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Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky.
OV. Lawrence Wetherby, attend
ing the Southern Governors Con
ference at Boca Raton, Florida, took
what competent observers here con
sidered a significant step when he
declined to sign a petition offered by
seven other southern governors pro
testing enforced integration in south
ern schools.
Earlier, Gov. Wetherby had refused
to support a resolution offered by
Florida’s acting Gov. Charley Johns
which would have put the conference
on record as favoring a constitutional
amendment permitting equal but
separate school facilities for Negroes.
Veteran Bluegrass reporters saw in
the governor’s action: (1) proof that
he intends to “comply with the law
as set forth by the Supreme Court,”
as he had earlier promised, and (2)
indication that the Democratic or
ganization, led by Wetherby, Sen.
Earle Clements and Sen-elect Alben
Barkley, does not believe that A. B.
“Happy” Chandler can make effective
use of the integration issue in next
year’s gubernatorial election. Chand
ler, former governor, U.S. Senator,
baseball commissioner and now again
an active candidate for governor, has
been linked in the past to States’
Rights forces which oppose racial in
tegration in the schools.
LOUISVILLE PROGRAM
Meanwhile, plans are being made
in several sectors of the state for
speeding integration as soon as the
Supreme Court hands down its deci
sion governing the course that deseg
regation must follow. In populous
Jefferson County, which includes
CHARLESTON, W. Va.
^fEST Virginia, which was the
scene of the first organized pro
tests against integration, is experien
cing a period of almost complete tran
quility as the time approaches when
its legislature must take some kind of
action in the 60-day session begin
ning Jan. 12.
A move has been started, but re
mains unorganized, to reduce the
number of State colleges since all
are now accepting both white and
colored students. Some observers feel
that to continue all institutions of
higher learning is only duplicating
services, particularly in the southern
sector of the state.
Because of this a determined effort
seems to have been made by West
Virginia State College an Institute,
near Charleston, to increase the num
ber of white students in what for
merly was an all-Negro school. Full
nnd part-time white pupils attend-
mg West Virginia state now are un
derstood to exceed a hundred in num-
The trend at Bluefield State
College, near the Virginia line, is
not as definite.
Officials at neither former Negro
college mention the subject but it is
understood that they are determined
° keep operating. West Virginia
“te, in particular, has one of the
est physical plants in the Mountain
fate and a great percentage of its
Rodent body comes from beyond the
?®te line. At one time this was more
an half, but now probably is closer
w 35 per cent.
Revenues down
But with West Virginia’s economy
nrting from a 20 per cent drop in
lat V r<x fuction, the incoming legis-
g re > strongly Democratic, must
ahl neW sources °f income just to be
j 1® f° stand still. A seven million
di® anr >ual deficit already is pre-
e c ec and much of this could be
ed if both schools and college
re completely integrated.
stu dents af the two for-
v >dLl egr ° * nst 'tutions could be pro-
YjJ . f° r at such schools as West
at Montgomery and
both f ^ College at Huntington—
which already have Negro pu-
i 6llCe ^'fhout too much inconven-
Louisville with one-sixth of Ken
tucky’s population and more than
one-third of its Negroes, Louisville
Supt. Omer Carmichael launched an
intensive “grass roots” program
which he hopes “will give us an idea
of what our problems will be and
how best to meet them.”
On Nov. 19, Carmichael asked each
of his principals to meet with his
teachers and discuss the matter of
integration. Each teacher and prin
cipal is then asked to submit to Car
michael a list of problems that teach
ers and principals would like to have
studied, or which they expect to en
counter in the process of integration.
PTA presidents have been asked to
meet with their members and prepare
similar lists.
“We will then compile a complete
list of all problems concerning in
tegration, and submit the list to every
principal, teacher and PTA mem
ber,” Carmichael explained, “asking
them in turn to send in again any
suggestion or possible solution to any
of the problems. From these answers,
we hope to be able to compile a store
of information that will be of help to
us should difficulties arise.
“We hope,” he says, “that by spring
our staff personnel will have com
pleted preliminary studies, and that
by the time the Supreme Court hands
down its explanatory decision we will
be ready to go to work. At any rate,
we will be accustomed to thinking
about the matter. We will not be
afraid of it, and we may have evolved
policies that will smooth out the
transition.”
Mr. Carmichael said that while he
expects “no bad trouble,” there un-
Huge savings, economists also
argue, can be obtained with the abol
ishment of separate school bus sys
tems for white and colored pupils
in addition to consolidating all young
sters into single classrooms. No one
seems to be resisting such moves on
an organized basis although some
difficulties probably will occur before
the whole plan is accomplished.
The protests which occurred in
Greenbrier, Barbour, Boone and Ma
rion counties, seem to have suc
cumbed under their own weight. Per
haps the lively interest in the No
vember elections gave objectionists
another outlet for their activities,
but, if so, the subject of segregation
never reached the speakers’ rostrum.
Meantime, both white and Negro
teachers are hopeful of an increase in
salaries for the term beginning in
September of 1955. In this they have
the support of State School Supt. W.
W. Trent, who has said he would
recommend to the governor and the
legislature an increase of $40 a month
for all teachers holding certificates
based on academic degrees. The in
crease. if granted, would cost approx
imately $4,347,000, he said.
Recently, the Negro teachers were
voted membership in the State Edu
cation Association, formerly restrict
ed to white instructors.
MORE MONEY NEEDED
Supt. Trent, who along with Gov.
William C. Marland, approved the
wisdom of the Supreme Court’s de
cision outlawing segregation, says
that another six million dollars will
be needed to maintain the states
present school program. This does not
include any allowance for increased
enrollment, which Trent estimated
would cause added expense of $800,-
000 to $900,000; money for additional
teachers needed for extra pupils, or
for increased cost of utilities.
All of this adds up to at least $11
million more annually, including the
proposed salary increase.
“We must have more revenue or
the school facilities must be mate
rially curtailed,” the superintendent
declared, while side-stepping any
mention of the possibility of reducing
costs through integration. This he is
leaving to political leaders.
doubtedly will be “people who will
have trouble adjusting.”
“I believe the students will cooper
ate in most cases,” he said, “and we
know we can count on the press. The
way the press has moved in with the
Southern Education Reporting Serv
ice has been wonderful. And we feel
confident that we will receive honest
reporting and sympathetic editorial
help.”
County Supt. Richard Van Hoose,
who supervises all county schools
outside of Louisville’s city limits, has
also begun a study of the problems of
integration.
“I do not anticipate any serious
racial trouble,” he declares, “regard
less of the way we are told to inte
grate.”
Like many of the state educational
officials, however, Van Hoose says
that he “hopes the Supreme Court
will give us a little time to put de
segregation into action.
“It is not a matter of racial con
flict,” he adds, “but rather a matter
of housing.”
Previously, Jefferson County Ne
gro students were educated in segre
gated elementary schools, and then
sent into Louisville for high school
training, with the county board of
education paying the city an agreed
tuition for each county student.
“We will be able to absorb the ad
ditional children, both Negro and
white, into the lower grades,” Van
Hoose believes, “but where we are
going to put those high school stu
dents, I just don’t know. It’s hard to
say just how much we are going to
be able to do until we find out exact
ly how much money we are going to
have and what our building program
is going to be. We are anticipating
3,000 additional students next year,
and hoping somehow to find the
classroom space for them.”
“It is possible,” Van Hoose said,
“that classroom crowding might make
integration a little more difficult. I
hope, however, that the students will
not allow this crowding to aggravate
racial feelings.”
PANEL DISCUSSION
County school principals generally
agreed with the superintendents that
integration could be effected peace
fully. Speaking at a panel discussion
sponsored by the St. Matthews Lions
Club, Principal Jack Dawson of East
ern high school declared that “par
ents, not children, will be our big
problem.”
“If I could keep parents from talk
ing to their children, we could get
integration done next year within a
few weeks,” Dawson said.
Principal Kenneth Lam of Lyndon
said, “a lot depends on the attitude
of the school administration. All we
have to do is establish the right at
titudes, and the elimination of segre
gation will be accepted.”
Principal Kenneth Farmer of
Greathouse favored a gradual inte
gration, like the one tried recently in
Indiana. He joined Principal Margue
rite Lewis of Chenoweth in the opin
ion that placing Negro teachers over
white students “could cause trouble.”
Father Charles Boldrick of Holy
Trinity school disagreed. “Southern
whites have for generations been
reared by Negro mammies, and
taught by them, too,” he declared.
“Parents are our biggest worry, but
I’m sure it’ll work out all right if
we don’t get excited.”
The “gradualist” approach to in
tegration is not favorably regarded
by the privately-sponsored groups
that are already assuming a major
role in planning for the end of school
segregation. Dr. Hugh A. Brimm,
professor of sociology and human
relations at the Carver School of
Missions and Social Work and recent-
lv-elected president of the Kentucky
Council on Human Relations, de
clared on Nov. 16 that “the only way
to integrate is to integrate.”
“The pattern for successful inte
gration has already been established
in our colleges,” said Dr. Brimm,
“and should provide us with an en
couraging blueprint.”
TEAMS BEING TRAINED
Following a meeting of the council
on Nov. 21, Dr. Brimm revealed that
two-man teams consisting of a Negro
and a white worker were being train
ed in the problems and techniques
of integration in the schools. These
teams will be made available to any
SOUTHERN SCHOOL
mayor, superintendent or principal
who asks for help in solving problems
arising out of integration.
Dr. Brimm’s service will be state
wide, and will be offered primarily
for those areas outside of the Louis
ville area. A similar service for
Louisville is being readied by a spe
cial integration committee of the
Urban League, under the direction
of Charles J. Steele.
Carl Braden, Louisville newspaper
man, will be tried on Nov. 29 for sedi
tion charges growing out of the
dynamiting here last June of a Ne
gro contractor’s home.
Both Braden and his wife, former
newspaper reporter and a prominent
member of the Progressive Party,
were indicted by the September
grand jury. Also indicted on the
sedition charge were Vernon Bown
and I. O. Ford, and Misses Louise
Gilbert and Larue Spiker, all of
Louisville.
The October grand jury indicted
the Bradens, Bown, Ford and Lewis
Lubka, industrial worker, for con
spiring to damage private property
to bring about the success of Com
munism.
The indictments were returned by
the September grand jury after it in
vestigated the explosion which dam
aged the home of Andrew Wade IV,
in a Louisville suburb.
Wade, a Negro electrical contrac
tor, moved into the house in a white
neighborhood in May. The house was
bought and transferred to Wade by
Braden and his wife. Neighbors pro
tested the ownership of the house
Maryland
(Continued From Page 7)
not merely folly, but highly dan
gerous folly...”
That left only Atty. Gen. Edward
D. E. Rollins to be heard from, and
his friend-of-the-Court brief fol
lowed the McKeldin speech by two
days, and the committee of school su
perintendents’ report by a week. Mr.
Rollins, defeated on Nov. 2 by State
Sen. Ferdinand Sybert, argued, as ex -
pected, that the segregation cases
should be handed back to the lower
courts which first heard them, that
these courts should decree “an effec
tive, gradual adjustment” to a school
system not based on color distinc
tions and that the carrying out of de
crees should be left to local school
administrators.
The attorney general stressed the
point that there was as much differ
ence in the racial situation between
one section of Maryland and another
as “there is between Maine and Mis
sissippi.” A reasonable time schedule
was necessary, he said, because “what
may be done in one county without
perceptible effect could not be done
in another country at the same time
without grave danger of serious pub
lic disorder and violence.”
The Rollins brief vigorously de
fended Maryland’s record in provid
ing equal educational opportunities
for Negroes. Especially in the hiring
of teachers, he said, Maryland has
shown less discrimination against
Negroes than northern states where
segregation has been illegal for
years. Maryland, with a Negro pop
ulation of 388.000, emploved 2.900
colored teachers, he noted, whereas
New Jersey, with a 324,000 colored
population, had only 645 Negro
teachers.
Mr. Rollins said his office had re
ceived hundreds of letters “of varying
degrees of literacy” with advice on
the school situation, ranging on the
pro-segregation side from serious
proposals by an “earnest and intelli
gent” group of parents in Southern
Maryland to “outright demand for
blood and the reactivation of the Ku
Klux Klan.” On the anti-segregation
side, he said, “are those who are in
favor of immediate integration and
even in favor of the establishment of
hard and fast school districts, and the
reauirement that all pupils must at
tend a particular school regardless of
their or their parents’ choice in the
matter.”
MODERATE COURSE
The course the attorney general
said he preferred was the moderate
one outlined by Dr. John H. Fischer.
Baltimore city school superintendent.
This course does not involve any
West Virginia
NEWS —Dec. I, 1954 —PAGE?
by Wade, and several instances of
violence, including threats and
broken windows, persuaded Jeffer
son County police guards around the
house on a 24-hour basis.
A fiery cross was burned in the
yard of the Wade home by uniden
tified persons, and shortly afterward
the house was seriously damaged by
what police said they believed was
a dynamite explosion. No one was
injured.
RED PLOT SEEN
Commonwealth Atty. Scott Hamil
ton has said the investigation turned
up evidence that the blasting of
Wade’s home was either part of a
Communist plot or was Communist-
inspired for the purpose of stirring
up racial trouble.
Before the Wade incident, inter
racial progress in Jefferson County
had seen Negroes admitted for the
first time into Louisville parks and
swimming pools and on park tennis
courts and golf courses. Negroes were
admitted to the University of Louis
ville and the University of Kentucky,
and admitted to membership in the
Jefferson County medical, dental and
bar associations. Local newspapers,
as well as both white and Negro in
terracial workers, deplored the Wade
incident as a blow to racial relations
and Negro progress.
Braden, in a statement to the
Courier-Journal, declared that the
commonwealth attorney, having
failed to find the real culprits in the
Wade explosion, was resorting to
“McCarthyism” as a means of avoid
ing blame and gaining publicity.
deliberate effort to mix school pop
ulations. Instead, the tradition right
of children to go to the schools of
their own choice is preserved, with
color distinctions dropped. In Balti
more, in the first year of change, it
has meant that 97 per cent of Negro
children have remained in all-Negro
schools close to their homes, while
only 3 per cent have chosen to go to
formerly all-white schools.
As for the deliberate mixing of
children, or forced integration, the
Rollins brief had this to say:
Under no circumstances should little
children of any race be used as guinea
pigs in experiments to support or de
stroy anyone’s social theories. The pur
pose of an educational system is to edu
cate, and there can be no sound reason,
in the operation of a sound educational
system like that of Maryland, to operate
so as to arbitrarily create integration any
more than to create segregation.
The difference between the situa
tion in Baltimore City and in the
counties, which Mr. Rollins must
surely have had in mind, revolves
around the location of schools. The
Baltimore residential pattern is gen
erally all-white or all-colored, with
a school serving each neighborhood.
When children are allowed to attend
the school of their choice without
color distinctions, most of them
choose the school nearest their homes,
where the school population is pre
dominantly of the same race as the
neighborhood. Only in racially mixed
neighborhoods has there occurred
much racial mixing in classrooms.
In the counties of Maryland, the
small district schools serving white
or colored communities have given
way in the last two decades or more
to large consolidated schools serving
broad areas and sometimes an entire
county on a segregated basis. If chil
dren were allowed to go to the school
of their choice without racial distinc
tions, school officials assume that
some and possibly many Negro chil
dren living in the vicinity of a white
school would prefer to go there rath
er than travel many miles by bus to
the consolidated school formerly de
signed for Negroes.
Thus, an end of racial distinctions
in school admission might produce
considerably more racially mixed
classes in some Maryland counties
than in Baltimore. And the opposition
to such mixing is generally conceded
to be stronger and more articulate in
some of these counties than in Balti
more. Because of this situation, Mr.
Rollins told the Supreme Court that
local school authorities should be al
lowed time to work out their own
time schedules in the light of local
conditions. He added:
This court, or any court, should only
intervene where school administrators on
the local level can be shown to have
failed to exercise good faith and reason
able diligence.