About Southern school news. (Nashville, Tenn.) 1954-1965 | View Entire Issue (March 3, 1955)
SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS—March 3, 1955—PAGE 7 Georgia Georgia House Leaders ADMINISTRATION LEADERS of the Georgia House of Representatives, Floor Leader Denmark Groover Jr. of Bibb County (left) and Speaker Marvin Moate of Hancock County in a jubilant moment. /ANLY one law designed to help ” prevent mixing of the races in Georgia schools was passed by the state legislature in a 40-day session which had convened with the pas sage of laws aimed at strengthening segregation a primary objective. The Georgia General Assembly adjourned until next January after Gov. Marvin Griffin, in a surprise move, decided to let two bills, pre viously labeled “must” for anti integration defense, remain on the calendar but not come up for action at this session. Political observes, however, ex pect the legislature to be reconvened in a special session for tax-raising purposes this summer and measures dealing with segregation now on the calendar, as well as new proposals, could be taken up at that time. A number of resolutions designed to express Georgia’s opposition to the U. S. Supreme Court decree outlaw ing segregation in the public schools were adopted and there is no doubt that the Griffin administration, had it wished, could have obtained ap proval of other laws recommended by the Georgia Education Commis sion. The Commission, an all-white group of citizens from private and public life appointed by former Gov, Herman Talmadge to study ways and means of circumventing the court ruling, had made three recommenda tions to the legislature. FELONY LAW PASSED Only one, a law making it a felony for any school official of the state or any municipal or county systems to spend tax money for public schools in which the races are mixed, was passed. The law fixes punishment for violation at two years imprison ment plus liability for the money expended. The bill originated in the Senate, and, pushed by administration lead ers, whipped through easily. In the House, only two votes were regis tered in protest. The House gave the bill the re quired constitutional majority, 105 to 2, on a show of hands. Rep. C. C. Perkins of Carroll County, who au thored a number of proposed meas ures dealing with segregation during the session, jumped up to demand a roll call after counting of the show of hands. This is a time, he said, when men ought to stand up and be counted. Rep. Denmark Groover Jr., of Bibb County, House floor leader, extended thumbs-down on the re quest and, after a conference, the roll call plea was withdrawn. The two House members voting egeinst the bill were Rep. Hamilton Lokey of Fulton County (Atlanta) ®nd Rep, Bernard Nightingale of Glynn County (Brunswick). They warned the House that the law would mean school officials could not honor teacher contracts if a federal court decree orders races [nnced in any Georgia school, adding net it might be difficult to hire qualified teachers in that event. Under wording of the bill, the cgislators opposing it said, the mem- bers °f the General Assembly them- j v es would be guilty of a felony or appropriating money for a school et subsequently was ordered to eccept both white and colored stu dents. “This bill does nothing except wvf 6 3 re ^ an( f dare the people , 0 would attack our system to go ea d, ’ Lokey said in debate. 0: [HER BILLS SHELVED l a ^ne commission had also suggested ^(1) Permit school superintendents assign individual students to (2i sc ^°°f s i n their districts, ere * Allow local school boards to ate school districts and amend and ® r them at any time, the Pv had urged adoption of 0 _ proposals in his traditional s ktti ^ me ssage before a joint ses- g °f the House and Senate, dt the strategy changed, pg ® first recommendation was die ’ the Senate but allowed to a House committee, bottif, sec °nd proposed law was Wa- . dp in the Senate where it ° n ginally introduced. A Griffin administration executive department aide gave a clue to the strategy switch by commenting that any legislation short of the private school plan, approved by voters as a last resort weapon against integra tion in the Nov. 2 general election, would be useless and perhaps even dangerous to the cause of continued segregation. “These things are subterfuges and the court may strike them down,” he said. “Every time we suffer a reverse, we lose ground. We also run the risk of gradually softening people up to accept non-segregation.” ‘BOOBY TRAP’ SEEN A high state official, commenting on the decision not to make the school districting proposal a law, said it contained a real “booby trap” in that it might actually have forced mixing of white and colored chil dren in schools in some districts. He explained that the bill provided for a district to have only one school, and population dispersals, especially in large cities, might present insur mountable gerrymandering prob lems. He pointed out to the governor that such a district could have only one school, the official further elab orated, and it might turnout to be a mixed one. After this, the bill was dropped. Gov. Griffin said he thought Geor gia’s position on segregation is stronger without the legislation than it would be with it. House floor leader Groover said the administration is anxious not to create laws that might be killed later by Supreme Court action. The legislature, under Groover and Speaker Marvin Moate of Hancock County in the House and Sen. How ard Overby of Hall County, floor leader in the Senate, was well con trolled by the administration and the decision not to push the other two GEC recommendations was un doubtedly made for strategic rea sons and not from any fear of defeat. OTHER ACTIONS In other activities dealing with the segregation issue, the legislature: • Kept bottled up in committee a bill introduced by Rep. Perkins which would have provided penal ties of $2,000 in fines or 18 months imprisonment or both for persons or companies taking part in or spon soring participation by white and Negro athletes in any contest. The bill would have applied the same penalties to mixed dancing. Such a law would have affected at least two baseball clubs in the South Atlantic League and several in the Georgia State League who have used Negro players in past seasons. Bill Terry, president of the South Atlantic League, commented that action would “be up to the local clubs and I’m sure they wouldn’t try to buck it.” Bill Estroff, president of the Georgia State League, said such a law “would set us back 20 years.” • Allowed to remain in commit tee another bill by Rep. Perkins which would have made it a misde meanor for school officials to pay salaries to teachers who refuse to take oaths that they won’t teach mixed classes. School officials would not comment publicly on the meas ure but, privately, they said it was “superfluous” since another law makes spending tax money on mixed schools a felony. “Just more expen sive paperwork” for the state, com mented one official. • Adopted a resolution com mending E. N. Claughton, manager of a Miami, Fla., hotel, for ordering 24 Republican Negroes to leave his hotel at a mixed Lincoln Day GOP dinner. • Urged Congress to require U. S. Supreme Court justices to have at least five years of judicial ex perience before appointment, a slap at Chief Justice Earl Warren who presided when the court handed down its historic ruling against segregation. • Extended the life of the Geor gia Education Commission, a body empowered to plan means of cir cumventing the ruling requiring integration. • Called on Congress to amend the U. S. Constitution in order to prevent mixing of the races in mili tary service. • Urged Congress to amend the Federal Constitution to mak£ states solely responsible for their school policies. • Commended Rep. E. L. For rester of Georgia’s Third Congres sional District for introducing legislation in the U. S. House to prohibit federal courts and agencies from exercising powers over state school systems. • Asked the U. S. Senate not to confirm the appointment of Judge John Marshall Harlan to the U. S. Supreme Court, terming such an ap pointment “an insult to the South.” A lone voice in dissent was raised in the House. Rep. Lokey said mem bers of the legislature did not know enough about Judge Harlan and should not judge a man on hearsay statements. Georgia’s two senators, Richard B. Russell and Walter F. George, he said, were qualified to decide upon Harlan’s qualifications. FORRESTER’S BILL Rep. Forrester’s bill giving states sole jurisdiction over their school systems was introduced in the U. S. House of Representatives Feb. 8. It was originally suggested by Georgia Atty.-Gen. Eugene Cook in a speech before the National Association of Attorneys General. “The passage of this bill,” Forrester said, “Would be the complete an swer to the threat or fact, as the "case may be, that the federal gov ernment is beginning or trying to regiment education.” Gov. Griffin expressed “delight” over the proposed legislation and commented: “The framers of the Constitution were clear in their in tent to leave education to the several states. States build the schools, they pay the cost of maintaining these schools and the states should operate the schools.” Another Georgia congressman, Rep. James Davis of Atlanta, in troduced a bill before the U. S. House to revoke an anti-segregation order in the District of Columbia fire department. Davis said that the District Commission had put through the anti-segregation ruling while Congress was recessed last summer and had no opportunity to voice its sentiments. Integration of white and colored firemen had followed the ruling with several promotions made without benefit of civil service ex aminations, Davis said. A second related measure he introduced pro posed that the Civil Service Com mission be requested to hold com petitive examinations for filling officer posts in the Washington fire department. OFFICIALS TESTIFY Four Georgia education officials testified before a Senate Labor Committee hearing in Washington in behalf of proposed emergency legislation for school building assist ance. The witnesses were Jim Cherry, superintendent of DeKalb County schools; Claude Purcell, as sistant state school superintendent; William H. Shaw, Muscogee County school superintendent, and W. Paul Sprayberry of Marietta, president of the Georgia Education Association. Sen. George H. Bender of Ohio, a member of the committee, asked Cherry if he thought states opposing the Supreme Court integration de cision are entitled to federal money for school building needs. Cherry replied that integration of the schools would not decrease the total number of pupils and Georgia in tends to take care of all her school children. Later in the hearings, Sen. Bender again touched on the integration question. The transcript recorded the following exchange between Ben der and Shaw: Bender: “Since the Supreme Court decision, what are you doing about the Negro children in Georgia? . . . You have separate schools?” Shaw: “The state of Georgia re quires that, Senator.” Bender: “Are you going to respect the Supreme Court decision or are you going to adopt a private school system?” Shaw: “An amendment was passed which would give the legislature the right to give money to citizens to go to schools of their choice.” Bender: “But certainly we would not be in a position, with the Court being the last word, to provide money for schools in some of the states that are adopting this manner of procedure ... I imagine that in any bill that is passed by this com mittee or by Congress an amend ment will be offered, an anti-segre gation amendment ... I might as well be direct with you. The Washington committee hear ings ended with predictions that efforts would be made to include in the school aid bill provisions that no federal funds be made available to assist in the construction of edu cational facilities in segregated areas. Sen. Irving M. Ives of New York and Sen. Bender said they favored an anti-segregation condition in the school aid bill. Sen. McNamara of Michigan op posed an anti-segregation require ment. OTHER COMMENTS The Associated Press reported on comments of other members of the committee: Sen. Purtell of Connecticut said he thought school aid legislation should be for the benefit of “all children, not just white children.” Sen. Murray of Montana said he believes the controversy is a sepa rate issue that should be fought out later. Sen. Hill of Alabama said, “I think we can get a bill through without having to go into that issue.” Sen. Smith of New Jersey said, “The subject is a much broader one than can be dealt with simply by including a paragraph in any leg islation. It depends on how the Su preme Court handles the question of how and when to put its decision into effect.” SCHOOL LEADERS WARNED As Georgia school leaders met in Atlanta to present state school needs to the legislature, they were warned they must help maintain segregation in the classrooms if they want co operation from the state board of education. The school leaders outlined a multi-million dollar expansion plan called the Adequate Program of Education in Georgia to a group of joint House and Senate committees. The report was sponsored by rep resentatives of the Georgia School Boards Association, Georgia Educa tion Association and Georgia Con gress of Parents and Teachers. Following the presentation, George P. Whitman Jr., a member of the state board who has been sharply critical of educators for their fail ure to submit plans for segregation to the board and to the Georgia Education Commission, declared: “We are going along with you on selling this program but the ad ministration and the board are going to insist on adequate education in segregated schools.” Meanwhile, former Gov. Talmadge, who stepped out as chief executive of the state in early January, has kept himself in the public eye. The Supreme Court decision on segrega tion is criticized regularly in Tal- madge’s political paper, The States man, and the former governor has made references to the decree in several speeches, stating that the court has set itself up as “a glorified board of education.” OTHER DEVELOPMENTS In late January, the Episcopal Council of the Diocese of Atlanta adopted a resolution that racial segregation is un-Christian. The res olution, which passed unanimously read: “Be it resolved that the question of segregation is not a problem within the Episcopal church in the diocese of Atlanta, and be it further resolved that we affirm the Christian principle of the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God which means segregation on the basis of race alone is inconsistent with the principles of Christian religion.” In other segregation developments in Georgia, a special referendum in Forsyth was held to decide if Ne groes could use the balcony of the town’s only movie theatre. The vote was 446 to 196 in favor of the balcony seating arrangement. Whites voted 315 for and 193 against. Negroes voted 131 for and 3 against. The election was called after a controversy developed when the new owner of the Rose Theatre, P. E. Shave, obtained a court order per mitting opening the balcony to colored patrons. The order generated so much debate that Shave closed the theatre during the Christmas holidays. Prior to the election, about 40 in dividuals and business firms, in cluding seven local ministers, issued a joint public statement in favor of allowing Negroes in the theatre balcony. In Atlanta, construction of the South s first Negro-operated post office was begun. Designated “Sub station B,” it will serve approxi mately 53,000 residents. Although it will be operated by Negroes and will be located in a Negro neighbor hood, said Acting Postmaster Burl F. Sanders, it will serve the needs of anyone caring to patronize it.
