Newspaper Page Text
SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS—Jan. 6, 1955—PAGE 13
Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.
JCLAHOMA maintained its official
“wait and see” attitude on school
desegregation in December, pending
U S. Supreme Court instructions ex
pected in the spring. But several
sounding boards were humming with
pre-integration plans and speculation.
Educators sounded out legislators
on a proposed complete overhaul of
state school finances, including mer
ger of white and Negro education
budgets for the first time. Community
groups continued to sound out gen
eral public reactions, and white and
Negro teen-agers were sounding out
each other.
On the eve of the new legislative
session (opening Jan. 4), the Okla
homa Education Association unveiled
its complete financial proposal in final
form. The suggested plan involves
multiple constitutional changes that
the legislature will be asked to sub
mit to state voters.
The desired joint resolution has
been drawn, but it was not yet known
whether the amendment measure will
enter the legislative mill by the au
thorship or the committee route.
Only one change relates directly
to the question of segregated schools.
The new measure would wipe out the
dual budget system mandatory un
der present Oklahoma law (discussed
in detail in September and Decem
ber issues of Southern School
News).
NEW LEVY PROPOSED
Both the OEA and the Oklahoma
Association of Negro Teachers sug
gest a new 5-mill countywide ad va
lorem tax, to replace the total of 4
mills now levied countywide each
year for Negro school operation and
building funds.
Negro schools thus would become
a part of each local district’s financial
program in all respects. Negro school
bond issues, now submitted to coun
tywide elections, would be voted
upon only in the respective school
districts, under the identical system
now used for majority schools.
The reasons for a new law wiping
out the old two-budget system have
not been publicly questioned. But
OEA officials expect some legislative
tinkering with the actual financial
blueprint before it is turned over to
state voters.
Merging finances would not in itself
abolish segregated education in Okla
homa, OEA Executive Secretary
Ferman Phillips pointed out. “If it
should pass as here presented, the
change would merely put Oklahoma
in a position to handle any financial
situation arising when and if we do
get Supreme Court orders to com
bine the school systems,” he said.
Only the financial structure would
need changing by a constitutional
amendment approved by the voters,
educators believe.
Other state constitution bans, for
bidding joint schooling and setting
forth penalties for allowing mixed
attendance, would be “just so much
deadwood” if the Supreme Court
flatly declares such laws unconstitu
tional, Phillips said. Presumably,
those clauses could be eliminated
later by legislative enactment.
OTHER PROPOSALS
The 5-mill levy is dovetailed with
four other school finance proposals
hammered out over a year’s period
by an OEA legislative committee
headed by George Roberts of Bartles
ville. Education leaders have openly
welcomed the chance to seek a more
efficient and unified structure.
The whole proposal is now being
circulated quietly on a county-by
county contact basis, but has not
been officially pressed upon legisla
tors. No alternative proposals have
been publicly advanced, although
Gov.-elect Raymond Gary is known
to have some ideas of his own on
school financing. His campaign plat
form commits him to holding down
taxes.
Since Oklahoma’s school finance
system is unique, and since it has
been spotlighted by all affected agen
cies as the biggest single stumbling
block to school integration, an out
line of present and proposed systems
may be of value here.
In skeleton form, the picture is as
follows:
White schools now have these
sources of local tax income:
At least 5 operating mills from the
20 general fund mills divided among
school districts, counties and towns.
An added 15-mill levy, optional by
district vote.
An annual 5-mill building levy, op
tional by district vote.
Negro schools have these two
sources:
A 3-mill operating levy and a 1-
mill building levy, annually assessed
county wide and restricted entirely to
separate school use regardless of the
number of potential Negro students
in that county.
Possible total revenue for all
schools: 29 mills.
Taxes newly-proposed for all
schools:
A flat 20 operating mills available
to each district school board without
public election, on certification of
need.
An added millage obligation op
tional with district patrons in any
amount they might approve by ma
jority vote.
An annual 5-mill building levy.
The 5-mill “integration levy.”
Possible total: At least 30 mills.
NEW STATE HELP
All school districts now receive a
per capita share of the annual earn
ings from Oklahoma’s state school
land fund for general budget use.
The fund totals some 60 million dol
lars, and yielded $1,721,000 in interest
and income last year for common
school distribution.
The OEA now seeks to switch all
those earnings into a state public
common school building equalization
fund, up to a ceiling of three million
dollars. A state school building au
thority created in the same amend
ment would make grants to help local
districts build badly-needed class
rooms.
After a district had assumed the
maximum 10 per cent debt legally
permitted, the authority could grant
construction money at the rate of
$400 per pupil. Sites and equipment,
as well as actual construction, could
be involved.
A state public school facility sur
vey released in December projects a
need for $209,970,108 worth of new
classrooms by 1959-60, contrasted
with revenue resources probably to
taling only $81,439,785 for that period.
The new state building fund and the
higher ceiling on local indebtedness
are seen as fillers for that gap.
TEACHER CONTRACTS
Oklahoma law now permits only
one-year contracts between school
boards and their teachers and ad
ministrators. The new proposal would
permit boards to hire personnel “for
periods extending beyond the cur
rent fiscal year, under such condi
tions and limitations as shall be pre
scribed by the legislature.”
An official plea for time to enact
these, or similar measures, is already
on file before the Supreme Court, in
a brief submitted by Mac Q. Wil
liamson, Oklahoma attorney general.
Williamson has announced he will
appear in person at high court hear
ings, to speak for Oklahoma as a
friend of the court.
Meanwhile, public discussion and
information efforts continued among
community agencies. Among groups
tackling the question was a cross-
section of Oklahoma City teen-agers.
Some 150 white and Negro youths,
drawn from all public high schools
and the two Catholic high schools,
converged at the Negro high school
here for an all-afternoon integra
tion workshop. Sponsoring agencies
included the YMCA, YWCA, Urban
League, National Conference of
Christians and Jews, and the Okla
homa City Council of Churches.
Adult advisors sat in on each small
group’s session, but let student lead
ers guide the discussion.
Six suggested questions were listed
on the information sheet given each
delegate. Intended as guides to start
conversation rolling, the topics ranged
from “What Is My Responsibility in
School Integration?” to “What About
Extra-Curricular Activities?”
Some of their conclusions:
Negroes have always been unfair
ly treated; the present generation
faces the job of undoing the injus
tices; teen-agers must convince
adults the job can be done; and the
most promising immediate hope lies
in schools and churches.
All six discussion groups asked for
other chances to hold interracial
meetings, in special conferences as
well as planned school and church
“exchange” activities.
The teen-agers voted to use work
shop chairmen and the group leaders
and recorders as a permanent “youth
action committee” to chart some ways
in which students themselves can
work toward smooth integration.
Sara Mae Wiley, Classen high
school, and William Walker, Douglass
high school, continued as co-chair
men. The first of the committee’s
monthly meetings yielded these rec
ommendations:
1. Opening of the Inter-City Stu
dent Council to representatives from
“all high schools.” The inter-city
council now includes only elected
representatives from white public
high schools in Oklahoma City and
suburban Midwest City and Putnam
City.
The proposal to invite Douglass
delegates, and Catholic representa
tives, if feasible, has not yet been re
layed to the council’s membership
for action. Douglass high school ad
ministrators indicated their council
will welcome whatever invitation
may be extended.
2. Preparation of a series of inte
gration information programs for the
“Town Hall” hour carried on the
public school system’s FM radio sta
tion. Mrs. Elaine Tucker, station di
rector, had previously offered time
and advisory service for such a
series.
3. Resolution to encourage inter
racial program for the special high
school assemblies traditionally held
during National Brotherhood week in
February. Exchange speakers at the
various schools were suggested.
Virginia
RICHMOND, Va.
^HURCH groups figured promin
ently in segregation issue devel
opments in Virginia during Decem
ber, a month which also saw the
chartering here of a national organ
ization concerned over effects of the
Supreme Court’s anti-segregation
ruling.
The new organization, formed by
a group of residents of the Washing
ton, D.C., metropolitan area and
chartered by the State Corporation
Commission on Dec. 15, is National
Protective Individual Rights, Inc.
The charter lists the group’s pur
poses as:
?°.foster. Protect and maintain all rights
citizens and states as guaranteed by the
constitution of the United States.
1 ^° maintain all social customs now en-
® d practiced by residents of the
United States.
Officers are Paul S. Robertson of
exandria, president; Mrs. Bretie S.
olbach of Washington, vice-presi-
. nt > and Charles J. Dienelt of Wash-
ntgton, secretary-treasurer.
• Benjamin Simmons of Washing -
n . counsel for the group, told re
porters:
sh j ** (the segregation issue)
th° U t ° 6 to tbe determination of
r stat ® s t° accomplish integration—
to er . j 311 se *- any deadline—in order
pi=f VC>1 d violence. We respect the de-
sav ° n the Supreme Court, but we
the ? , a t*° n should be left up to
s and individual communi
ty.;!, 1? no P s ycbological complex
torcin 6 CI Jf atet ^ for white children by
night ” “ lem into integration over-
direct ^* lmons sa id the present seven
in th °«i t ^ le organization all live
brace Was (nngton area, which em-
and of nea rby Virginia
Schoot a ^ an d. He told Southern
e Xband j E ^ S ^ at the board will be
will in l j 6r *° ^ members and
other st°t 6 re P resen tatives from
ates as the organization sets
up chapters in those states. He de
clined to give out any figures as to
present membership.
Mr. Simmons also told Southern
School News that every effort would
be made to keep any undesirable per
sons out of the organization. He said
a group may have “a million” repu
table people in it and only one dis
reputable one, but that the “left-wing
press” would focus all attention on
the disreputable one.
Before approving the organization’s
charter, the Corporation Commission
ordered deleted a paragraph which
listed one of the group’s purposes as:
“To protect areas occupied by certain
races against encroachment of other
races or members of other races,
which result in nonstability of real
estate in said areas, except to mem
bers of one race.”
National Protective Individual
Rights, Inc., is the second group char
tered in Virginia as an indirect re
sult of the Supreme Court’s anti
segregation decision. The other, the
Defenders of State Sovereignty and
Individual Liberties, which received
its charter in October, is strongly op
posed to racial integration in the
schools. It was organized by residents
of southside Virginia, where the Ne
gro population is heavy.
BAPTISTS DISAGREE
Ten Baptist churches in Virginia
have notified the state’s school seg
regation study commission that they
disagree with the stand taken by the
Baptist General Association of Vir
ginia on the segregation question.
The association, meeting in Norfolk
in November, adopted a resolution
which said, in part:
We accept the fact that, regardless of
our own personal views, the decision of
the United States Supreme Court declar
ing segregation of races in our public
schools to be unconstitutional is the su
preme law of the land, which does not
violate any cardinal principle of our re
ligion, and as Christian citizens we should
abide by this law.
Last month the congregation of
Union Baptist Church of Achilles,
Gloucester County (a county in
which Negroes account for about 30
per cent of the school enrollment)
adopted a resolution “disclaiming”
the association’s position. The Union
resolution said the association had
“approved the abolition” of segrega
tion.
The Scottsville Baptist Church of
Albemarle County (a county with 21
per cent Negro school enrollment)
adopted a resolution declaring that
integration “is against the best inter
est and contrary to the wishes of the
great majority of Virginians” and
adding: “We feel that we should rise
up all over the Southland and be
heard at this time in order that this
lawless decision not be attempted.”
Seven Baptist churches in Sussex
County (67 per cent Negro public
school enrollment) and one in Em
poria, Greensville County (64 per
cent Negro enrollment) also have an
nounced opposition to the associa
tion’s stand on integration. The Sus
sex churches are Elam, Antioch,
Reidville, Newville, Sappony, Wake
field, and High Hill, and the one in
Emporia is the Calvary Baptist
Brotherhood.
The Presbyterian Outlook, denom
inational paper published here, has
told its readers that “the church and
ministers in general and the Presby
terian Church in particular were
given a rough time of it at the recent
hearing on segregation in Virginia,”
conducted by the Commission on
Public Education on Nov. 15.
The paper said there was “bitter
feeling manifested toward ministers
and churches who dared say anything
... favorable toward non-segrega
tion.” Representatives of the Presby
terian Synod of Virginia appeared at
the hearing to report on an anti
segregation resolution adopted by
that body, but some individual Pres
byterians who were appearing before
the commission expressed disagree
ment with the Synod’s views and
others have expressed similar dis
agreement in letters to newspaper
editors.
An editorial in the Presbyterian
Outlook, which is edited by the Rev.
Aubrey N. Brown, referred to the
commission as “a politically con
scious group appointed for precon
ceived purposes to try to circumvent
the Supreme Court.” The commission
consists of 32 men, all members of
the General Assembly, who were ap
pointed by Gov. Thomas B. Stanley.
The editorial declared:
The stand of ministers and church
groups on this subject throughout the
South is proving to be a troublesome issue
to the politicians and some others. They
tell churchmen to mind their own business
—obviously with no idea as to what the
church’s business is. They warn them to
keep out of politics, but they are not
greatly concerned about this if the church
groups will just take a strong stand on
their side. Like the Hitlers who have risen
on authoritarian horizons, they find they
can handle or pressure most of the groups
of our society by threats or reprisals, but
when they find a prophetic church on
their hands, they just don’t know what
to do with the prophets.
Lt.-Gov. A. E. S. Stephens, speak
ing on Dec. 4 to the Charles City-
New Kent 100-Bushel Com and Pas
ture Club, declared that Virginia’s
system of free public education
should be abandoned only as a last
resort. He said many persons would
not receive an education if it were
not for the public schools, and he
warned that if the schools are abol
ished, the state might lose “the things
we hold dear.” There have been sug
gestions that the public school sys
tem be abolished if necessary to
prevent integration.
During December a controversy
arose in Albemarle County over ac
tion of the county Council of Parent-
Teacher Associations in inaugurating
a series of weekly radio programs
for discussions of young people’s
problems.
The series began with a panel dis
cussion participated in by three stu
dents from a white high school and
three from a Negro high school. At
a subsequent meeting of the county
school board, two members, E. J.
Oglesby of the Rivanna Magisterial
District and F. E. Paullett of Scotts
ville, asked that the record show
their disapproval of the biracial dis
cussions.
Mr. Oglesby described the program
as “an integration of school activi
ties, and he added that he was “in
favor of not having any integration.”
But Board Member Charles K.
Woltz of Charlottesville District said
he had taken the position that a PTA
matter was not the school board’s
affair.
“If we get to the point where the
school board tells the PTAs what to
do, we’ve destroyed their usefulness,”
Mr. Woltz declared.
Each of the subsequent programs
in the series has included only stu
dents from one school, so Negroes
and whites have not participated in
them together.
Meanwhile, the Commission on
Public Education has held no fur
ther meetings since its Nov. 15 pub
lic hearing and no plans for any
meetings have been announced.
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Other recent developments in Vir
ginia related to racial relations in
general have included the following:
Dr. John M. Ellison, president of
Virginia Union University, has be
come the first Negro to be elected to
head the Richmond Ministers Asso
ciation, a bi-racial Protestant organi
zation. The association was formed
in the spring of 1953 by the merger
of separate white and Negro minis
tem’ groups. Dr. Ellison, a Baptist,
will be installed on Jan. 24.
Brantley Barr, a deacon in the
First Baptist Church of Danville and
trust officer in a bank of that city, was
fined $25 in the Danville Trial Jus
tice Court on a breach of the peace
charge. He was charged with inter
fering with John Tate, a news pho
tographer, who was taking pictures
of the crowd leaving the church on
Thanksgiving Day following a bi
racial service in which five white and
one Negro congregation participated.
The Negro minister, the Rev. L. W.
Chase, of High Street Church, de
livered the sermon. About 60 per
cent of the congregation consisted of
Negroes.