Educational Injustice Quotes
Access not being free did not refer to tuition, but to the concept of free competition. At the time West Point and Annapolis did not admit students on the basis of meeting any educational preparation or test criteria. A student had to have a political patron for admission. As a result, most colleges and university faculty would have little to do with the service academies and whereas most other schools were making major changes to teach the rapidly changing sciences that were growing, few would interact with the academies. It was during this period that the service academies fell behind academically and never did catch up. Even today a student must be nominated by a politician—usually a Senator of Congressperson. At least today, the applicant must pass reasonable qualification examinations and have a strong high school record. Back in 1869 it was pure politics and Eliot and other Academics saw the schools as extensions of corrupt patronage politics as many student’s families bribed politicians for their sponsorship.
Mississippi has always had one of the poorer education systems of the nation. But in the early 20th Century, it was far, far behind other states. It was terrible for whites and abysmal and almost non-existent for Blacks. The Federal Government began some limited aid to education and many segregationists of the South feared that if the money were spent to improve Negro education as well as white education, the Southern, segregationist way of life was threatened. Vardaman was absolutely right to worry for what he and the other racists of the South feared most actually came to pass. See {584325} for another segregationists fear of educating African Americans.
