Afro-American Teachers 2

To the JlMPLECUTE

The colored teachers of Marion county should be elated over the intelligence that a summer normal (2nd series) for colored teachers has been located at Jefferson Texas to begin June 18 and to continue to July 29 1906.

For a time it seemed that we would be defeated in securing the normal but for the untiring efforts of our worthy county superintendent Hon II A Loomis we should not have obtained it.

We applaud these efforts. Further than this let us by a full attendance upon the normal give unanimous endorsement not only to the devotion of our county superintendent to institute and summer normal work but to the interest he has most zealously manifested in the schools throughout the county during his short tenure of office and the progress that the teachers have been able to bring to their schools under such stimulus.

Be it remembered by each teacher that attendance upon the normal is not arbitrary but compulsory.

The normal should be the more welcome our labors in it the more earnest and our progress the more marked and systematic from several points of view. We have had no normal for several years a normal is a training school for teachers in all other fields of labor "progression" seems the watch word. Why not among us? Teachers must catch the inspiration. Everyone should desire to improve and be willing to put forth earnest efforts in this direction. To be a success teaching must be made a careful study. It must be made a business. All other interests must become subservient to that teaching. Laggards and dullards in the ranks must ere long awake to find the wave of progress too far in advance of them.

The faculty recommended by Judge Loomis and approved by the state superintendent is as follows; W L Blake, J L Blocker, A G S Atkins, Miss M E Beatty, and J C Pitts, conductor. Further announcements will be made soon. Teachers in adjacent counties are invited to take part with us. Several have given pledges to do so. The tuition for the term will be $4.

 Respectfully, J O Pitts, City, March 4 1906

Jefferson Texas July 5 1906

On the 4th inst Colonel Horace Welch accompanied by Prof Vincent responded to an invitation of the executive committee and faculty of the normal for colored teachers holding sessions in Jefferson to address the school on American Independence.

After reading of the Declaration of Independence formulated by Thos Jefferson and adopted by the Constitutional Congress July 4 1776 the faculty and students were entertained by instructive patriotic addresses by these dis tinguished gentlemen for which all tender to them a vote of thanks.

Respectfully I G Gilham Pres Executive Committee

The Colored Teachers of Marion County are called Into Institute Session at the Public School Building Jefferson, Texas, Monday, Sept 24th to Saturday, Sept 29th ,1906 from 9 a m to 4 p m dally. 

ASSIGNMENTS.

A G S Atkins, Arithmetic, daily.

M E Booty, Physical Geography, Wednesday and Friday.

W L Blake, U S History, Tuesday Thursday and Saturday.

M M Hollowell, Grammar, dally.

J L Blocker, Descriptive Geography, Wednesday and Friday.

M F Bayllss, Composition, daily.

I G Gilham, Texas History, Wednesday and Friday.

V H McCane, School Law, Wednesday and Friday.

J 0 Holomon, Civics, Tuesday Thursday and Saturday.

L R Young, Spelling, Tuesday Thursday and Saturday.

H B Hurbert, Primary Methods in Reading and Number, daily.

J O Pitts, Advanced Methods, Tuesday Thursday and Saturday.

Under the subject of Advanced Methods the following topics will be discussed by the Institute; 

(a) The Necessary Preparation of the Teacher on Entering the Community. 

(b) The First Days Work in the School room

(c) Daily Program 

(d) Dally Pro gram 

(e) Graduation.

(f) Preparation of the Teacher for his Daily Work

The Institute will organized on Monday, Sept 24 at 9 a m All instructors must be present. A complete program for the session will be offered and important matters tending to make the- Institute most effectual in interest and benefit will be discussed.

Considering that the meeting is hold immediately before the opening of the schools and that whatever is gained through study and discussion on classification and general school work can prove very profitable to the teachers and the communities they shall serve too that a faithful attendance for the week will be reckoned a part of the first month taught the work of the Institute should be characterized with punctuality interest attention and most helpful discussions.

Each teacher must attend not because of the compulsory clause in the school law but because of a keen interest in the work and a strong desire to so progress that the urgent needs and just demands of the community ho shall serve might be met.

The entire session may be made profitable by the presentation of all subjects according to the method of some good author. Bring the "Outlines for County Schools" issued by the state department last year.

The county judge will give as much of his time to the Institute as will be possible for him.

Respectfully, J C Pitts, President

The Colored Teachers Institute met at the Colored High School Building Sept 24th to 29th, the meeting was presided over by Mr J C Pitts president. As heretofore the Institute was conducted on the Normal plan as a school of methods and the methods of some of the prominent educators for teaching all subjects were read and carefully and enthusiastically discussed by the Institute. Many original plans for teachings were discussed by the experienced teachers which with proper application will prove helpful to the inexperienced teacher especially. The different subjects were presented by the instructors and it is hoped that much useful and needed information was imparted. The teachers were entertained by some encouraging remarks along the line of education by Profs R W Vinson and G W Smith for which we are grateful. Last but by no means least among our public speakers came our worthy county superintendent Hon, R A Loomis, who made us one of his most excellent speeches as usual along the line of education and his official relation with the teachers and schools of the county. It seemed that a perfect lull prevailed as we looked upon him with so much interest as he uttered the solemn words and charged the teachers with much emphasis that as they go to their various posts of duty go not as school keepers but as school teachers in the truest sense of the word fully conscious of their duty.

As their should be a unification in the grading system of the rural schools the high schools and colleges a system of graduation for all the schools of the rural district was offered by Mr J C Pitts principal of the city high school which was accepted by all of the teachers so far as it can be practically and advantageously applied. Since this was the last meeting for this school year and held immediately proceeding the opening of the schools it is hoped that the various methods discussed in the Institute and the many good papers read in the Scarborough Literary Society will be helpful to all of us during this school year.

Respectfully submitted A G S ATKINS

A School Trustee election for each of the six school districts in Marion county for the election of school trustees for the election of school trustees for the white and colored schools is hereby ordered for the 1st Saturday in April. 1907 the same being the 6th day of said month. The tern of office of the following named trustees expires on May the 1st, 1907, to wit:

District No 1 - H A Mims and John Brown, whites; and William Bragg and William Fisher, col.

District No 2 - R M Simmons and J Stephens, white; and Ed Norris and Frank Azie, col.

District No 3 - G W Brown J H Rowell Jr, whites; and Tom Jackson and F C Johnson, col,

District No 4 - J F Kindred and Henry Whatley, white; and all three of the colored trustees.

District No 5 - W B Stallcup J B Moseley and J J Gray, white; and W P Goyne, col.

District No 6 - F M Woods and N A Gatlin, white; and Paul Mathis and John Brown, col.

The election is ordered to be held at the following named places with the officers as named by the Commission ers Court and are as follows, to wit:

District No I. Mims Chapel - E J Mims, Jack Tyler and Joe Wimberly.

District No 2. Lasater - G W Smith, J W Ferrell and R F Pyland.

District No 2. .Kelljville - T W Shackelford, J N Kelly and G W Davis.

District No 3. Jefferson - E S Hooper, R B Walker and D M Bramlette.

District No 4. Lodi - J H Holly, Spencer Ford and R G Blackbourne.

District No 4. Grange Hall - Zeb Akins, Joe Brooks and D W Taylor.

District No 5. Smithland - J H Mc Neely, H M Bailey and Mat Moseley.

District No 6. Glen Mill - John Skin ner, J W Smith and D D Dodd.

District No 6. Lodwick Mill - Tom Wurtsbaugh ,John Lindsey and Frank Cooner.

The said election to be held under and according to the laws of the State of Texas providing for and governing general elections

Witness my hand and official signature this the 27th day of Feb, 1907.

R A Loomis County Judge

Notice Colored School Patrons of District No 3.

You are urged and requested to support the following:

In response to election proclamation of School Trustee sent out by our worthy County Judge We the colored patrons of said District met at the Masonic Hall March 11, 1907 and at which time and place unanimously agreed to support and elect Tom Jackson and Peter Powell Trustees for next term.

Dr T E Speed Chm.
 J W Crane Sec.

Respectfully submitted A G S Atkins Rep'r

The Colored High School Jefferson Texas closed Friday May 26th with graduating exercises that were well received by an audience of nearly 500. 

An address to the class of four young men and nine young women by Dr E L Blackshear, president of the Prairie View Normal and Industrial College was punctuated with wholesome suggestions that cannot fail to ripen into a fruitage sure to bless at least Marion county and the neighboring counties and towns that were represented in the assemblage. The necessary awakening to ideas of industrialism on the part of our people was so well discussed by Dr Blackshear that farmers here are planning a later meeting when he will return to address them.

Diplomas were issued by Hon T D Rowell secretary of the Board of Trustees after his delivery of a pleasing address to the class and assemblage..

Those of the white friends of our town absent and present who have contributed in one way and another and from time to time to the success of the school were especially mentioned and thanked by its superintend.

"God Be With You Till We Meet Again" was never more impressively sung by any audience which later filed out full of regret seemingly that the end had really come. J C Pitts

ADDRESS TO GRADUATING CLASS 

Jefferson Colored High School by Prof E L Blackshear, Principal Prairie Views State Normal Industrial College 

Prof Blackshear in his address to the graduating class Colored High School on the evening of May 26, urged the importance of industrial training for the colored youths of Texas. He declared that it was his opinion that industrial training in some form should commence the very first day of the child's school life and continue in some form in graded steps throughout the entire course until the last day of school. He urged the colored boys to learn some useful occupation and stick to it, to save their earnings keep out of bad company and bad habits and to invest in property and acquire a home, He said he was glad to see so many people present, a large part of whom he understood were from the farm and a number were successful farmers and landowners, He expressed the opinion that the farm was the best place for the most of the colored race, because there was less of the stress of economic competition in farm life and less prejudice against negro farmers than against the negro as a mechanic, Then too, he said that the farm life was the natural, normal life a life of exercise, healthfulness, fresh air and of wholesome food. He contrasted the unwholesome conditions of the city slums and the tenements where most of the neroes dwelt ,in which consumption and other diseases were contracted which were making the death rate of the negro race greater than that of any other class of people statistics proving that the death rate of the negro was three times that of the white people. He spoke favorably and gratefully of the pleasant relations existing between the white and colored people of Jefferson and Marion county and referred to the interest shown in the development of the colored school at Jefferson by the good white people of the city, a number of whom were present at the exercises. He referred to Judge Rowell, former director of the A M and Prairie View colleges, as a true friend to the negro race and of the wise education of the negro youth. He also paid a tribute to Senator Culberson who he declared had appointed him to the position which he is now holding. Principal Blackshear commended the character and work of Professor Pitts, Principal of the Colored High School, who is also a graduate of the Prairie Views Normal and urged that industrial training should be introduced in to the colored schools, especially cooking and sewing for girls and carpentry and blacksmithing for boys.

 The Board of Trustees have elected teachers for the Jefferson city school white for the season of 1911-12 as follows Prof C G Truitt of Salisbury Mo. Superintendent Prof Ernest Bobo, Mrs S G Vinson, Miss Cinnie Preston, Miss Lena Moseley, Mrs Jennie Barns, of Longview. All teachers of the Jefferson colored school were reelected, Prof J C Pitts is Superintendent.