Prof. W.F. Anderson, principal of Lafayette Lincoln School from 1891-1909
Editor's note: To celebrate Black History Month, the Journal & Courier is featuring daily briefs about prominent Black community members in Tippecanoe County.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — At the turn of the 20th century, the principals of Lincoln School assumed leadership roles in Lafayette’s Black community.
Prof. W.F. Anderson, principal of Lincoln School from 1891-1909, competently filled that position, but the role came with considerable challenges.
In 1882, Anderson was one the first Black high school graduates. Before moving from Madison, Indiana, and coming to Lafayette, he taught school in North Vernon, Madison and Shelbyville, Indiana. In 1885, he joined the Odd Fellows and for decades took on leadership roles in additional African American lodges.
As principal of Lincoln School, Anderson fostered Black pride by organizing Emancipation Day community and school, but he also needed to perform janitorial services for Lafayette businesses, wait on tables at parties and banquets and beat and clean carpets for hire.
In 1901, Black patrons of Lincoln School protested Anderson’s after-school activities. They petitioned the board of school trustees, believing that a teacher in a public school, especially a Black school, should uphold the dignity and respect of a teacher.
They reasoned if the children saw their educated and intelligent teacher doing menial labor, it would cause them to believe, “it was impossible for them to rise to higher advancement.” The school board denied their petition to forbid Anderson from accepting outside labor and a Lafayette newspaper editorial chastised the petitioners for not admiring Anderson’s industry and hard work.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Prof. W.F. Anderson, principal of Lafayette's Lincoln from 1891-1909
