Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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KjR-? ?SatunlayFebrii t : u m" by Br, Incorporated, at 1507 HarI Rmbia 4, South Carolina. I BEPHONE 2-7079 Bond Class matter in the Post B BHb^atColumbia, South Carolina, under ^ the act of March 3, 1879. r.' " .. : ? t John HJ. McCray ___ President-Editor Thomasina Scott Society Editor Julia G, Simkins ?1 Sec'y-Bookkeeper i , ' ( Maybe Fires Should Practic Continuing a practice which two year - ago helped it to achieve third place standing among American cities, Columbia has for several months worked toward employ/ment of 14 colored men as fire fighters, who would be assigned to the new station nearing completion on Harden street, un_ . der supervision of white officers. While at first it was feared that Negro V leadership would oppose the station, on the grounds that it conforms to segregation zvf 4-V.~ i'-i - vfi kiic mtco, a practice against which they are committed, these leaders have endorsed the proposal and station and held, with good reasoning, that there ho Negro officers trained for the unit and if the city has to wait on such trained Negro personnel it could never get around to hiring colored fire fighters. ; .With the pi-oject rolling along satisfactorily to both the city and colored residents, excepting that both sides would like , to have far more applicants for the positions which are to be filled soon, unexpected opposition developed last week. An official of the Firemen's union, an all-white organization, advised City Council that the union objects to the use of .white officers > at the new station, arguing that working hours and relationships in the department make it necessary for employes to sleep to pettier and share common quarters. The . union doesn't object of course an all-NoIndictment Of Our General 1 * , f _v , ' The January edition of New SouHj/official publication of Southern Regional 0.S; Council, features a progress report on i v ercise of the franchise in southern states recently h'herated from the yoke of the 'white primary, which is summed up as more or less an indictment of Negro so % . / erners, as well as some members of reThe New South estimates that in 1017 there were approximately G 15,000 register77'-' ed jNegroes in 12 southern states, a figure .> compiled by the late Dr. Luther i\ -lackson of Virginia State. At the close of .1952, _ . the number approximatetl LU0,00tb ^t-in^ crease of approximately G7 percent over the 1947 figure. While this five year increase may be impressive to some observers, New South reminds, that most of the primary was wiped out by federal courts and, that even the present" 1,140,000 is inadequate and ineffectual in most areas and, represents much less in percentage ratio than the number of whites who could and have qualified. ' ' A- ' * M One reason for this poor showing, the magazine reasons, is that the lack of information has deterred many from regisf Orangeburg's Community S( Starting this week, and continuing for five weeks more, mothers and fathers, and other interested adults, will take Thursday " nights off and go to "Community" school, ' where they will learn a variety of things on Hving, home-making, simple and practical medical needs, everyday law, etc. The Community School began Bix years III i "\ v' . - ? . ? ? ? - ? w ago under Dr. J. C. Parler, still its direc? tor, and proved an overnight auccess; perhaps largely because no grades are given and thorp is no embarrassment of the grown people who grasp or fail to grasp Its courses. The laughs skeptics made the first week or so, faded into serious thinlc"" tug fiction as soon as people learned it purely for individual benefit. Now, even grand parents rush to Warn what HbIl j- ? 9RSBS9fSSSS^WS' .WI* >*-. vvA %. SUBSCRIl>TIONS?Payable in advance?: * 1 year, $3.75; 6 mos., $2,501 3 mos., $1.50; per copy, 10 cents Make checks or orders payable to The Lighthouse Publishing Company,"tiic., and not to., persons representing it. * ADVERTISING RATES furnished on appli1 cation. V National Advertising Representative: Inter- / state United Newspapers, Inc., 545 Fifth Avenue, New York 17, New York. CLOSING SCHEDULES: News7 12 noon Tuesday; Advertising, 3 P. M., Tuesday; Photographs, lft A. M. Monday. I rf ? / :e Segregation gro station, such as has operated at Charleston for many decades. More important in the protest of the union than what it actually saidi is what it did not say. What actually bothers the union is the fear that use of Negroes as firemen at the Harden Street station may be but the beginning of general use of such personnel and, in,years to come, their integration into the department's various stations over the city. The union thinks i? quite healthy that the City adhere strictly to a policy of ra tuihin in employment due one or absolute democracy when taxes are apportioned and collected?out of rvhich cftv employes are paid. The union wishes that Ne&ro firemen behrestricted to fighting fires in 'their' (colored) section. And one suppose that j the monster Fire ought cooperate and a- i bide by policies and practices of racial Sep- c relation, and ought not blaze or diminish a unless in the hands of one race or the oth- v er. But this reasoning is stupid?as stupid 0 as it is to decree that only the Harden s Street Station should put out a blaze in a colored home on Wheeler Hill or in Ward ^ One. We trust that City Fathers will go right- 1 along with the plan to staff and open the * Harden Street station. The arguments a- . v -.gainst it are selfish, weak and calculated *] to stop progress here, for which the entire ? nation has already expressed ''thanks." ? ' ; y y ' : ' t ' - c Program ' F ^tering. ^notherr-admittedly ItucRvn to No- * gro leadership, is organization and effort J" bent on educating the.Negro on his rigid of franchise. In meat rural communities y " p employ devices and scheme.; to Negro appl: :ants, and- of con: s? ; ; _yv ?t-br?iru'lueiiiv of _pov. waul hii g>".'s v.k-o ' dislike seeing their fa\n 1'*; hoe and take off for polling '" 'r < n < i tion dav. . .. . ' T In substance .the mdrtmcnt iv. i: f. the Soutlfs Negroes \v.ho say they ue-.u and want use of the ballot. Where Uv ' of them have registpred-_f?ilna-.?.ari. -Pa . i, linri day and voted ,or have been the iv.-son* for demagogues being elected, it ad . resolves itself into tin indictment of l'n Iurcs, ^ibout which something ought to be done 1''.ven whi iT v i ' 11 Mi n?,,i , [. .discriminate, there is iudictmcnt against Negroes, for they have relief in court and in the persons to whom the registration c officials are responsible for appointments. The South* is capable of turning out a- v bout six millions of Negro voters. It is c estimated at being not much over one- ^ sixth of its potential now. There is no for- e midable stumbling block in the path of Ne- "c gro now but the Negro himself. t '.hool t they can once a week, each year. t Teacher* in the Orangeburg City System h and many from the faculties of Claflin 0 University and S. C. State contribute free s time as instructors, which provides a bet- ti ter faculty than the average public or priv- b ate school affords. And, to make it easier ll to attend, a kindergarten has been setup, under the watchful eve of trained vnlnn. ? -n ^ ; teer teachers, so that the usual worries of e this family problem are eliminated. ^ The Orangeburg Community School is u excellent example of a service each com- ' munity can afford, and provides an ex- h ample of what might be done to impress n elders not only with the importance of go- * ing to school, but how important education * is in this day. ~ ''. 'v? " ' ' i I * ' 7 ??1 * * ~ . . "The ^See^s^ m 2^"% V ' *"~TTI -BaRlh:1. *' ' *' McCray ^ But Negroes Will ! "Negroes just haven't learru -jj er along," a gentleman said ea. talking' impromptu about achic1 W ? m which was centered arourtcf Nc "What is your opinion?" I w; ect that kind of conclusion. In the first place, if Negroes hadn't been sticking with and to each >ther the raee would have been wiped out long igo, not only in America, but throughout the vorld. In the second place were Negroes disiniined to work together, there would be few sucessful "Negro" enterprises, or even those sponored for ,yNegro" services. It is trde, of course, that because . tncro are Negroes who do not show any- special intcrt t in Jegro business, movements, etc., one might qui- ky become disgusted and say "Negroes ju.-t won't dick tog( ther," But we can't think of any single novempnt in history, among any natioYv or-rec-.vhorc everybody has had one common oh'-- :;.e. rhere have always been differences of opin' r.s ind behaviour in every group of human .beings end just because^ the Negro shows human being' raits is not reason enough to condemn him because he refuses H be anything but human. The rouble is. too mmv noon'.o want the Nf"-o to v*' tftfb'v T* S'^ of own leader?.'-si.fr>>' of * * s **1 rn!f? *T*^ ! 1 /*' ' to J^ V fiom 1 iicill ."id tr .'in, brVu^kots, r.ml be an ' , j r-' , 4 ' >! walking. rr.?unn- on eartn. 11'4-' y bo mu "b. T* i - 'J > : Hut if any one c' aM fl.w r'i ' roes, lot him look at the largo :v l-mro c-mr. rhich exist aliriv .okly ir-oi irjt look at ' <V.n < . nurse, a m " " }' ' ' ' : ' .Ml .1 ) .. ar bolter than l.-c have d. . f:? > "v v'?1,: ;i:: i \Y \ ',l\c:<v 'W^[^\ i'ac Negro (iiurch onsoious beginnings. It is appalling (n noc lyr.v asiiy-people jest about .sacred things, oi tramp incler foot the finest instrument of man's sell- 1 xpression. The Cnurch has been the hope of the helpless Jegro. The Negro minister, during slavery, liglud the torch VVlllf'b? kf>nt fnith oH i\m i ?i K .. I . nil VV. Hi IUC lie ' ?f his peoole. Oift of the horrors of that dark ?ast have sprung a t&pusand temples whose steep- i es still point the Negro to something that is beter. e This week, a group of students sought from i he writer his opinion of the value of the Church, i ?hey had been informed that the Negroes spend i oo much on religion. Apparently somebody got i da figures crossed. Take, for example, in the city < t Columbia alone: the Negroes have more to i how lor what they gave to the Church than ] hey can show for all other investments com- t ined. The colleges represent more than a mil- t on dollars. The churches represent twice that < luch in material value, to say nothing of the | piritual. The same ratio of expenditure and j alue may be recounted the Nation over. Out of I very dollar the Negro earns in America, only 2 enta is spertt for the church and its interprise. > ret. out of this 2 rent* the hoo ? lated millions of dollars in property holdings, i /hat, may we ask, has happened to the 98 cents? < 'he Negroes spends more for chewing gum than ? e does for religion. He spends many times As | mch for tobacco, or for cosmetics: what can he i low for this? He apends more for certain bever- t ges than for religion. What can he show'' < The Negro church, with all of its lopsided man- < gement, shows more for the Negro's 2 cents than < -l -a ~~ 1 ./.J-'-. -V ; Support Each Other ;cl to stick to each other yet, and help each othrly this week. He was one of several in a group moments and failings of the race, -a discussion :gro History Week. as asked. Well, I disagree with those who proto have done, considering the handicaps he's had to tole along with him. Wherc there is a dearth of interest, where there seems to he a lack of Negro support, the trouble is in the project or service itself: not ir. the Neero. The trouble is that sponsors have simply hung up a shingle or unlocked an: offTce cToor and evxvtod the. rank and file Negro to break his neck inquiring at the desk, offering his goods and support. Things just don't happen that way. r he average Negro pastor v.ilh tell you' how to "sell" these people on religion and support of the church. There are thousands of community savrmvl so i 1 clubs over the South, there arc hundreds of "secret" orders, of local origin, v v?) .ror.tinuo. from vcfrr to year, ..and continue h^e-vuse tho membership .understands itso'.f, the .* ohiKti'vo.* end feels these are'serviceable. On "ho other harxl, as in tho case of our discu-.'iion the other day, the wholetbjpg gets com" 1"v vvon for ct/r own brain, rs'we.fry to>v*K * 1V;'o f-nc sotv"!u!c pr.t *d~n *hr policyOf.* advpcic*"V" of r ';! ] '>) sti ' r..'T-+rt?*r4h ,* r* he hre "i h I r ? down v.. ! h : in favor of ir.v .' nhnv T.T"de ' *: ; * r,n' ;; n tho-.' : . \w. Tin -v in the ' : \.w:A he .< ??" : i ' i vt tl. ' ;;?x: v :?h 1 n . . v.... .... . ? ;:-.t n mm OtUl _ ; - ^ ~~ r c !y ur.iit :- attack... Incredible as it |hi': ; ?*? i t'.i 11111? itTf'most Vi?'?TtT.t assault? know n " dea'.gm-d to ovt rt. i o\y the church, or to under- ' bred <>: i cieejj and subtle resentment which is ^ ' to t. best he knows. Kvcn innoeent people are -rwubugy by a sw ift contagion from almost"-un- ~ enn tie shown for the t>3 cents which the Church doesn't get. Yet, the church cannot close its eyes to the fact that THERE IS A REASON when sincere young people begin to ask questions about its value. We must concede that most of the Church prowas not purchased during these days of high wages for members and high salaries for ministers. Most of it-was bought by "Uncle Riley" and "Aunt Sue" back in the days when cotton sold for 5 cents, and laborers worked for 25 :ents a day. Teachers received $15 and $20 a month for salary^But, out of these meager earn ngs, our parents?most of whom could not read and write?built these churches and schools. Toiny, with our degrees and high wage sand fine ;ars and homes, many congregations can hardly pay the coal bill to heat the churches which heir parents built. There is something wrong iomewhere. No wonder the young people ask questions. They too, wonder why people with defrees and fine ears must walk the streets with freasy cards to beg money for a church which iiey should support out of their earning , To? many people have improved the idea of (odliness by restricting its field and function, hat they have played in the hands of the scoffer ind driven men into his ranks. Moreover, because >f inconsistency of life, too many church people tave helped to multiply the scomer type. Paul Minted out in his day that professedly religious rews were bringing the name of God into contempt by the?r notoriously irreligious lives. We annot induce people to respect the Church if >ur religions expands itself in pious talk and has no energy left to play its debts. 4 ) i i Samuel R. Higgina Dr. George B. Tindall, a native of Greea ville, 11 the author of a recent book egHUM "South Carolina I The book was published by the Uniyer* , I I sity ot South Carolina Preas. ' I This article is not an attempt to fiv^V: a review of the book. This will be don# later. The writer and the library staff Of Alien University wefj listed along with Others as having contributed in the process and research. * I In that this week is being observed as Negro History Wee^, Dr. TindallV book is a great source of information on the NegrD in South Carolina from 1877 to 1900. It is interesting to note sis pointed out in this hook that Governor Wade Hampton appoint* -ed many Negroes to political offices?SR. H. Gleabes of Beaufort and Maxtin R. Delany of Charleston were appointed trial justices ; 0 by Hampton; and John A. Baxter of Georgetown was appointed*'-, to the board of Election Commissioners. Charles McDuffie Wildem' was named postmaster in Columbia Benjamin A. Boseman serv*' ed as postmaster in Charleston part of the time that Governor * ' > ' Hampton was in office. In 1878, Issac Byrd, Bruce H. William* # and S. L. Duncan were elected to the State Senate. In 1880, Tho-1*: ' mas E. 'Miller of Beaufort and Bruce Williams of Georgetown! * were elected to the State f Senate. Negroes were elect-f ed to the State Senate util 1886. Negroes were elected to the# House of Representatives as late as 190Q. Ttiree Negroes, KOb*ru Smalls, Thomjas Miller of Beaufort and Charleston, and GeorgeYWashington Murray of Sumter were elected to Congress after* reconstruction. Robert Smalls served longer than any other Ne-[ gro in Congress from the State of Sooth Carolina with- the ex-^^% ception of Joseph Hayne Rainey. The lives and works of Smalls and Murray are indeed interesting. It will be remembered that Congressman Miller was the first President of the Negro Sta*e College in Orangeburg. Other prominent Negroes in politics were Bruce Williams, a state senator, Robert Simmons, a state senator. Thomas J. Reynolds of* Beaufort, Jonathan A. Baxter of Georgetown and James Wi^gs of St. Helena Island. All of these persons and many more including the Bolts were prominent in$ ( politics in South Carolina. Mrs. Eli/a Davis served as post mis-." tress in Summerville for eleven years. The two most notable postmasters were Benjamin A. Boseman of Charleston and Char- > >' y' les McDufTie Wilder of Columbia. .??? *: : "Allen University in Columbia had on its staff during the "eighties" Deniel Augustus Straker, one of the ablest colored . lawyers in the state. The first two classes graduated by Straker . showed so high a standard in examination before the State Su- j^- )] premc Court ''as to elicit special commendation from the judge;There were many lawyers located in the low country around ? . ^ about Ciiarltrstuh. Mini Beaufort. Aiiiufig uiun muppoT, probate judge of Beaufort Court,-/Samuel Lee, Julius Washington, W. W. Still 'of Beaufort, Sasportas of Charleston, arvf J. C. Whittaker of Sumter. \ j# !' In the field of meaxcinq* wuuam u. v,rum wnu i?vc rucwmi . c ollector of Internal Revenue and was United States"Represent^ i tive to Liberia, was outstanding. Dr.. A. C. McClellan and Wil-' ; , liam Henry Johnson were also outstanding physicians, in period shortly after reconstruction. . J- \ ' ; ; ,s Leaders in the church were Brawley, Dart, Carroll, Aleiam , dor Payne, Morris. Brown, who later became Bishops were lead-. - Al. crs in the African Mjlhodist Episcopal Church. South l^as given to the AfrfHW Methodist Episcopal Church woruferful | ' *adcrsh:n in early life of the church. Saich men as Payne, Mor- ; r]s Brown. Ti tter, Herd, Nichols and Chappelle were leaders ifi the Negro church. ! ' nrs the most.outstanding Negro women M today art ttrth 'i raro' rdnrs -Mrs. Bethune, founder - of. 3ethune-Cookn\^ cnrl .Tano Hunter of national fame, who' founded and built the * Fhyiiss Wi eatioy nome ior giris on ? "kkci ojju a 4. ?. , u'h Carolina has furnished,- some outstanding Negro edit* ' Jl < \ Am'or.g them may be listed William Pickens, Kelley Miller, 1 T : . t Just. Edward P. Davis, Joseph Morris and B. F. Porter, .'y These are only a few educators. Starka, Whittaker, and Mrs. . Saxon of Columbia must be included. There are many more.- ^ In sindving- Negro history,1 the South Carolina Negro has V fc; made and is still making a contribution. * tl.C 111 QI iai 11 i [<? S R>.-v. J. Arthur Holmes is pastor. ' 'Z !*;. I!nn,"l .0 hcM Weekly Thought lunday afternoon. February 10, . c Have nn irr" hjnt to t Bc'hol AVT; Chur n. . tar ting - Tittle Ka?o ????;, ?* noin prtH t 4 o'clock, fov: the late Mrs. during it, than to consume "hristina Bank. i!:h wlthou-' ^lurihj i^? v The public is invited to.attend.. ?G. B. Shaw Dot's /^^^Don'ts ^ . v ***>--?. .^^f^*' DONT Neffect The Early TMataf In Tke Little ThlafiC f I 1 . .? ' > . ' i ' '\< 'i\j'. " ,''."ii??