and subsidiary bodies, a loyal broth¬
er and wise counselor. No civic move¬
ment within the last fifty years has been
projected that did not have his en¬
couragement and moral and financial
support. His church, which he served
as clerk and chairman of the trustees
over a period of more than tiltv years,
will miss his ungrudged contributions of
time, advice and money. The late Sol
(", Johnson had several loves. Among
them were his church, the Masons and
The Savannah Tribune. All who knew
him, felt, no doubt., that these
were close to his heart. He was Grand
Secretary of the Most Worshipful Prince
Hall Grand Lodge more than fifty years
and was organizer of the Grand Chap¬
ter OKS which he served as Grand
Patron many years. As owner, editor
and publisher of The Savannah J ribune,
the Negro n e w s p a p e r with the
longest continuous publication in the
country, Mr. Johnson was a quiet, modest
benefactor of young people, especially t hose
who were fortunate enough to serve him
on the Tribune staff. For all the years
the paper has been most of the time
conservative, sometime becomingly ag¬
gressive, but all the time a stabilizing
influence in the community which ho
loved. His friendship was a tenacious
and thoroughly dependable relationship,
worthy of anyone’s possession. The
First Congregational Church, the Masons,
the Klks, the entire community, and we
of the staff particularly, sustain an ii-
reparable loss in the* passing of Sol C.
Johnson.
AND DR. J. E. FONVIELLE
So appropos is the following from a
speech by John Bright that we quote it;
“The angel of death has been abroad
throughout the land; you may hear
the boating of his wings."
Along with others, he tapped the shoul¬
ders of three prominent Negro citizens
of this community within two weeks
and ushered them into the company of
the eternal. The passing of Dr.
Fonvielle leaves the Negro community
so much poorer. A successful citizen ot
Savannah for more than 80 years, hr
endeared himself to a host of friends and
made for himself and his business, an
enviable standing among businessmen
in his city. His dependability so im¬
pressed itself on the community that
he was often requested to be
a worker in community chest drives.
He was a charter member of the Citi¬
zens Committee for Negro Social Service
and of the West Broad Street YMCA
We pay this tribute to a dutiful father
and husband and valuable citizen, and
acknowledge his passing as a positive
loss to which we bow with humble res¬
ignation. i
THE RAVANNAH TRTBT7NB
ONLY FULL INTERGRATI0N IN THE ARMED FORCES, CAN REMOVE THE
V f. ■■ r- ^ WILL IT BE
WMm Cr‘. L-yG.;; . ms mu
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Mas
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WORLD l
WAR
BETWEEN THE LINES
f!v Dean Gordon It Ihincuct (m \M’>
BASHED BUTTONS
The school readers of yesteryear carried a
little truism to this effect: ‘‘For the want of n
nail the shoe was lost; for the want of ;; shoe
the horse was lost; and for the want of a horse
the rider was lost—all for the want of ahorse-
shoe nail.”
The lesson taught here is the close connec¬
tion between humble causes and great effects.
Here is taught the important lesson of looking
well to details.
The writer sat recently and saw a fine bas-
Imll team lose, because they could not shoot
the fouls. So many football games arc decided
by the margin of one point. When teams can¬
not shootthe fouls and when they cannot kick
the extra point they lack fundamentals of detail.
Foothiill teams concentrate on rushing the ball
to the goal; but all too often, the Other team
can rush the ball too, and the deciding factor
is not brute strength but the subtle skill of
kicking the football between the uprights. Skill
in this particular may negate touchdowns.
So in basketball; sharp-shooting from the
outer court is line and spectacular and so the
fine looking lay-ups. But all too often the game
is won or iost at the foul line, where -uperior
shooting still stands the player and his team
in good stead.
The foregoing is a prelude to a word of warn¬
ing' to Negro business. As an exponent of the
Douhle-Duty-Dollar doctrine, this writer views
with genuine uneasiness the shoddy methods
too many Negro business men employ with
seeming certfide.nce.
The race issue is so strongly dilineated that
ihe race appeal alone is sufficient to insure the
Negro entrepreneur of considerable patronage.
But the race appeal has its limits beyond which
it is strictly good business or bankruptcy.
In u certain city of the South a good laun-
diy customer took bis laundry from a white
laundry and gave it to a newly organized Negro
laundry company. Why '? Because of the race
appeal. The Negro laundry went big for a cou¬
ple of year;- and then began to be in financial
difficulty and after a run of three years
bankruptcy resulted.
Our good customer returned his laundry to
the white firm where it remained for many
years. But within Ihe past few years another
Negro laundry cropped up with the finer r
OMEGA OBSERVES
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■ Continued from Page 5)
by Soror Delores Perry Soror
E v am. Icrre! spoke on the His-
ton of the Organization and a
sextette composed of Sorors
Marian Roberts, Agatha Curley,
B \NKHUITCY
equipment and plant. The proprietor and his
wife did such excellent work in their home
that capital was extended in the amount of
fift;, thousand dollars and one of the finest
and most commodious establishments was
set up.
Our Negro customer once again withdrew his
Patronage from the white laundry and gave it
to the new Negro laundry that was doing such
rushing business. Things went big for a few
months and then article after article was lost
with no adustment. Whenever a complaint was
lodged the customer was always politely ad¬
vised, "We'll check on that."
Then it happened that ever.', v.ecl; most of
the customer’s shirts were returned with the
buttons of left cuff bashed. Evidently this was
Complaints were made to authorities and
there was the usual assurance that the matter
would be ‘checked. On one occasion while re¬
ceiving laundry at the desk a helper was in
charge, and mention was made of the fact that
great inconvenience and annoyance were caused
by rushing into a freshly laundered shirt to 1
find the button bashed.
Customer asked what was he to do in a case
like that? The helper smartly replied, ‘.lust
sew it on. A tew weeks ago the fine business ,
possibility went into bankruptcy. j
I here was evidently some connection between
the hashed buttons and bankiuptcv. it repre¬
sented a way of doing business that just can¬ ;
not stand up in these times of keen competi¬
tion. The good customer has since been using
the ( hinesc laundry, and the service is all that
could bo expected. No missing buttons,
bashed buttons. No failure to make adjust
moots in case of loss or damage.
The point here is, Negroes do the work ill
the Chinese laundry just as in the case of the j
Negro laundry, Negroes can make the Chinese
laundry go, win is it the Negro laundry can¬
not avoid bankruptcy? These are questions need¬
ing <i studied answer.
Ihe time is at hand when Negroes must cease
to make excuses for Negroes who do inferior
work and who employ inferior methods in deal¬
ing with the public. Bushed-in button methods
today mean bankruptcy tomorrow. The .Negro’s ;
'-•pKr.rlid fighting spirit cannot atone for bash- !
button procedures and practices.
Mary vIcDew. Violet Singleton.
Mvrt ’ m James and Johnnie
supplied the mus. ■ . :h
g^ rors Marian Roberts and
j 0 mmie Fiuker as soloists
The entire chapter -tela a
|| Q j£ EDUCATION
Issued bv the National Kindergarten Association, 8 West
10th Street, New York City. These articles are appearing
weekly in our columns.
“THE CHILD’S FIRST SCHOOL IS THE FAMIL Y”—FroebeJ
ARE YOU GUIDING l'OUR CHILDREN?
Helen Gregg Green
This is sometimes called the
age of tension. How important
it is for parents and teachers
to do everything within
power to offset the tensions
that pile up around children,
The wrong type, of television
program excites the young with
wild and daring stories. Just
few days ago our home town
morning newspaper related the
story of a four-year-old who
begged his father for a rope
"like the cowboy on television
had." The father refused to get
the rope. Several days later,
however, lookiing out of the
window, ho observed with horri¬
fied alarm, his son's small feet
dangling in the air. The child
had found a rope in the base¬
ment and had tied it to a porch
bannister. It was necessary to
rush him to the hospital.
In too few homes is there s
I eons'ruefive effort to keep a
1 day-in-day-out attitude o'
j | peaceful, happy, gentle living
For pood emotional health then
| is, among all ages, too muck
lcaning on the excitement ol
outward stimulation and toe
j Jitf lr Cultivation Of inner re-
sources.
As, recently. I waited for a
bus tt beautiful throc-ycar-old
with long, curling lashes
beggged his grandmother.
"Please put on my cowboy belt!’
When she suggested doing i
late’- he ran up to me with
pleading blue eyes, holding oui
the belt which had a holder for
a. large play knife.
When wo boarded the bus his
grandmother adjusted the belt
and a piping voice announced,
Now i might kill someone!"
Shocked, the grandmother
hushed. "Oh no!" as the wide-
eyed little cowboy flourished
his knife in his best. wlld-Wcst
manner.
Today's young children seem
always to be imitating some-
Rummage Sale
Then will he a Rummage Sale
held on Saturday, March 6th, at
the corner of Carnald and State
Streets sponsored by the Council
of "Women’s Clubs of Savannah.'
The time early C> A.M.- until our
bargains are gone. Quantities are j
limited, so be smart, be early, j
This is a sure way of getting j
your Easter outfit at rock-bottom
prices! Not only will you he able
to do your Easter shopping but I
there will also be many bouse-1
hold items that you have been
wanting to have but c'dViid 'riot j
afford.
Black Creek HD Club
TAe Biacif Creek Home Dem- :
onstration cutb met at the j
home of Mrs. Bessie Groover.
Much business was discussed J
The Farm Bureau will have
get-together meeting March 5
,
at the Pembroke high school.
Report from the project chair¬
man was made for the month.
Refreshments were served. The
next meeting will be March 10.
Home Demonstration Agent,
Miss Lenoa Bacon; Presirent,
Mrs. Bessie Groover; Secretary,
Mrs. Carrie B. Smokes; Report-
or, Mrs. Lois A. Cross,
On Feb. H the club met
the home of Mrs. Rebecca Bur-
gess and the ladies framed
pictures with glass and card
board. Refreshments
Local SSC Alumni
Chapt. To Meet Sunday
President L. D. Law, reports
that the regular meeting
the local chapter of the Savan- ■
nah State College Alumni will
be held Sunday, Mar. 7. at 4:00
p. m. at the West Broad street
YMCA. He is asking all local
alumni to report their donations
to the scholarship drive at
this meeting in order for re-
ports to be ready for the State
meeting which will be held
Sunday. March 14. at the ool-
lege.
Send The
r f RIBUNE
To Your
Friends
renew t ense of love and loy-
alty io the ideals of Alpha ]
Kappa Alpha ar.d hopes that!
those who shared Founders
Day >* ith as aii-ht some of the
spirit of our inspiration.
THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1354
thing they saw or heard or
read about When 1 was a child
and there were no televisions
radios I used my imagination
and made my own run. To me
is important to ge; our chiid-
ren interested in something to
which they can contribute—not
copy or imitate. The cre-
ative urge is in ail of us, but 11
not encouraged it wll never
grow beyond a weak little
sprout.
The same is true ol ail skills
and abilities, they need the
atmosphere of a gay, happy
home, in which youthful, active
minds are encouraged to think,
originate, develop, and express
,hemsclves
We must also teach our child¬
ren not to take failure too
seriously. It has* been wisely
;aid that wo often learn more
from failure than we do from
succsss, since failure is only the
opportunity to begin again more
.nteliigentiy. It is the not trying
our boys and girls must know,
or the half-trying which they
.bould avoid
, It. is needful for every young-
.,ters grow th and development
Joat some real, worthwhile
interests be encouraged. Arc
;ou, parent reader, guiding
/our children in this respect,
or are you permitting them to
trift and imitate? Whatever
vc do. let. us avoid a sheep-like
:onfortuity in our homes and
personalities. A.. rents, we
must dare to b our civ. * or
we cannot teach our children
to think and act independent¬
ly. Yet such independence is
necessary if they are one day to
reach an emotional and spirit¬
ual maturity that will make
them adequate and happy
adults. Wo must tench our up-
and-coming boy and girl that
they owe it to themselves to
gain a full reals, -.mon of all
their powers
What every mother
should know about
CUTS and SCRAPES
DON’T Hood a large cut with harsh
antiseptics. This can damage tis¬
sue, retard healing.
DO bandage cut loosely with ster¬
ile gauze smeared with ‘Vaseline'
Petroleum .lolly. See your doctor
to prevent complications such as
tetanus.
DON'T neglect ;. ?m;nl cut.
DO use iodine or other antiseptic.
When bleeding stops, spread on a
protective film of ‘Vaseline’ Petro¬
leum Jelly. Bandage loosely only
if cut will be exposed to dirt.
DON'T bandagi a scrape before
cleaning with mild soap and water
or mild antiseptic.
DO use ‘Vaseline’ Petroleum Jelly
to promote healing, prevent a
hard scab.
No family should ever be without
‘Vaseline’ Petroleum Jelly! Used
in hospitals and clinics, it’s medi¬
cally approved for home first-aid.
Put a jar or tube of ‘Vaseline’
Petroleum Jelly in your medicine
chest today.
S,m P le ' safe ‘ soothing
FIRST-AID KIT