ated in other words thus: Should Negroes
exclusively be placed now on the faculties of the several missionary
colleges which Northern philanthropy has established in the South
since the close of the Civil War? There were then not only no schools
for us, but there were no teachers and no money with which to employ
teachers. No night in Egypt in the time of Israel was darker than
those years immediately following the Negro's emancipation. And what
must have been our condition to-day had not those pillars of light
been placed in our starless sky? But what is more, for thirty years
the same spirit and the same people who first made these colleges
possible among us, have continued their aid, and still make them
possible to-day.

And now let us see what advantages could be reasonably expected from
such a change in management as the subject suggests. So far as I know,
they who advocate the change establish themselves upon this
proposition, namely, "_Negro teachers_ are best for Negro schools."

And this is true, say they, (1) because being of the same race, there
must of necessity exist such a spirit of sympathy and helpfulness
between teacher and student as we could not reasonably expect were the
teacher and the taught of different races; (2) because placing before
students competent men and women of their own race as teachers sets
before them an example and an object lesson of what the students
themselves may become and do, that cannot fail to be inspiring; (3)
because the employing of Negro teachers in Negro schools furnishes an
honorable vocation to a large number of our own people who otherwise
would possibly be unemployed; (5) because Negro teachers in Negro
colleges, by their presence and work, increase the race pride among
ourselves and win for us greater confidence and respect from others.

These are weighty considerations, and, _per se_, have my most hearty
approval. But however complete may be our endorsement, we must not
forget that unqualifiedly acting upon them in the matter under
discussion would not be without its losses. Let us now consider what
these might be, and then we shall be prepared to decide whether we
would not--

"* * * rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others we know not of."

In the first place, if the people who own and sustain these schools
could be induced to sever their connection with them and turn them
fully into the hands of Negroes, although the colleges are already