Martin Luther King Jr. Day Anthology - - (comprehension books .TXT) š
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The other candidate was a young man who in former years had been one of Miss Nobleās brightest pupils. When he had finished his course in the grammar school, his parents, with considerable sacrifice, had sent him to a college for colored youth. He had studied diligently, had worked industriously during his vacations, sometimes at manual labor, sometimes teaching a country school, and in due time had been graduated from his college with honors.
He had come home at the end of his school life, and was very naturally seeking the employment for which he had fitted himself.
He was a ābrightā mulatto, with straight hair, an intelligent face, and a well-set figure. He had acquired some of the marks of culture, wore a frock-coat and a high collar, parted his hair in the middle, and showed by his manner that he thought a good deal of himself. He was the popular candidate among the progressive element of his people, and rather confidently expected the appointment.
The meeting of the committee was held in the Methodist church, where, in fact, the grammar school was taught, for want of a separate schoolhouse. After the preliminary steps to effect an organization, Mr. Gillespie, who had been elected chairman, took the floor.
āThe principal business to be brought befoā the meetānā this eveninā,ā he said, āis the selection of a teacher for our grammar school for the ensuinā year. Two candidates have filed applications, which, if there is no objection, I will read to the committee. The first is from Miss Noble, who has been the teacher ever since the grammar school was started.ā
He then read Miss Nobleās letter, in which she called attention to her long years of service, to her need of the position, and to her affection for the pupils, and made formal application for the school for the next year. She did not, from motives of self-respect, make known the extremity of her need; nor did she mention the condition of her health, as it might have been used as an argument against her retention.
Mr. Gillespie then read the application of the other candidate, Andrew J. Williams. Mr. Williams set out in detail his qualifications for the position: his degree from Riddle University; his familiarity with the dead and living languages and the higher mathematics; his views of discipline; and a peroration in which he expressed the desire to devote himself to the elevation of his race and assist the march of progress through the medium of the Patesville grammar school. The letter was well written in a bold, round hand, with many flourishes, and looked very aggressive and overbearing as it lay on the table by the side of the sheet of small note-paper in Miss Nobleās faint and somewhat cramped handwriting.
āYou have heard the readinā of the applications,ā said the chairman. āGentlemen, what is yoā pleasure?ā
There being no immediate response, the chairman continued: āAs this is a matter of considāable importance, involvinā not only the welfare of our schools, but the progress of our race, anā as our action is liable to be criticized, whatever we decide, perhaps we had better discuss the subjecā befoā we act. If nobody else has anything to obseāve, I will make a few remarks.ā
Mr. Gillespie cleared his throat, and, assuming an oratorical attitude, proceeded:
āThe time has come in the history of our people when we should stand together. In this age of organization the march of progress requires that we help ourselves, or be forever left behind. Ever since the war we have been sendinā our childān to school anā
educatinā āem; anā now the time has come when they are leavinā the schools anā colleges, anā are ready to go to work. Anā what are they goinā to do? The white people wonāt hire āem as clerks in their stoās anā factories anā mills, anā we have no stoās or factories or mills of our own. They canāt be lawyers or doctors yet, because we havenāt got the money to send āem to medical colleges anā law schools. We canāt elect many of āem to office, for various reasons. Thereās just two things they can find to doā
to preach in our own pulpits, anā teach in our own schools. If it wasnāt for that, theyād have to go on forever waitinā on white folks, like their foāfathers have done, because they couldnāt help it. If we expect our race to progress, we must educate our young men anā women. If we want to encourage āem to get education, we must find āem employment when they are educated. We have now an opportunity to do this in the case of our young friend anā fellow-citizen, Mr. Williams, whose eloquent anā fine-lookinā letter ought to make us feel proud of him anā of our race.
āOf coāse there are two sides to the question. We have got to consider the claims of Miss Noble. She has been with us a long time anā has done much good work for our people, anā weāll never forget her work anā frienāship. But, after all, she has been paid for it; she has got her salary regularly anā for a long time, anā
she has probably saved somethinā, for we all know she hasnāt lived high; anā, for all we know, she may have had somethinā left her by her parents. Anā then again, sheās white, anā has got her own people to look after her; theyāve got all the money anā all the offices anā all the everythinā,āall that theyāve made anā all that weāve made for foā hundred years,āanā they shoāly would look out for her. If she donāt get this school, thereās probably a dozen others she can get at the North. Anā another thing: she is gettinā rather feeble, anā it āpears to me sheās hardly able to stand teachinā so many childān, anā a long rest might be the best thing in the world for her.
āNow, gentlemen, thatās the situation. Shall we keep Miss Noble, or shall we stand by our own people? It seems to me there can hardly be but one answer. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. Are there any other remarks?ā
Old Abe was moving restlessly in his seat. He did not say anything, however, and the chairman turned to the other member.
āBrother Cotten, what is yoā opinion of the question befoā the board?ā
Mr. Cotten rose with the slowness and dignity becoming a substantial citizen, and observed:
āI think the remarks of the chairman have great weight. We all have nothinā but kind feelinās fer Miss Noble, anā I came here to-night somewhat undecided how to vote on this question. But after listeninā to the just anā forcible arguments of Brother Glaspy, it āpears to me that, after all, the question befoā us is not a matter of feelinā, but of business. As a business man, I am inclined to think Brother Glaspy is right. If we donāt help ourselves when we get a chance, who is goinā to help us?ā
āThat beinā the case,ā said the chairman, āshall we proceed to a vote? All who favor the election of Brother Williamsāā
At this point Old Abe, with much preliminary shuffling, stood up in his place and interrupted the speaker.
āMr. Chuhman,ā he said, āI sāpose I has a right ter speak in dis meetān? I SāPOSE I is a member er dis committee?ā
āCertainly, Brother Johnson, certainly; we shall be glad to hear from you.ā
āI sāpose Iās got a right ter speak my minā, ef I is poā anā
black, anā donā weah as good cloās as some other members er de committee?ā
āMost assuredly, Brother Johnson,ā answered the chairman, with a barberās suavity, āyou have as much right to be heard as any one else. There was no intention of cuttinā you off.ā
āI sāpose,ā continued Abe, ādat a man wid foāteen childān kin be ālowed ter hab somethinā ter say ābout de schools er dis town?ā
āI am sorry, Brother Johnson, that you should feel slighted, but there was no intention to ignoā yoā rights. The committee will be pleaseā to have you ventilate yoā views.ā
āEf itās all beān anā done recoānized anā ācided dat Iās got de right ter be heared in dis meetānā, Iāll say wāat I has ter say, anā it wonāt take me long ter say it. Ef I should try ter tell all de things dat Miss Noble has done fer de niggers er dis town, itād take me till ter-morrer mawninā. Fer fifteen long yeahs I has watched her incominās anā her outgoinās. Her daddy was a Yankee kunnel, who died fighting fer ouā freedom. She come heah when weāyas, Mr. Chuhman, when you anā Brāer Cottenāwas jes sot free, anā when none er us didnā have a rag ter ouā backs. She come heah, anā she tuk yoā childān anā my childān, anā she teached āem sense anā manners anā religion anā book-lāarninā. When she come heah we didnā hab no chuāch. Who writ up Noāth anā got a preacher sent to us, anā de funās ter builā dis same chuāch-house weāre settinā in ter-night? Who got de money fām de Bureau to sāport de school? Anā when dat was stopā, who got de money fām de Peabody Funā? Talk about Miss Noble gittinā a salāry! Who paid dat salāry up ter five years ago? Not one dollah of it come outer ouā pockets!
āAnā den, wāat did she git fer de yuther things she done? Who paid her fer de gals she kepā fām throwinā deyseāves away? Who paid fer de boys she kepā outer jail? I had a son dat seemed to hab made up his minā ter go straight ter hell. I made him go ter Sunday-school, anā somethinā dat woman said teched his heart, anā
he behaved hisseāf, anā I ainā got no reason fer ter be āshameā er āim. Anā I can āmember, Brāer Cotten, when you didnā own foā
houses anā a fahm. Anā when yoā fus wife was sick, who sot by her bedside anā read de Good Book ter āer, wāen dey wuznā nobody else knowed how ter read it, anā comforted her on her way across de colā, dahk ribber? Anā dat ainā all I kin āmember, Mr. Chuhman!
When yoā gal Fanny was a baby, anā sick, anā nobody knowed what was de matter wid āer, who sent fer a doctor, anā paid āim fer cominā, anā who heāped nuss dat chile, anā tolā yoā wife wāat ter do, anā saveā dat chileās life, jes as shoā as de Lawd has saveā
my soul?
āAnā now, aftuh fifteen yeahs oā slavinā fer us, who aināt got no claim on her, aftuh fifteen yeahs dat she has libbed āmongsā us anā made herseāf one of us, anā endyoed havinā her own people look down on her, aftuh she has growed ole anā gray wukkinā fer us anā
our childān, we talk erbout turninā āer out like aā ole hoss ter die! It āpears ter me some folks has poā memāries! Whar would we āaā beān ef her folks at de Noāth hadnā āmembered us no bettuh?
Anā we hadnā done nothinā, neither, fer dem to āmember us fer. De man dat kin fergit wāat Miss Noble has done fer dis town is unworthy de name er nigger! He oughter die anā make room fer some āspectable dog!
āBrāer Glaspy says we got aā educated young man, anā we musā gib him sumpānā ter do. Let him wait; ef I reads de signs
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