The following, which was taken from the public records of a white school in Tennessee, illustrates the intellectual condition of a portion of the white citizens of that and the other Southern States. It also shows what kind of men have charge of public instruction in some districts throughout the South.
"TENN July —, 188-.
"Rulus for scoul No 4.
Teacher will not low the scoulars to scouful or clime or swhisparn in time of Books; the Teacher can ad eney rulus to this he thinks needud and eney Larg secular can not comer ounder rulus will have to quit the scoul."
These "rulus," as the word is spelled, were signed by two members of the School Board by whom they were written. How strange, that in localities in which there is such frightful illiteracy the school authorities should fail to welcome, with large-hearted cordiality, teachers who come among them. The white people, as well as the colored, need missionary schools, as the illiteracy among them is appalling.
Think of it! Seven-tenths of one per cent. of the native white population of Massachusetts are illiterate, while twenty-three per cent. of the native white population of Georgia, and thirty-one per cent. of the same population of North Carolina are illiterate!! Why should not Georgia be proud of her educated (?) citizens, and do all she dare to drive some of the best teachers there are in the State outside her borders?
Right in this connection it would be interesting to read the following letter. A brief word of history, however, is necessary that it may be understood. In 1878, a young man, a graduate of one of the leading New England colleges, enlisted in the great army of A.M.A. teachers. He was a quiet, unassuming, Christian student. The amazing ignorance of the Southern people, both white and black, awoke his pity; and his love, for his Saviour, and for his country, led him to give himself to this most needy field. He was embarrassed and badgered by those who ought to have welcomed him, and helped him in his work. This mean and unworthy opposition with which our A.M.A. teachers are so familiar, culminated in his case, in a series of letters in which his life was threatened. It was just before the election of President Cleveland. There was evidently, a well-matured plan to drive him out of the community, and to intimidate the Negroes so that they would not dare to vote. The following was one of these letters:
"Mr —— deer Sir It is for your own good That I write This letter to you you are an advocate for Social Equality with the white and the Black race and the People are not going to Put up with any Such doings and I write you this letter to warn you of The danger and the great danger That you are in You must leve The country right away for The People have Pledged Them Seves to get you out of the contry or Kill you and That in a mity Short time Now as a frend I do beg you to give this matter your emmediate attention I am very truly your well wisher meaning Exactly wat I Say"
I saw all these letters, and received this one from the hand of this Christian hero. He said to me:—"I went to bed a good many nights thinking that quite possibly I should be dragged out of my bed, and beaten or hanged before morning." Notwithstanding this, he wrote on the outside of the envelope the following words, and passed them around among those whom he knew to be conspirators against him:
"In answer to the enclosed, I will say to my 'Democratic and inquiring friends,' that I expect to leave on or before Jan. 1st, 1940, and that though I hoped to vote for 'St. John and Prohibition,' I have now decided to vote for 'Blaine and the Protection of all citizens in their political and civil rights.'"