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In Chatham County School Case
Local Educator Challenges Court Decision
T . _ 7 T 1 _ _ r? 71/T O -I 7-- 7 ^^
Last week Judge Frank M. Scarlett of the Federal
District Court handed down a decision denying the petition
of a group of Negroes for integration of Chatham County’s
public schools.
Judge Scarlett, in a decision based on testimony by
witnesses for white intervenors that integrated schools are
harmful to both ichites and Negroes, ruled that a school
system which secures “the maximum result in the educational
process for all students and the minimum injury to any” is
within Constitutional bounds.
The Southern Cross requested comment from the Rev.
Timothy Dwyer, S.M.A., principal of St. Pius X High
School in Savannah. The following is his analysis cf the
testimony which led to Judge Scarlett’s decision.
The recent decision of Judge
Frank M. Scarlett to deny the
petition of a group of Negro
parents for integration of Chat
ham County’s Public Schools
has already attracted national
attention. Lawyers will argue
the merits of thfe decision in
higher courts. Eventually, the
Supreme Court may be asked
to decide the issue.
Columnist David Lawrence
claims that if the Scarlett de
cision is upheld by this court
then "the net effect could be to
limit the 1954 decision to the
principle of a political right,
whereby persons of any color
are entitled to attend public
schools, but are subject to edu
cational standards, which would
be recognized as a valid basis
for admission or rejection of
applicants.”
In opposing the petition, ex
perts, testifying for a group of
white intervenors, endeavored
to show that forced mixing in
the schools would be education
ally and psychologically harm
ful to both Negro and White.
As supporting evidence,
tests given at the University of
Georgia since 1954 were cited.
These tests showed a difference
of twenty points in mental ma
turity between the White aver
age and the Negro average. They
also showed that there is no
similarity in arithmetical fun
damentals and in the reading
comprehension levels of the
two races.
It is claimed, therefore, that
"failure to attain existing white
standards would create seri
ous psychological problems on
the part of the Negro student,”
This claim might be true if
the pupils’ color was the only
determining factor in the tests.
And, surely, no one is claim
ing that color alone causes the
difference.
What other factors were mea
sured: Home environment?
Community environment? Mo
tivation? Educational back
ground of the pupils tested?
These are important factors.
Were they considered?
Even the relationships be
tween the subject the and tester
is of extreme importance. Stu
dies show that the average I.Q.
of a Negro group dropped six
points when the test was ad
ministered by a white psycholo
gist. Likewise, white children
tested by a Negro psychologist
dropped in scores. Whereas,
when the groups were tested
by a member of their own race
the scores approached normal.
In reference, then, to the con
tention of the intervenors that
Negroes, as a group, are intel
lectually inferior to Whites, on
what evidence or grounds is
this contention based?
For, it cannot be denied that
some Whites are intellectually
superior to some Negroes, and
(Continued on Page 4)
Vol. 43, No. 36
10c Per Copy — $3 A Year
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1963
By Pope John
On JFK Europe Trip In June
Pope And President To Meet
For Third Time In History
WASHINGTON, (NC)~ For
the third time in history an
American president will meet
with a pope when President Ken
nedy calls on His Holiness Pope
John XXIII next month.
Confirmation that Mr. Kenne
dy will meet with Pope John
came from White House sour
ces. The meeting will take place
during a presidential working
visit to Italy, expected to begin
June 20.
As the nation’s first Roman
Catholic president, Mr. Kenne
dy will be making history by
calling on Pope John.
It is not yet known whether
the visit will take place at the
Vatican or at the Pope’s
summer residence at Castel-
gandolfo. Details of the visit are
to be worked out by a White
House advance party going to
Italy May 27.
During his European tour next
month the President will visit
West Germany and Ireland as
well as Italy. Mr. Kennedy is
to return to the U. S. June 29.
The two previous U. S. chief
executives who have met with a
pope while in office are Wood-
row Wilson, who visited Pope
Benedict XV in 1919, and
Dwight D. Eisenhower, who vi
sited Pope John in 1959.
Four other men who had serv
ed or were to serve as Presi
dent of the United States also
were received by popes. They
are Ulysses S. Grant, William
Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover
and Harry S. Truman.
Pope John received Mrs.
Jacqueline Kennedy in a private
audience March 11, 1962.
Originally President Kenne
dy and the First Lady were
scheduled to go to Rome on a
state visit in June and it was
expected that Mr. Kennedy
would have an audience then with
the Pope.
However, the state visit was
postponed when it became known
that Mrs. Kennedy is expecting
her third child in August and
would not be able to accompany
her husband at this time.
The presidential visit to Italy
was then reduced in scope to a
working visit which would in
volve only a trip to Milan to
meet with Italian government
officials.
Now, however, Mr. Kennedy
is to visit Rome and one or two
other cities as well.
Cardinal Suenens Discloses:
“Council To Speak
On Peace And War”
By Bill Fanning
NEW YORK, (NC)—The Sec
ond Vatican Council will speak
out on peace and war, Leo Car
dinal Suenens, Archbishop of
Malines - Brussels, Belgium,
has desclosed.
Cardinal Suenens, here to
address a meeting of the U.S.
committee for the United Na
tions on the recent papal peace
encyclical Pacem in Terris,
said the council will deal with
peace and war in a special
scheme on vital world prob
lems.
This scheme will take up such
issues as population, hunger,
race, the developing nations,
the Church and the individual,
the Church and culture, and the
Church and social and econom
ic affairs, he said in an inter
view.
The Cardinal is head of the
commission drafting this
schema.
Cardinal Suenens also said
he sees "no reason” why news
men should not be admitted to
at least some sessions of the
council.
He said the council Fathers
are "now studying how to make
it (arrangements forpress cov
erage) better in the next ses
sion.”
One idea under consideration,
he said, is to have one or more
bishops meet with newsmen
daily and discuss what is taking
place in the council.
Cardinal Suenens was asked
whether Pope John had advo
cated unilateral disarmament
in his peace encyclical, in the
event that both sides could not
be persuaded to disarm. He
replied:
"No. In Pope John’s view
both sides must disarm.”
The Belgian Cardinal spoke
at length of the need for making
the Church’s message more in
telligible to the modern world.
He interpreted the division of
the council Fathers at the first
(Continued on Page 4)
Prayers For Successful
Flight For Astronaut
(N.C.W.C. News Service)
Astronaut L. Gordon Coop
er, who set a U. S. space flight
record in his Faith 7 capsule,
was in the prayers of His Holi
ness Pope John XXIII as well
as thousands of U. S. Catholics
during his historic 22 orbits
of the earth.
While the Air Force major
was still in orbit (May 16),
Pope John said in Rome: "We
follow them (Space flights) with
prayers of blessing. We wish
them real success that they
may be a contribution to broth
erhood and civilization.”
The Vatican City daily, L’-
Osservatore Romano, had a
front-page story on the space
flight, plus a front-page editor
ial by editor Raimondo Man-
zini.
The editorial took note of the
Pope’s statement that he was
praying for the success of the
flight and also said: "In re
cording this new achievement
and success of the American
nation with the merit it
deserves* one notes again that
science is in the service of mam'
kind. This is a triumph of tech
nology which man has created
with the spark of reason given
to him by God.”
Before Maj. Cooper was
rocketed into space he received
telegrams from a Catholic bi
shop and from an abbot in his
hometown of Shawnee, Okla.,
assuring him of prayers for the
success of his mission.
Bishop Victor J. Reed of
Oklahoma City-Tulsa said in
his telegram to the astronaut:
"The exploration of outer
space unveils before man the
infinite majesty of God, the
Creator of the universe. As one
of America’s pioneer explorers
you will be uniquely privileg
ed to carry your Christian Faith
and the Stars and Stripes bey
ond the confines of this plan
et. The prayers and best wish
es of your fellow Oklahomans
of Catholic Faith will accom
pany you on this historic jour
ney.”
Abbot Philip Berning, O.S.B.,
(Continued on Page 5)
INDEX
QUESTION BOX 4
EDITORIALS 4
MARRIAGES 6
YOUTHSCOPE 5
HERE AND THERE. 6
OBITUARIES 6
BISHOP McDONOUGH begins Solemn Pontifical Mass,
commemorating the 100th anniversary of Augusta’s Histor
ic St. Patrick’s Church. Ceremony was attended by more
than 450 clergy and laity. — (Morgan Tity Photo)
SAINT PATRICK’S CHURCH
CELEBRATES CENTENARY
AUGUST A—Approximately
450 persons attended a Solemn
Pontifical Mass last Sunday ev
ening, marking the 100th anni
versary of the consecration of
St. Patrick’s church here.
Preparations for the anniver
sary celebration were begun
months ago, when an extensive
renovations program was
undertaken. The entire inside
of the historic church was re
decorated and repairs under
taken on the outside walls.
Although the inside of the church
had been repainted in 1944, no
major work had been done on
SILVER JUBILIARIANS—Archbishop John J. Krol of Philadelphia is pic
tured with Bishop Thomas J. McDonough and other priests of the Overbrook
ordination class of 1938 as they gathered earlier this month at St. Charles
Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, for a solemn pontificial Mass of Thanks
giving. Archbishop Krol presided at the Mass celebrated by Bishop McDonough.
—(Philadelphia Standard and Times Photo)
the outside walls since the
church was first opened one
hundred years ago.
Said the Rev. Ralph Seikel,
pastor, "arenovations program
such as the one undertaken here
at St. Patrick’s brings into
sharp focus the high cost of
construction today, as compar
ed with a century ago.
This church was built one
hundred years ago at a cost of
$42,000. The renovations pro
gram just completed cost al
most as much—$40,000.”
His Excellency, Bishop
Thomas J. McDonough was
celebrant of the Mass, assisted
by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Daniel
J. Bourke, V. F., who served
as Assistant priest. Father Ke
vin Boland, instructor at St.
John Vianney Minor Seminary
was Deacon and Father John F.
Schroder, S. J. was Subdeacon.
Serving as Deacons of Honor
were the Rev. Arthur Weltzer,
pastor of Holy Farmily Church,
Columbus and theRev. Nicholas
Quinlan, pastor of St. Joseph’s
Church, Augusta. The Rt. Rev.
Msgr. Andrew J. McDonald,
Chancellor, and the Father Sei
kel were Masters of Ceremon
ies.
Besides the clergy from Au
gusta’ s other Catholic church
es, priests from various parts
of the Diocese were present.
Among the visiting clergy
were the Rt. Rev. Msgr. George
Lewis Smith, from Aiken, S. C.J
Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Toomey,
pastor of St. James, Savannah;
Rev. John O’Shea, pastor of St.
John the Evangelist, Hapeville,
Georgia; Rev. Richard Morrow,
pastor of St. Bernadette’s, Ce-
dartown, Georgia; Rev. Timothy
Flaherty, O.S.C., assistant pas
tor of Sacred Heart, Savannah;
ahd Rev. Herbert J. Wellmeier,
assistant rector of the Cathe
dral, Savannah.
Choir for the Mass was the
Glee Club of Aquias High
School, Augusta.
Bishop’s
Council Meets
At Columbus
COLUMBUS—Bishop Thom
as J. McDonough addressed the
Deanery meeting of the Bishop’s
Council of Catholic Men, held
May 12th at St. Ann’s School.
His Excellency reiterated his
plea for vocations saying that
"the laymans first step in as
sistance to him was to encou
rage vocations to the priest
hood.” The Bishop recom
mended a "ParishOpen House”
to be conducted during the early
fall months.
Reports were submitted and
read to the delegates by the
Deanery Committees. Rt. Rev.
Msgr. John D. Toomey, Spirit
ual Director, told the men that
from these reports they can
see the result of their work
and see where action is needed.
Msgr. Toomey also urged
greter participation in the
local Holy Name Societies.
The following slate of officers
was presented, elected and in
stalled:
President, Ray Dwornik, St.
Teresa’s, Albany; Vice-Presi
dent, Al Eversman, St. Ann’s,
Columbus; Secretary, Major
Linus F. Pottebaum, USMC, St.
Teresa’s, Albany; Treasurer,
Joseph H. Long, St. Benedict’s
Columbus.
Serrans
Host
Pastors
SAVANNAH—The Serra Club
of Savannah played host to the
pastors of Chatham County Ca
tholic Churches at their semi
monthly meeting last Wednes
day evening.
Guest of honor and principal
speaker was Bishop Thomas J.
McDonough. Serra Club mem
bers, he said, participate in
one of the most important tasks
of any Bishop.
The Serra Club is an organi
zation of Catholic men dedicated
to the promotion and fostering
of vocations to the Priesthood.
"Your patron, Fra Junipero
Serra, accomplished truly great
things for God,” said Bishop
McDonough. "He founded a
chain of missions which to this
day dot the length of the state
of California. It was largely
through his efforts that the
Faith of the first Christian in
habitants of that State was kept
alive. It was to the missions he
built that they came to be re
freshed in spirit by the Word
of God, and to be joined to Christ
in the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist.”
"You are continuing in his
footsteps. Because through your
work and prayers the Grace of
God is stirring the hearts of our
young people, awakening in them
the desire to follow in the foot
steps of the Eternal High Priest,
bringing to men the same Word
of God and the same Holy Sac
rament of the altar.”
Mr. William Gaudry, newly
elected President of the Savan
nah Serrans presented Bishop
McDonough with a burse to be
used toward the education of
some worthy young man
studying for the priesthood in
the Diocese of Savannah.