Negroes Getting Three New Buildings at State Normal School But Approved Work on White Schools On Hold as E.F. Aydlett 'Saves Money' June 9, 1922

Negroes Get Theirs While Whites Wait. . . But Mr. E.F. Aydlett Explains That White Taxpayers Are Saved Money

The same session of the Legislature that authorized a bond issue for new public school buildings in Elizabeth City authorized a bond issue for new buildings for the Negro State Normal School at Elizabeth City. Three buildings for the State Normal are nearing completion and complete water and sewerage systems for the school have already been completed. Not a lick of work has been done on the city schools yet. E.F. Aydlett, Chairman of the Board of Graded School Trustees, made a great speech the other night explaining it all by saying that his Board was saving the taxpayers a lot of money. When Mr. Aydlett can’t explain things, then things cant be explained; but all the explanations in the world will not give the white children of Elizabeth City the school facilities that the students of the colored State Normal School will have next fall. Local taxpayers may be saved some money, but the dollars saved will never retrieve the educational opportunities lost to hundreds of children.

From the front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, June 9, 1922