Race and Place Newspapers

The Reflector

Newspaper Information
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Date of Publication: November 18, 1933 (Wednesday)
Frequency: weekly
Article Transcripts

Page 1

Column 01
Negro Relief in Charlottesville

Transcript of Article

The press informs us that six hundred and sixty-three thousand will be advanced by the United States Public Works Committee to the city of Richmond for Negro relief. This money will be used to erect houses and build parks in the Negro slum area in Richmond. The housing project has a two fold purpose; namely, it will give Negro workers six months work or more and it will also tend to raise the standard of living among the laboring classes of Negroes in Richmond by the gradual elimination of the aforementioned slum area. Like any other movement, this proposition has its defects and, already, Negro leaders of that city have pointed out the fact that the project is likely to mean financial gain for certain white business men in the city and at the same time, it does not offer proper security for the government. The arguments advanced are logical but the advantages of the movement are obvious for, the plan will give six months work to five hundred Negro workers at the same time, will raise the standard of living among the lower and hard-working class by the gradual elimination of this slum area.

In several social centers plans are being made to use public works' money to finance large, self-supporting farming towns like Dr. Kelly Miller suggested to the N. R. A. officials several weeks ago. All around us pleas are being made for Negro Relief, which is encouraging; this fact suggests to us a Negro Relief in Charlottesville.

We are not advocating a "homing project" or an agricultural center but a City Improvement Plan strikes us as an idea. There are sections of our city where the residents have been paying taxes either directly or indirectly yet each rainy day they find themselves knee-deep in mud and cinder paths. A loan could be secured from the public works fund and streets and sidewalks could be constructed. The cost of the work could be paid by the property owners over a certain term of years with a removable interest. Of course the levy would constitute a lien on property that would hold against any other lien except prior taxes and levies. In this way, the government would have security on the money loaned. It would give our many idle men work to do, besides it would make the various Negro rental sections in Charlottesville modern, sanitary places in which to live and in turn produce citizens proud of and helpful to their country.

Summary of Article
An article that advocates a "Negro Relief in Charlottesville" to parallel the one in Richmond, which was funded by the United States Public Works Committee.

Column 02
True Democracy

Transcript of Article

Every American school child is familiar with the word democracy. He has heard the soap-box orator or the high-hatted candidate for city sewerage service or for some of the more elevated municipal positions fall back on the grand old word when others failed to flow. Later, this Sunday school teacher related the blessings enjoyed by fortunate souls living in this earthly paradise where every man is free and equal. His first grammar class in public school convinced him that the noun was derived from the Greek word demokratia, "demos" meaning people, and "krateo" meaning rule, the combination having the literal meaning of government of the people. Yes, every American school child is quite familiar with the noun and its significance to every American citizen.

Last August, three democratic election judges in Hampton, Va., lost sight of the fact that their party, like every other American political party, guaranteed government, directly, by the people collectively and so those gentlemen refused to allow Mr. L. E. Wilson to cast his vote in the State primaries because this citizen was a Negro. Mr. Wilson, a staunch, old democrat, secretary of the Building and Loan Association, in Hampton, Va., and an active civic worker, resented this treatment and sued the judges for ten thousand dollars. A jury, during the October term of the county circuit court, decided in favor of the election judges, that "only white citizens could vote in the democratic primaries". On Armistice Day, last Saturday, Judge C. Vernon Spratley of the Elizabeth City County Circuit Court over-ruled the jury's decision and held that no party could, in a State conducted primary, make lawful discrimination because of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

Judge Spratley's ruling will be lauded by ALL lovers of true democracy, for it is a fact that cannot be disregarded. Virginia Negroes are citizens of the State and, as such, enjoy the right to share the duties and responsibilities of American citizens. In a land that so religiously guarantees "Government of the people, for the people and by the people" and based on the principle of democracy, differentiation rules that are applied to some and denied others cannot be made.

Summary of Article
Claims that the ruling by Judge Spratley of the Elizabeth City County Circuit Court that no party in a state-conducted primary could discriminate on the basis of race, color or previous condition of servitude "will lauded by ALL lovers of true democracy."

Column 03
Typitown's Role in the Moulding of Youth

Transcript of Article

A committee, upon investigation, reported to the Civic League that Typitown's youth did not have the proper social environment. Another committee was appointed to visit the various socials and public dances, and then work out a definite recreational program. The youth was immediately exonerated from blame, for it was a known fact that although the public dance hall or side streets were not proper places for young people, but the adults had to offer something better if the others were undesirable. So, immediately a public meeting of parents, guardians and friends was called and it was largely attended.

The chairman of the committee gave the principal address in which he outlined the purpose of the meeting. He made a very inspiring address on the vital importance of moral and social training for youth. After this, he explained the possible remedy for the apparent indifference to their social life. It was as follows: In the first place a recreational center was necessary, even before this part was complete, one of the citizens present, who had no children, but who felt the spell of the Typitown spirit, offered an old building that belonged to him to the group. Then, various committees were formed to engineer drives for raising money, for securing chaperones to be present at the center alternately, each day, from four in the afternoon until eight in the evening. Good books were procured for the reading room in this recreational center, gymnastic equipment was bought for encouraging athletic prowess; the building was divided and on one side the boy activities were carried on and on the other the girls. On Friday, there was a general socialization period when both groups met together for socializing either dancing, cards or perhaps conversation under strict supervision.

Then various clubs were organized among them namely, "Etiquette Clubs", "Culture and Refinement" groups, "Tennis Clubs", "Debating Clubs", "Cooking and Sewing Clubs", "Clubs training for Leadership", "Reading Clubs", "Poetry, Literature and Art Clubs". Those patrons or friends who were most capable were made advisors for these organizations. Because the citizens of Typitown realized that Youth is restless and requires diversion, they made proper adjustments and now Typitown boasts of a city whose records show a very low percent of delinquency among its Youth.

Summary of Article
An article that uses allegorical Typitown to propose an ideal environment in which youth would prosper.

Return to Index by Date | Return to Richmond Planet | Return to Reflector
Search Newspapers | Return to Introduction