The first edition of "The Reflector" was issued August 5, 1933. One year has passed; twelve fleeting months, fifty-two weeks packed with history-making events that have occurred in our country, our state and our city. A journal of this type, one of Calendar and Comment, cannot go to numerous news files and review in detail, the long chain of events that makes up "news" of a given period. Because news accumulated for a purpose must be condensed, classified and published, the bold presumption tha t it is what readers would be more interested in reading, a review would locally follow a similar trend.

One year has passed; a year that placed our nation under the wings of the Blue Eagle; a year that put hundreds of small business men out of activity and thousands of Negro laborers out of jobs by an implied doctrine, of the employers, which did not allow them to pay $12.50 per week to a Negro when a white man was out of work. A more liberal group, under the N.R.A. spell, agreed that the Negro needed work and should have it, but that since his standard of living was lower, his wages should be lower also. Of course this group did not explain how the Negro was going to pay the same prices, for necessities of life, as other workmen, when his fixed income was, in some cases, fifty-five per cent less than that of the foreign born and white laborer.

The year has produced also one of the highest lynch records ever made in America. These lynchings have drawn protests from outstanding men and outstanding institutions. However, all of this valuable public opinion was not enough to convince the 73rd Co ngress that American citizens were disgusted, at last, with the two prevalent mob rule sweeping the nation and so, that body adjourned making among a score of blunders, the gravest of all, that of not even considering the Costigan-Wagner Anti-Lynch Bill.

One year has passed; a year that produced Negro jurors in Virginia. A year in which it was definitely decided that the Commonwealth of Virginia could not defray the expenses of a primary and allow only citizens of a certain color to participate. It was further decided that in Virginia qualified Negroes are American citizens, not to be discriminated against by election judges and that the same rights and privileges extended other taxpayers at State primaries should be extended to ALL taxpayers.

The year has in its log a record of remarks of the Honorable Governor Peery of Virginia, who stated that it was not the duty of a state to provide professional training for its citizens and that its duty had been discharged when training amounting to that of an A class high school was within the reach of ever citizen. This statement was evidently made in haste or before the Honored Sir became cognizant of the fact that there are eight state supported schools giving professional training to white men and women in Virginia and that there are only six class A High Schools for the Negro youth.

One year has passed and there have been many changes in Charlottesville too. A welfare organization made up of local women did much towards aiding the Negro relief program and it is still active in that field of endeavor. The Central State Medical Soci ety held clinic and ward rounds at the University of Virginia Hospital, establishing a record for Negro medical organizations. The International Labor Defense movement having apparently become quiet, the citizens are rightfully paying more attention to t he activity of our local affairs. We have new swings at the park and regular attendants; also construction of the rest room will soon begin. We have a Negro library located on the first floor of the Jefferson Graded School with many interesting volumes and other types of reading material and also promises of more as interest in the project increases.

One year has passed. To the hundreds of weekly readers of this journal in the city and throughout the state and to local men and women who have supported this paper by advertising, through encouraging letters and by reading, many thanks to you for the p assing of a very successful year. It may be in order, at this point, to acknowledge the several oral and written compliments on what has been termed the "three point platform" of this journal. May we repeat here the words that we have used so often; "we entertain no ambition for so-called personal glory, our task is primarily that of reflecting the progress of our community and race by such methods that may accomplish that objective."