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SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS—July 6, 1955—PAGE 5 Florida Assignment Bill Gives Control To Local Boards What Do Students Think? A Paper Asks— MIAMI, Fla. JN THE spreading discussion of the segregation question at all levels, there have been few attempts to discover what the school children themselves think about it. The Miami Herald tried to find out. The editors sent a reporter to question a group of white high school students from three different schools. She reported that most “believe it will work—with reservations.” Here is the student comment: “I think it (integration) should be done right away. I think there would be trouble from prejudiced people, but not much.” “I don’t think we should have it at all—especially in the lower grades. Children don’t know any better. They don’t know who to associate with.” “I don’t think it would work unless they started it in the kindergarten. I think there would be a lot of fighting over general principles and girls.” “If they brought Negroes into high schools right now they would have a hard time. But if they started in the lower grades, there wouldn’t be any racial feelings after a while.” “I think it should be done real slow—not all at once, because there’ll be trouble if you do. But it’s got to be done.” “Where they have integration it doesn’t seem to be a problem. I don’t think there would be any problem here.” “There is going to be a lot of colored people coming into the schools pretty soon, and a lot of them will be good football players. We are going to have to face it sooner or later, but I’d just as soon they would stay where they are.” “By the time the kids get to high school they wouldn’t mix anyway, so I don’t see anything wrong with it.” “If it has to be done at all, I think we should let them come to school, but ignore them.” “It would cause a lot of trouble if they started it in the high schools at first.” MIAMI, Fla. i LAW passed by the Florida leg- islature as an avowed anti-inte gration measure may give local school boards all the legal authority they need to carry out the Supreme Court decision. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Charley E. Johns, of Starke, former acting governor, who spearheaded moves to preserve segregation. It di rects county school boards to assign each child to the school “to which he is best suited” and makes the decision of the local boards “com plete and final.” In explaining the bill, Johns told fellow senators that his measure would “ease the impact of the Su preme Court decision and avoid the tensions and disruptions in the pub lic school system.” “Counties that want to keep segre gated schools can do so under this bill.” The legislative process on this measure was complete before the court’s implementing decision. Gov. LeRoy Collins was expected to veto it. When it reached his desk, he said: “From what I have heard of this bill, I don’t believe it will serve any useful purpose.” But when the Supreme Court de cree was handed down, causing abandonment of several other pend ing anti-integration bills, the lone new law took on a different meaning. FOUND IN LINE After studying its provisions, State School Supt. Thomas D. Bailey said it is “right in line with the Supreme Court decision. In fact, it is perfect ly in line.” The law gives county school boards authority to “provide for the enroll ment in a public school in the county of each child residing in each county who is qualified under the laws of this state for admission to a public school and who applies for enroll ment in or admission to a public school in such county.” But the law also contains many other provisions. It fixes responsi bility at the local level. It gives local boards authority to employ special counsel to assist in handling legal problems. It provides for study groups and for the making of surveys to guide local school boards in their decisions. “All these provisions may now serve useful purposes,” Bailey said. “Based on this new law, I have sug gested that every county begin to set up bi-racial study committees. I am sure a good many will do so.” Bailey said the law also eliminates the possibility of a suit to enforce compliance being filed against the state board. “I do not know what our Supreme Court or federal courts might rule in event this law is challenged,” Bailey said. “But it offers all kinds of possibilities.” PUSHES STUDIES Bailey asked that the local interra cial study committees be set up as rapidly as possible to “ease the shock” of the integration process for local school boards. He said he believed these citizen boards, if they did a sincere job, would make court action less pre cipitate. He went on: “The Supreme Court is going to insist that school districts make some effort to conform to the ruling. “By having these advisory com mittees at work, it will demonstrate that the order isn’t being ignored and that some positive steps are being taken to meet the requirements the court set out.” Bailey said several factors give weight to the belief that there will be no rush of litigation—school fa cilities for Negroes generally are good, the current building program is making them better, and Negro teachers are well trained and paid. He urged that there should be no premature rush to the courts. “In my judgment,” he said, “the worst mistake that could be made now would be for any agitators in the next six to 12 months to force the issue in local situations by court action, until sufficient time has elapsed for some intelligent planning and thinking.” The state superintendent said the Supreme Court action, as well as the new state law, places the responsi bility for integration at the county and local district level. “This is not a matter for the State Board of Education,” he said. Negro leaders immediately urged that state level planning be under taken as a guide to local groups. William A. Fordham, president, and Francisco A. Rodriquez, special counsel for the Florida National As sociation for the Advancement of Colored People, pointed out that the court used “prompt and reasonable” in defining the pace of compliance. “The term ‘prompt’ connotes noth ing which may be construed as to morrow or when we get around to it,” the NAACP spokesman said. “As a matter of fact, ‘prompt’ means now, immediate, during the present. Therefore it can be con cluded that, while the court has not set a deadline for the conclusion, it has unequivocably set a deadline for the beginning of such a program, that deadline being now.” Fordham said the NAACP consid ers the word “start” does not nec essarily mean that we have students in the white schools, or vice versa, in September. “But it does mean we expect them to offer some kind of concrete plan or blueprint.” The Florida Education Association, through a spokesman, also urged an immediate start on planning. At a meeting of county superin tendents, Ed Henderson, FEA execu tive secretary, asked that bi-racial committees be set up in each of the 67 counties. There was little discussion from the floor. Some superintendents suggest ed privately that appointment of such committees, before some clarification of the Supreme Court order, or a di rective from the district courts, might delay enforcement, or imply acceptance. Local level reaction was absent. State school officials so far have re ported no committees appointed. Some county school officials have started planning at the administra tive level. Woodrow J. Darden, Brevard County superintendent, said he is bringing the question before his school board. “I shall supply all the facts at my command to the board which, after all, is the policy-making body for the county schools. “I see no difficulty in the way of integration since the ruling of the Su preme Court has allowed consider able leeway. “I see no uproar—only an orderly handling of this delicate problem.” CAUTION IN DADE W. R. Thomas, county school su perintendent, a former high school principal, said: “It (integration) will move along here only as fast as the community will accept it. Our problem is to find what the community will accept.” Dr. R, S. Butler, a board member, said: “Judging from casual conversation, I believe the entire school board is in favor of showing good faith with the Supreme Court. “I believe desegregation will come about in an orderly manner. And I hope neither side pushes. If it is done gradually, and without too much pressure, it can be done with a mini mum of discord. “In September I anticipate that some Negro students will apply for admission to schools which now are all white. “If such applications are made, I think the only thing we can do is to admit the students.” Mrs. Anna Brenner Meyers, board member, said: “I think desegregation will prob ably get a better reception here than in most Florida communities. I be lieve the people here are better pre pared. “We should start planning as sood as possible.” Technical Snags And Arguments Mark Meeting Of D. C. Board * WASHINGTON, D. C. WITH school out and the one-year integration program virtually completed, the District Board of Edu cation hit several technical, tag-end snags during the last regular business meeting in June. The lengthy sessions included charges by one Negro board member mat integration is a “one-way street PhJPositioii” in the nation’s capital. Mrs. Margaret Just Butcher re peatedly said it seemed to be the amt to adopt former white school Practices as the guiding policies of at was—or would be—done in the n egrated school system. She said e Pattern was to “assimilate” the ormer Negro division of the school system. ^ rs ; Butcher also questioned the offi eCtl ° n P ersons 1° fih vacant s cer J '°^ S ’ Implying that white per- m * was Setting preferred treat- F a ?u 1116 other hand, Robert R. thr kr lf r ’ board member who ^oughout the year has opposed ac- ed € u at< : d integration moves demand- be r y *^ rs - Butcher, said: “Remem- too’ii ?l darn > there is a white side in „ • j er board members remarked W as s ‘ c es that Mrs. Butcher herself nnging race into the picture. ^EIGH two issues m em u ing up the most time of board lectin ers were these two issues: se- nthleb- 0 ^ re ^ erees f° r high school new grated rc events; the assignment of uties for officers of the inte- mer ged July h r s ’ COllegeS Which thetm^ Ugl L a . see mingly minor point, of the Jf °iti c Ial question became one the y ear ° St c °ntroversial subjects of It started when Deputy School Supt. Carl F. Hansen, who is in charge of city high schools, re ported that a decision had been made not to employ teachers in the Dis trict schools as officials in major ath letic events. Hansen said this policy was recommended by the assistant directors of athletics. Hansen said these two officials, who represent both former divisions of the schools, adopted the policy for these reasons: 1. When officials are employed from outside the school system, the possibility of spectator and player re action to alleged favoritism is re duced. 2. There is a sufficient supply of approved officials, available from outside the school-employed person nel. USED BOTH SYSTEMS The policy of not hiring teacher ref erees was followed for 15 years by former white schools. For 35 years, Negro schools employed teachers as game officials. Following school in tegration this fall, officials used both systems during the basketball sea son. According to school officials, there are six independent athletic associa tions which supply lists of certified available officials for contract. Three of these organizations do not include Negro officials and the ma jority of members are not school em ployes. The other three groups do not include white officials and the majority of members are school em ployes. School officials said although these associations are not under jurisdic tion of school officers, “it is hoped that an effort to integrate officials’ organizations may be undertaken in the near future.” During the lengthy debate on the issue, Mrs. Butcher said she thought in the “interests of fair play” the sys tem of using teachers should be given a year’s trial. She said, “I’m tired of hearing because it was done in the white division, it will be done in the integrated situation.” Both Mrs. Butcher and a second Negro board member, Wesley S. Wil liams, demanded that Hansen give some valid reason for the decision. They said the decision “reflected on the integrity of teachers.” EXAMPLES CITED Williams pointed out that school systems in Cincinnati, Cleveland, In dianapolis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Nashville and Knoxville employ com petent teachers as referees. Both board members said “race has noth ing to do” with their opposition to the new policy. Mrs. Butcher said she thought reports were unfair that said the Negro teachers wanted the money they formerly made for ref eree duties. After hours and hours of argu ment, the board tabled the recom mended policy on the motion of the third Negro board member, Col. West A. Hamilton. Board President C. Melvin Sharpe said, “The issue is now dead.” Mrs. Butcher replied, “It won’t be for long.” The board members also learned at the June meeting that Dr. Matthew J. Whitehead, president of Miner Teachers College, has protested his proposed new assignment as dean of the graduate program of the city’s two teacher institutions. On insistence of the Negro board members, it was agreed that a spe cial hearing would be held in July to air Whitehead’s complaints. In April, the school board named Dr. Walter E. Hager, president of Wilson Teachers College (a former white school) since 1941, to head the merged institution. Whitehead, appointed to Miner (former Negro school) in 1953, was designated dean. Also designated deans were Dr. Paul O. Carr of the Wilson faculty and Miss Hope Lyons of the Miner faculty. DELAYED APPROVAL This past month School Supt. Ho bart M. Coming recommended duties for these officers which the board delayed approving after learning of Whitehead’s displeasure. Coming proposed that Whitehead be dean of the graduate program and director of the summer session and of the in-service training program for teachers. He proposed Carr as dean of instruction and Miss Lyons as dean of students. Walter N. Tobriner, chairman of the board’s personnel committee, said Whitehead had written Corning he thought his qualifications fitted him for a different type of deanship. Referring to the proposed White- head and Carr assignment, Mrs. Butcher said: “We’re promoting a professor and demoting a college president.” Carr has been history pro fessor and acting registrar at Wilson. Actually, the teachers’ college for the first time this summer session will offer courses leading to a mas ter’s degree. There is no graduate school now. The school board voted to name the merged college the District of Columbia Teachers College over Mrs. Butcher’s protest that “we’re naming a concept.” Because of the lack of facilities elsewhere, the merged college will operate out of the two existing plants. WANTS NEW POLICY During the June meeting, Ralph Cushman, education committee chairman of the Federation of Citi zens Association, urged the board to reconsider its “rigid” policy of fixing boundaries for schools. More latitude in allowing children to go to the school of their choice would help stabilize “students, prop erty and population in general in the District,” Cushman said. The Supreme Court decree did not order that school boundaries be fixed, Cushman said. The Federation unsuccessfully sought a court order last year to keep school officials from starting school integration last Sep tember. Cushman said the “inflexible” boundary system, as enforced by ad ministrators, was causing hardship to many children and their parents. He said it resulted in children of the same family going to different schools, created transportation prob lems and had lowered the value of real estate in some sections of Wash ington. Also, for the first time last month, District school board members were assigned speaking duties without re gard to race at junior and senior high commencement exercises. Integration of this duty stemmed from the refusal of Mrs. Butcher to speak at former Negro schools to which she had been assigned during February exercises.