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Factual VI06O3C 4 SN 3H1V 30 JO All S b 3 A IN n T1VH 8310NV3 3N«O8S0 * 1 •« ziioi 1? 3wr.r KJ iool News Objective VOL. Ill, NO. 5 NASHVILLE, TENN. $2 PER YEAR NOVEMBER, 1956 Key Court Decisions Pondered in Region ^Phbvp vvv rnnowi nrr ‘ 1 ’ ... 462 Many ro Teachers Out, Land in New Jobs Neg M any, if not most, of the 462 Ne gro teachers in the border states who have been dismissed from their jobs because of school desegregation have been placed in other teaching jobs— some of them at higher pay— with the possible exception of those in Okla homa. A Southern School News survey of the effects the school segregation-de segregation question has had upon teacher tenure show that 304 Negro teachers have been displaced in Okla homa, perhaps as many as 60 in Ken tucky, 58 in West Virginia, 20 in Mis souri and about 20 in Texas. In other states, some teachers, Negro and white, have been dismissed or asked to resign as a result of controversies growing out of the segregation-desegregation issue. These include at least 24 in South Caro lina, two each in Virginia and Dela ware, one in Florida and one in Georgia. This would bring the total number of known teacher displacements or threats of dismissal to 491, as compared to the “less than 300” reported last year. (Southern School News, November 1955.) However, the latest check made by SSN indicates that practically all of the teachers so displaced in Texas, Mis souri, Kentucky and West Virginia have been re-employed, usually in the same states. Only in Oklahoma, where the bulk of the teacher displacement has occurred, has this pattern varied. There, roughly one-sixth of the 1,697 Negro teachers employed in 1954 have been displaced as 112 Negro schools have been abolished in the desegregation process. 20 ACTUAL CASES The picture is clearest, perhaps, in Missouri, where estimates of teacher displacements run as high as 40, but 152,751 New Classrooms Needed in Area By 1960 j^jCHOOL SYSTEMS IN 16 SOUTHERN and border states need—and hope to get “■nearly $2.5 billion for the construc- lon or renovation of 152,751 classrooms y I960, according to an exclusive sur- Ve y by Southern School News. Where this record sum of money is ,. r n°wed, the survey showed, record *§h interest rates—rising to as much as 4 per cent—are anticipated. In some wstances the interest rate and the j°spect of selling school bonds are °uded by the segregation controversy. a ?j exas leads the region in number of aiffonal classrooms needed by 1960. ^nofficial estimates of the Texas Edu- clV° n Agency P lace the need at 31,000 Sl4 Sr ° 0ms and anticipated spending of million to provide them. Actually, 5450 siii is , a ' x>ut half the amount needed, to °b • agency figures it costs $30,000 keilitj ° ne classroom and auxiliary 2o oria 61 ' c lassroom needs: Kentucky, annk; Geor g ia > 15,000; Alabama, 13,000. a North Carolina, 10,480. c ap A city limited c atir ) SS0Ur *' S State Department of Edu- 6Stimates that 8 ’°°° additional C 0st < ^ 0 ? s be needed by 1960 at a $ai(j °«;p i P 8a million. Of this amount, it u nd ” million cannot be met locally Mississippi’s 4 per cent: the lowest, Maryland’s minus 2 per cent, available where districts are able to make use of state credit. Dr. A. R. Meadows, Ala bama state superintendent of education, noted that the present rate of 3 per cent was substantially above the 1.14 per cent and 1.18 per cent paid respectively by Jefferson and Mobile counties a dec ade ago. VIRGINIA SITUATION From Virginia, SSN Correspondent Overton Jones reported: “As to interest rates, bond men refuse even to hazard a guess as to what the rate on a school bond issue would be today. There has been no sale for several months in Vir ginia. Meanwhile, the bond market has changed in general, but, more impor tant, Virginia has enacted its new anti integration program, with the threat of closing schools. Some bond men say they are not even sure a school bond issue now would sell at all.” The same uncertainty was evident in a statement attributed to a large Nash ville bond house. It said: “At present southern school bonds are not looked on with favor by outside dealers and bond buyers because of uncertainties with regard to segregation and what might be done in some southern states fJ'HREE key court decisions concerning school segregation-desegregation and similarly important court deliberations in three other states highlighted a busy month in the 17 southern and border states. The key rulings were (1) in Tennessee, where the state supreme court invalidated segregation laws under U. S. Supreme Court interpretations, holding that “non-racial discrimination means integration” and later striking this phrase from its de cision, (2) in the Hoxie, Ark. case, where the U.S. Attorney General intervened in a test case described as having “nation wide impact” and (3) in Texas where I where only 20 actual cases can be pin pointed. From St. Louis, SSN Correspondent Robert Lasch reports: “At Moberly, Mo., 11 Negro teachers were dismissed at the end of the 1954-55 school year, when the board of educa tion decided to close the Negro school at the start of the 1955-56 school year, and integrate the pupils in other schools. Eight of these teachers later filed suit in U.S. district court, with NAACP sup port, seeking restoration of their jobs and damages. Testimony has been heard and a decision is expected by U.S. Judge Roy W. Harper after Jan. 1. “Of the 11 teachers dismissed: One, the principal of the Moberly Negro school, has been employed at about the same salary as principal of a segregated elementary school at Fulton, which has integrated its junior and senior high schools but not the lower grades. “One has been employed as a teacher at Sedalia, Mo. at a $300 a year salary increase. Two others have been em ployed as teachers at Columbia, Mo. at salary increases of $250 and $350 per year. One is teaching at Robertson, a suburb of St. Louis, probably at higher pay. One is a substitute teacher in East St. Louis, Ill. One has been employed as dean of women at Lincoln University, a predominantly Negro college at Jeffer son City, at $4,700 a year as compared with $2,700 she received at Moberly. However, she testified she would prefer to have her old job back, as Moberly was her home. “One is still unemployed; and three are unaccounted for. TWO OTHERS SUE “At Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, nine Negro teachers were dis missed at the end of the 1955-56 school (See TEACHERS. Page 2) the state won a sweeping injunction against operation of the National Asso ciation for the Advancement of Colored People. Meanwhile, a survey of school enroll ment figures showed 21 more districts desegregated in Oklahoma and one more in Texas. Kentucky reported mixed classes in 92 districts (six less than ap peared from the count in Southern School News last month) with 17 addi tional districts planning integration but having no mixed classes. Counting the District of Columbia’s 169 school zones as one district, deseg regation is now in effect in some degree in 666 school districts out of about 3,700 in the region which have Negro pupils. Other court actions involved South Carolina, where a new law barring government employment of NAACP members was being tested; North Caro lina, where the 1955 pupil placement act was being reviewed in the Fourth Circuit Court; and Virginia, where the state sought dismissal of three integra tion suits under power of recently en acted segregation laws. The segregation-desegregation issue figured in the general election cam paigns at the national level, though some states repdrted voters apathetic on the subject. A basic tenet of the States’ Rights party, which held its na tional convention in Richmond, Va., was continued school segregation. Candi dates of the two major parties spoke in the South, using Kentucky as their principal sounding board; and south erners reacted to the claim, later re pudiated, of a northern Negro congress man that President Eisenhower favored jailing anyone who disobeys court or ders to desegregate. In the Deep South, Louisiana turned its attention from efforts to re-segregate state colleges to a record-high Negro voter registration. Alleged purging of Negro voters from poll lists was also an issue in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina. Desegregation planning, both formal and informal, was reported from two large population areas: Nashville, Tenn., where the school board approved first- grade desegregation in 1957 on a vol untary transfer basis, and Dade (Mi ami) County, Florida, where civic leaders began neighborhood discussions in preparation for integration. A state-by-state summary of major developments during October follows: Alabama Each national political party blamed the other for the South’s segregation problems in pre-election debate which generally found Alabama voters indif ferent to campaign issues. Arkansas In what U.S. Atty. Gen. Herbert Brownell called a test case of federal intervention, the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals held that an Arkansas school board in desegregating had a federal right to be free from “direct and deliberate interference.” Delaware School segregation failed to develop as an issue in the general election cam paign. Oral arguments were heard in the first of eight Delaware desegrega tion suits. District of Columbia In a windup of the congressional in vestigation of the District school sys tem Supt. Hobart M. Coming testified that a gap between the former segre- UI >eler nrcc Ti. migm oe uone in some soumern states mat a gap between the former segre ‘lets. (Vh en i bondmg ca P ac ity of dis- toward continued support of public gated divisions of the system was re- f °f SplL, e state now P rov ides no aid schools... If issues are large enough to sponsible for mam/ of _cnool construction.) °th er ^ er ^ to § e t it—and how” plagued 0Ve rcr Scho °l systems. So did current ar eas ceding of classrooms in some aesterfield County, Virginia, is f ooif, s ng w ith eight temporary class- schooi’ rented spaces and 11 off- *#(5. c, „ 1,1 0n e eg r e §ation hy sex is necessary *Hod S i° o1 —rented classrooms in a °r>lv n * S Parsonage—because there is i S Cra, WaShr t 00m Tt '°Ubl e sou thern states have money r ates. rp, com Phcated by high interest e highest rate in the area is schools ... If issues are large enough to require outside placements, they would not sell anywhere near the existing market levels.” However, school building continues apace. Arkansas spent $65 million from 1949-50 through 1953-54, and of this $50,400,000 was raised through bond is- c ho 0 i . spaces and ll on- $50,400,000 was raised through bond is- ®0ar d c assrooms owned by the school sues. On Oct. 12 the North Little Rock its 1 1 • Tit i it, n school board voted to sell $750,000 worth of construction bonds at an in terest rate of 3.79 per cent to a combine of two Little Rock investment firms. Previously the board had voted to sell only half of the $1.5 million bond issue (See CLASSROOMS, Page 16) sponsible for many of Washington’s educational problems. Florida The right of a school teacher to speak out on a controversial subject such as segregation became an issue in the state. In Dade (Miami) County civic leaders began neighborhood discussions to prepare for desegregation. Georgia Two new measures strengthening the state s segregation policy may be sub mitted to the legislature in January. They are: (1) A fund to tell “the Geor gia story” in state, South and nation, and (2) a $10 million appropriation for grants-in-aid to parents who want to migrate to integrated states, providing $1,000 for moving expenses, six months’ rent and time lost while seeking em ployment, in hardship cases. Kentucky Enrollment figures disclosed there were mixed classes in 232 schools in 92 of 177 biracial districts, 17 additional districts with integration plans but no mixed classes, and 68 districts with no announced plans. CHARLES S. JOHNSON Served on SERS Board gouiHERN School News announces with regret the death of Dr. Charles S. Johnson of Nashville, a member of the board of directors of the Southern Education Reporting Service since its in ception in 1954. Dr. Johnson, who was 63, died of a heart attack in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 27 while en route to New York to attend a meeting of the board of directors of Fisk University, of which he was presi dent. In a statement for the SERS board of directors, Chairman Virginius Dabney, editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, said: “The sudden passing of Dr. Charles S. Johnson, the distinguished president of Fisk University, removes one of the most valued members of the board of South ern Education Reporting Service. “Dr. Johnson was a tower of strength from the beginning of the enterprise, and his courageous and statesmanlike approach to our problem was a con stant inspiration. We shall miss him sorely.” Funeral rites for Dr. Johnson were conducted from Fisk University chapel Oct. 31. A distinguished sociologist, Dr. John son became president of Fisk in 1946 and held numerous positions of trust and honor nationally. He was the author of 18 books and some 70 magazine articles, the most prominent among the former being The Negro College Graduate. He received honorary degrees from the Uni versity of Glasgow (the first such honor ever accorded an American Negro), Howard University, Columbia Univer sity and Harvard University, among others. He was a United States delegate to the first World Council of Churches in Amsterdam and to the United Na tions Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Nashville newspapers, commenting editorially upon Dr. Johnson’s death, said: The Nashville Banner “In the death of Dr. Charles S. John son, Fisk University has lost a notable executive officer, and the field of higher education an able exponent. Moreover, Nashville has lost a citizen. In the field of race relations, where he was a top spokesman, he made no compromise in (Continued on Page 2) Louisiana With legislative defenses raised against integration, especially in col leges, Louisiana segregation advocates turned their attention to what they saw as an integration threat in all-time high Negro voter registration. Maryland Fall enrollment figures showed 151,- 094 whites and 22,990 Negroes in 210 mixed schools, mostly in Baltimore. Mississippi Twenty New England weekly news paper editors, winding up a state-spon sored tour of Mississippi, agreed it will take “time, education and biracial co operation” if integration is to be ac complished. Missouri A survey showed Negroes entering formerly all-white colleges in larger numbers but “nothing like a flood.” North Carolina The Fourth Circuit Court at Rich mond, Va., was hearing a contest of North Carolina’s pupil placement law, with indications that the measure might be modified or invalidated by court order. Oklahoma A survey showed 21 more districts desegregated for a total of 182 out of 261 having Negroes. South Carolina A federal court in Charleston was testing validity of a 1956 law barring government employment of NAACP members. A $120,000 libel suit against the Sumter NAACP was settled out of court for $10,000. Texas The state was granted a temporary injunction against further operation of the NAACP. According to latest count Negroes are attending or are eligible to attend classes with whites in 104 school districts. (Editor’s Note: Last month this summary incorrectly stated that “Texas Rangers moved Negroes from Mansfield High School.” Actually, no Negro enrolled at Mansfield High. Rangers were sent to the school, during picketing, with orders to arrest anyone, white or Negro, “whose actions are such as to represent a threat to the peace.”) Tennessee The Tennessee supreme court ruled state segregation laws void and said the U.S. Supreme Court decisions must be interpreted: “Non-racial discrimination means integration.” On Oct. 30 this lan guage was deleted and the opinion modified. The Nashville School Board drafted a plan for desegregation begin ning with the first grade in 1957 on a voluntary transfer basis. Virginia In its first action under new anti integration laws the state moved in court to dismiss desegregation petitions in Norfolk, Newport News and Prince Edward County. West Virginia An NAACP suit to hasten desegrega tion—the ninth in two years—was brought against Harrison County, where a graduated program has been under way for two years. Index State Page Alabama io Arkansas 12 Delaware 15 District of Columbia 14 Florida 7 Georgia 9 Kentucky n Louisiana 15 Maryland 4 Mississippi 3 Missouri 16 North Carolina 12 Oklahoma 2 South Carolina 13 Tennessee 6 Texas 8 Virginia 5 West Virginia 10