Sumner High School - Maroon and White Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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THE NEGRO IN HOME LIFE AND INSTITUTIONS We seldom study the condition of the Negro today honestly and carefully. Why? Because it is so much easier to assume that because we are Negroes we know it all. Or perhaps, al- ready having reached our own conclusions, we detest having them disturbed by facts. As a Whole, we think very little of the homely joys, sorrows, and the progress of the Negro in es- tablishing institutions for himself. Let us first turn our attention to the life of the American Negro in the home. Many Negroes enjoy desirably located and desirably surrounded homes but in spite of this fact they have to live in deteriorated houses previously occupied by white tenants. Although this residential section has faded and the houses have advanced in age and de- teriorated in structure, their rental prices go up by leaps and bounds until they have reached possibly twice the original price charged the white tenants. Practically in no towns have Negroes enough political power and cooperation of members of its race to de- mand justice. If they move out of these areas there is great opposition to the invasion of white neighborhoods, except sometimes in those parts of the United States where Civil Rights are legalized such as in New York, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The relationship of the Negro, in some places,,in the home is so extremely varied that it is never safe to attempt generalization about it, but the average home is a subtle blend of affectionate ties and sentiment, per- sonality and adjustment to its environment. As in all other races there is the family of Ne- groes who are in poor circumstances. The physical setting would probably be, second hand furniture of inexpensive installment fur- niture to fit the limits of its dwelling and in- come, too great emphasis being placed on col- or and decoration and suffering from over- crowded conditions. In such a case probably both parents are employed. The children of the family do as they choose and as a result the family finally drifts and the members be- come lazy and begin the familiar habit of Page Forty-four loitering on street corners and the final result is the disorganization of the home. On the other hand, there is the Negro fam- ily that is in better financial circumstances. The home may be excellent in selection and arrangement. A cultured atmosphere may prevail and the Whole family is in full accord. The members of this particular family grow up and become a benefit to society while the members of the preceding family grow up, because of their acquired carefree nature, be- coming a complete menace to society. Seeing both sides of the home life we may conclude that the Negro population cannot be repre- sented adequately either by its broken homes or its normal ones. As the Negro grew from the bondage, he began to think of ways of some clean Whole- some enjoyment, and places of abode. For the victims of disorganized homes and mother- less children the Orphans Home was estab- lished for the betterment of the race in the year of 1888. For young Christian men who desired to enjoy an amusement center or who desired a place of abode, their prayers were answered by Anthony Brown, the first presi- dent in the year of 1853 in December, when he formed a Young Men's Christian Associ- ation. Since those times, the Negro race has estab- lished other means of betterment, the Day Nursery for children who have working par- ents and desire to leave them at a responsible place, and one of the latest established insti- tutions, the Community Center, which is en- joyed by all, both young and old. Convents of the Roman Catholic Church open their doors wide to Negroes and they have played a large part in making home life for older girls. The Negro race, as a whole, has made many strides, but until We, as a race, learn civic pride, the hardships of living beyond our means, that is, trying to start at the top and not at the bottom, forgetting the fact that success is attained only by hard work, our attempts for betterment will be in vain. Frances Gotier. 0 MAROON AND WHITE

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Intoned in Sepia What is the Negroes' most lucrative field in the world today? From the early days of the cake-walk to the rage of tap dancing, enter- tainment is the most profitable and demanding field. Through the acting, music, and dances, the art of the American stage has been infiu- enced by our races. The Negro has originated most of the dancing in the theatre audience. Many of our dances have sweipt over the world like the tango , turkey-trot , charleston , truckin , Susie-Q , and boogie-Woogie . There are many famous Negro dancers, such as Ada Walker, whose nimble feet we would have compared with those of Ginger Rogers, Bill Bojangles Robinson, the high- est salaried single dancer, Lew Leslie's Blackbirds g Adelaide Hall, Nicholas Broth- ers, Whitman 'Sisters. The first dramatist to appreciate the in- triguing opportunities in the life of the darker races was William Shakespeare. Ira Aldridge, who played in his master tragedy, Othello , was the first Negro to receive recognition in the legitimate English speaking stage. From this lovely beginning, acting was awakened. Thus, we have a great many ac- tors who are recognized. Some of the actors and actresses who have contributed to the art of the theatre are Richard B. Harrison, Ethel Waters, Charles Gilpin, Stephin Fetchit, Eddie Anderson, better known as Rochester, Louise Beavers, Edna Mae Harris, Hattie McDaniels, Fredi Washington, Nina Mae McKinney, Paul Robeson. 'The introduction of sound has opened film- dom to the Negro race. Today the Negro actors, dancers, and musicians that. originated in New York, find a place in film productions. Negro films are becoming a field now in Holly- wood. In the movies we find Herbert J effries, who has become famous as a cowboyg Ralph Cooper displays his ability as an actor in several movie productions, also. The Negro is heartily welcomed and ap- preciated in foreign amusement centers, as in London, Paris, and Berlin. Many of the out- standing plays that were presented on Broad- way have been carried abroad. Shuflie Along , featuring Josephine Baker, was played in Follies Bergere in Paris. Since her debut there she has created a sensation as femme noir. The late Florence Mills, Paul Robeson, and Garland Anderson were also received with an extremely cordial welcome. Happiness is an essential part of our lives. We, as a group of people, must have enter- tainment. It seems to be an inspirer to our course of progress. Comedians always help this important and significant feeling. The MAROON AND WHITE greatest comedian that appeared on the Amer- ican stage was Bert Williams, a man with unusual abilityg Butter Beans and Susie, Stephin Fetchit, and a number of others have achieved success. It was not until 1895 that the Negro min- strel tradition attempted to break. John W. Isham was the one to form a musical show, The Octoroons . Then vaudevilles followed. The first all-Negro comedy played on Broad- way was William's and Walker's In Dahom- ey . From that time on we have had a num- ber of hits as Dixie to Broadway , starring Florence Mills, and the late Hot Mikado , starring Bill Bojangles Robinson. Between 1925-1930, the staging of serious drama for the Negro was noticed. Generally, the plays produced were only concerned with lowly-life among Negroes. In an issue of the Liberty magazine, Belasco says: It is a far cry from native kraal to cosmopolitan stage-but the Negro has made the journey. Watch him in the next decade. We can all remember the continuous comeback of Show- Boat , a Ziegleld production, starring forty Negroes, Deep River , a jazz opera, ten Negroes cast in recognized parts, with Jules Bledsoe, baritone, the first Negro to appear in such a capacity in the operatic field in Amer- ica, and Rose McClendon, who was favorably criticised by Ethel Barrymore. Miss Barry- more remarked: She can teach them all dis- tinctiong Green Pastures , with Richard B. Harrison as De Lawd . The Negro playwrights have also taken ad- vantage of this new opportunity. They haw! tried, and succeeded, in portraying more realistically the average Negro. Much credit is due Jean Toomer's Balo and Kanis g Frank Wilson with his Sugar Cane , and Walk Together Children . Then credit is also to C. D. Lipscomb, John Matheus, Langs- ton Hughes, Randolph Edmonds, George A. Towns, Ira D. Reid, Zora Neale Hurston. Willis Richardson, Mae Miller. In patronizing our Negroes in the theatrical world, we are accommodated with 425 theatres of every type. Two-thirds of them are equipped to present vaudevilles or road shows. One-half of them are owned by other than Negroes. In our own city of St. Louis, a few years ago, there was the Booker Washington Theatre, exclusively owned and operated by a Negro, Charles Turpin. It is hoped that the Negro dramatist shall simply and devotedly interpret the life that is familiar to him for the sheer joy of artistic expression. Gertha Brock. Page Forty-five

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roles in films and whose throaty voice has been heard over the radio much of late, and the Ink Spots, now on a national tour, who make many vendor recordings. Most distinguished composer of syncopated music is William C. Handy, Father of the Blues. His most renowned blues song, the 'iSt. Louis Blues , is played and sung in all corners of the globe. In recent years, schools of music have been developed from former departments of music of the leading Negro colleges. A number of privately owned institutions are working toward the same end. Washington Conser- vatory is perhaps the oldest of these. This school was founded by Mrs. Harriet Gibbs Marshall, first Negro graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She is now working toward a Negro National Conservatory. Here young musicians may learn of the accomplish- ments of great instrumentalists, namely, Clar- ence Cameron White, Mary Europe, Helen E. Hogan, and Edward Jenkins, whose laurels have won abroad. This conservatory is also being organized for the express purpose of the study of compositions of such composers as William Grant Still. We swell with pride when we see our racial progress spotlighted in such great persons as Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Roland Hayes, and more recently, Dorothy Maynor. Like the race in general, their success was achieved through concentrated efforts, strenu- ous study, self-will, and high ideals. Elizabeth McAllister. 12' 1 5' ' Dream Boats Oh, we must set our little boats adrift Upon a ripple of our shallow streams, And hope a balmy breeze will fill their sails And guide us to the ocean of our dreams. Some boats may venture to a southern isle, A few may seek the charm of old Cathay, Some wander to the land of Midnight Sun, And many may not leave the tranquil bay. But to the Sovereign who keeps our skiffs We all must pray, however small they be, That some day, anchoring on that distant shore, We may announce that we have seen the sea. ART Familiar to all partons of art is the name of Henry O. Tanner, who, under the inspira- tion of his ambition and the desire to perpetu- ate his religious ideals, has set the pace for all Negro painters. Many Negro artists, using the Negro as a subject, have earned the ad- miration of the world. In his death we eulo- gize Malvin Gray Johnson who has left stories, written in oil with his paint brush, of his devotion to Negro spirituals. In life we laud Aaron Douglas, whose portrayal of the life story of Harriet Tubman may be seen on the Wall of one of the buildings of Bennett Col- lege. Likewise, no undue praise can be given to Elmer Simms Campbell, whose ability is unexcelled. These men, while only a few in number, tell the story of the development of Negro art. Elizabeth Wallace. I 2? ir -' . 54, fs MAROON AND WHITE Page Forty-three