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MISSISSIPPI SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS—FEBRUARY—PAGE 7 Ross Barnett Becomes Governor; Speech Considered ‘Temperate’ JACKSON, Miss. R oss R. Barnett, 62-year-old Jackson lawyer and uncom promising segregationist, took of fice Jan. 19 as governor of Missis sippi with an admonition from out going Gov. J. P. Coleman on the racial issue. Coleman urged the new gover nor to “exercise that leadership and that statesmanship which dis courage racial stife, which pro mote peace and goodwill between the real leaders of all races and thus march forward to ever great er heights of progress for all peo ple.” Barnett’s temperate inaugural message pledged “adequate educa tional opportunities for all the children of Mississippi and main tenance of segregation at all costs.” (See “Legislative Action.”) The first segregation bill of the cur rent 1960 biennial session of the Mis sissippi Legislature was introduced in the Senate. The measure would allow individual churches to retain property when withdrawing from denominational governing bodies in protest of social policies, such as integration. (See “Leg islative Action.”) Mississippi’s advisory committee to the federal Civil Rights Commission, composed of three whites and two Ne groes, organized with the Rev. Murray Cox, retired Methodist minister of Gulfport, as chairman. Officers of state branches of the National Assn, for the Advancement of Colored People urged Negroes to file complaints as the advis ory group scheduled its second meeting for Feb. 17. (See “Community Action.”) Mississippi’s General Legislative In vestigating Committee branded 12 text books used in public schools as “unsat isfactory” on grounds they teach “sub version and one-worldism.” (See “Community Action.”) Two southern governors, a governor- elect and an announced candidate for governor of Arkansas attended Bar nett’s inauguration to give support to the new Mississippi chief executive’s call for “southern unity.” (See “Politi cal Activity.”) Gov. Barnett’s inaugural message was more temperate on the racial question than were his statements on the politi cal stumps last summer. There was no direct mention of clos ing public schools to prevent integra tion. However, the new governor did declare that “our schools at all levels must be kept segregated at all costs.” Barnett said: “Our people, both white and col ored, throughout generations, have suc cessfully operated a dual system of edu cation because we know it is best for both races. I know that this is the best and only system and I believe that the thinking people of both races feel the same way about it. Regardless, our schools at all levels must be kept seg regated at all costs. “We must furnish adequate education al opportunities for all the children of Mississippi. You know and I know that we will maintain segregation in Missis sippi at all costs. “With the cooperation of all the peo ple of Mississippi, we will establish a foundation that will be responsible for an aggressive campaign that will alert the people in all walks of life in every section of this great nation to the dan gers of centralized government. We have many friends in the North, East and West, who are ready and anxious to join in a crusade to restore sanity in government. We know that many mem bers of Congress are being controlled by minority pressure groups, to the detriment of a majority of people in their respective states. Public opinion must be crystallized if the people are to regain control of their government.” MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT’ In his final message to the Legislature, before stepping from the governorship to take a seat in the House of Repre sentatives from his home county of Choctaw, Coleman said that “the pres ervation of the public schools and col leges of this state without strife and discord will always stand out as the major accomplishments of this admin istration.” He added: “We now hand this happy state of af fairs on to you, in the devout hope that four years from now we can say with pride that the accomplishment has been repeated. I know you are solely to serve your state and your people and that you will not fail in this great crisis. “You must not fail. Our system of free public education, available to every child without our borders, must not be lost. We hear much talk of closing our schools. The thinking man knows that this approach is not a satisfactory an swer. If our children are deprived of schooling, if they are denied education al opportunity, if they are compelled by the mistakes of their elders to grow up in ignorance, then we shall be all the easier victims of our well-educated enemies. “The one way to encompass our even tual defeat is to lose our public schools and colleges. Let us then exercise that leadership and that statesmanship which discourage racial strife, which promote peace and good will between the real leaders of all races, and thus march forward to ever greater heights of progress for all people.” CHURCH BILL SUBMITTED Two senators from counties with large Negro populations have introduced a bill that would permit Protestant churches to retain their physical prop erties upon withdrawing from parent jurisdictional bodies in protest of social policies “contrary to the way of life” of their membership. The bill has been referred to the Ju diciary Committee, which is headed by one of its authors, Sen. W. B. Alexan der of Bolivar County. The other au thor is Sen. W. B. Lucas of Noxubee County. The bill, similar to one defeated at the 1958 legislative session, is aimed at maintenance of segregation locally with in the particular denomination. Many governing bodies, or conferences, of the churches that would be affected are on record favoring integration. The severance of affiliation would be on a vote of 65 per cent of the adult membership of the church involved. It primarily affects Methodist and Episco pal churches, and others with similar jurisdictional or ruling authoritative systems. A section of the bill states that it is not to be construed “as being intended to control any doctrinal, religious, ed ucational, social or other formula or practice” of the parent denomination or its governing authorities. Under the terms of the bill, local churches withdrawing from their juris dictional conferences or bodies would be able to retain title to their church properties. In cases where debts were owed to the controlling body, the local churches would reimburse those amounts without interest. Sen. Flavous Lambert of Belmont (Tishomingo County), who was suc cessful in defeating the 1958 proposal, will again oppose it. He is a Methodist lay leader. LEGAL ACTION The government presented a federal grand jury at Biloxi with evidence in the Mack Charles Parker lynching. However, the panel of one Negro and 20 whites announced Jan. 14 it could not return indictments on the evidence presented. It was the second time a grand jury failed to indict in the kidnapping and slaying of the 23-year-old Negro truck driver from a Poplarville jail last April 25. He had been scheduled for trial two days later on a charge of raping a pregnant white housewife. A Pearl River County grand jury adjourned last November without tak ing action in the lynching case. V. O. Campbell of Collins announced he has refused to accept appointment on the state advisory committee to the federal Civil Rights Commission. In turning down the appointment, the for mer president of the Mississippi Rural Carriers Assn, asked the other five members to strive to preserve segrega tion and at the same time seek to im prove the status of the Negro. Meanwhile, the committee has set its first meeting, following organization, for Feb. 17 in Jackson. Named chairman was the Rev. Murray Cox, retired white Methodist minister. The 69-year-old Gulfport minister said he accepted appointment in an ef fort “to contribute what little I can to the proper and Christian relations be tween the races.” He asserted that the presence of a state group does not call necessarily for integration by law. Meanwhile, Medgar Evers, NAACP field secretary in Mississippi, has ad vised state branches that the commis sion has been set up to “accept com plaints from you and your friends who have been denied the right to vote, or if your civil rights have been violated in any way.” Evers said his suggestion that com plaints be prepared for submission to the state advisory group “is intended for whites as well as Negroes. “Many white people are having their civil rights denied them through eco nomic and other forms of pressure for voicing disapproval of the operations of the citizens council,” he said. W. J. Simmons, administrator of the Citizens Councils, an organization of whites dedicated to preservation of seg regation, has characterized members of the state advisory committee as “trait ors, scalawags and integrationists deter mined to wreck the state’s segregated school system.” He said the members are “giving aid and comfort to the com munist cause.” Despite that, the five members—two white men, two Negro men and one white woman—have said they will serve on the committee “to help solve the state’s race problems.” AP SURVEY An Associated Press survey of the five members showed that “none feared the citizens councils attacks, none feared possible council-backed econom ic pressure and all plan to continue on the committee.” Here are statements given Associated Press by the civil rights advisory committee: The Rev. Mr. Cox—“The committee’s duties are to serve as a clearing house to funnel complaints to the Civil Rights Commission. There is a feeling among a great many people that the Negro has not had justice and that he is not recognized as a person with God- given rights. The Negro has been held down economically. Employment has been held over him as a club and that’s not right.” Dr. James Lucius Allen of Columbus, a Negro pharmacist and a member of the NAACP—“My idea of the commit tee’s duties is to help let the nation know Mississippi is not as bad as they thing it is. What I hope to achieve is better relaionships between the white and colored, more government and fac tory jobs, more voting by Negroes, bet ter transportation facilities for the Ne gro and better education opportunities for Negroes that will help them help themselves.” Retired Admiral Robert Briscoe of Liberty, former southeast Europe NATO commander—“I want to help put the civil rights issue on the basis of evolu tion. You can’t accomplish this by legal or by pressure policy. Unless we furnish the commission the information from Mississippi, we are forced to take then- decisions without being represented.” Dr. A. Benjamin Britton of Jackson, a Negro physician—“I think the pro ponents of civil rights and states rights are missing a great opportunity to ex press themselves. I feel the same way as that expressed by Admiral Briscoe.” Mrs. Wallis I. Schutt, a white Jack- son housewife and president of the Mis sissippi Church Council—“I view the committee’s functions as being to pro mote understanding and a harmonious working together toward the attain ment of the ideals of equal opportunity for all men.” TEXTBOOKS UNDER FIRE Removal of at least 12 textbooks from the public school curriculum in Missis sippi on grounds they are “unsatisfac tory” has been recommended by the General Legislative Investigating Com mittee. It was made following a study of 27 books by E. Merrill Root of Rich mond, Indiana, professor of English at Earlham College, at the request of the committee. The committee asked for the study after the Daughters of the American Revolution said the books taught “sub version and one-worldism” and were written poorly. Based on the criticisms and recom mendations of Root, the committee, in a lengthy mimeographed report filed with the governor and Legislature, said the 12 books listed “should be given further study by the State Textbook Purchas ing Board in the light of the criticisms Gov. Ross Barnett, left foreground, scribbles notes during inaugural ceremonies at Jackson, Miss. Seated with him are Dr. W. M. Caskey, who gave the inaugural prayer, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jimmie H. Davis of Louisiana, Alabama Gov. John Patterson, South Carolina Gov. Ernest Hollins, Arkansas Atty. Gen. Bruce Bennett, Mrs. J. P. Coleman and, right foreground, ex-Gov. Coleman. made by this authority, and unless there be reasons to the contrary, all such textbooks should be eliminated from further use in the public schools of Mississippi.” The books listed by the legislative committee were: United States History by Fremont P. Wirth (The American Book Co.); Into Your Teens by Shacter, Jenkins and Bower (Scott, Foresman & Co.); Good Times Through Literature by Pooley, Pooley, Lerda and Sellhoefer (Scott, Foresman & Co.); Economic Problems of Today by Klein and Colvin (Lyons and Carnahan); Geography and World Affairs by Jones and Murphy (Rand McNally and Co.) This Is America’s Story by Wilder, Ludlum, Brown (Houghton Mifflin Co.); The Record of Mankind by Roehm, Buske, Webster and Wesley (D. C. Health and Co.); Man’s Achieve ment Through the Ages by Habberton and Roth (Laidlaw Brothers); Your Country and the World by Tiegs, Ad ams, and Glendinning (Ginn and Co.); Magruder’s American Government by William A. McClenaghan (Allyn and Bacon); Adventures For Readers, Book 1, by Ross, Nieman and Bowman (Har- court, Brace and Co.); World History by Boak, Slosson and Anderson (Houghton, Mifflin and Co.) Meanwhile, the executive committee of the Mississippi Congress of Parents and Teachers, headed by Mrs. J. M. Ew ing of Cleveland, wife of the president of Delta State College, in reaffirming its faith and confidence in the school people of Mississippi, said: “It is parent-teacher policy to seek and to help provide the best education al advantages for all our children. In asmuch as the textbook controversy is school-centered and affects the welfare of our children, it is suggested that local units follow established policy in look ing to, and seeking from school princi pals, superintendents and teachers in formation and guidance in the matter of the textbook problem.” In addition to the governor, the state superintendent of education serves on the adoption board with schoolmen and women appointed by the governor. Committees of active teachers are named to first screen the books and they are advised to “search out” objec tionable matter. Gov. Barnett, in his inaugural mes sage relative to Mississippi and the Democratic national party leadership, said: “In the past we have had sad expe rience in our relationship with the par ty. We have seen nothing that would indicate that future experiences will be any different.” Attending his inauguration were Gov. John Patterson of Alabama; Gov. Er nest Hollings of South Carolina; Gov.- elect Jimmie Davis of Louisiana, and Atty. Gen. Bruce Bennett of Arkansas, an announced candidate for Gov. Orval Faubus’ Job. Urging southern unity, Gov. Barnett departed from his prepared text and turned to the visiting officials. He said: “Thanks for what looks to me like southern unity crystallizing right here in Jackson, Miss., today.” Later, Gov. Patterson said he was “very pleased” with Barnett’s state ments relative to the national party, and that he also, as was advocated by the Mississippi chief executive, favors an uninstructed delegation to the national convention. Gov. Hollings said Barnett’s inaugu ration “is a step towards southern uni ty,” and that he too has recommended an uninstructed national convention delegation from South Carolina. Gov.-elect Davis said he would “as sume a wait-and-see attitude.” Atty. Gen. Bennett said “Gov. Bar nett stated my sentiments exactly.” NO CHIP ON SHOULDER On the national party issue, Gov. Barnett said: “Although it will not be my purpose to go to the convention with a chip on my shoulder, certainly, I will not stand idly by and see the radical, left-wing elements of the party continue to de stroy the inherent constitutional rights of our people. “It is my hope that the state conven tion will send an uninstructed delega tion to the national convention to vote as a unit and that the state convention will recess and return into session after the national convention adjourns to de termine the proper course of action. “I have always believed that honor able men and women cannot comprom ise principles and therefore, at the na tional convention, I will be uncomprom ising on those issues that would cause Mississippi and the South to break from traditions and compromise those things which we have so long believed to be right.” A special committee has been named by the Board of Trustees of State In stitutions of Higher Learning to inter view prospects for the presidency of Mississippi State University, which Dr. Ben F. Hilbun is relinquishing under the retirement system. Hilbun has reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. Harry Carpenter of Rolling Fork is chairman of the committee. It has re ceived nominations from groups recom mending 25 for the presidency. The deadline for receiving nominations was Feb. 1. In an 1114 minute invocation at the governor’s inauguration, Dr. W. M. Cas key asked God to help the new chief executive keep segregation during his administration. Caskey is professor of social studies at Mississippi College, a Baptist school attended by the governor, and both men are members of the Citizens Councils. In his prayer, he said: “Father of all of us, during these crowded and anxious days, grant to him and his co-laborers the strength and patience and fortitude to meet every emergency with a triumphant spirit. Give to him, and all of them, a calm courage and an undying faith in his southern cause, to which we must—if we would survive—dedicate our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” # # #