Southern school news. (Nashville, Tenn.) 1954-1965, May 01, 1960, Image 1

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Southern school news., May 01, 1960, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text20) S131 V. L kx • I / MAY 5 *60 Factual £~>A 1 LIBRARIES SOUTOI VOL 6, NO. 11 r * V 0 N3HH NO 1 s 1 A 1 Q NOIllSinODY « S 3 1 bVbfj i i V 1 Ofc 0 30 j< a i i s a 3 a. i > . n L 80( — 19 v r * J News Objective NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE $2 PER YEAR MAY, I960 Supreme Court Decision Reaches Six- Year Mark T SHE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY of the U.S. Supreme Court’s school desegregation decision occurs this month with six per cent of the South’s Negro students now at tending schools with whites. The court handed down its rul ing that public school segregation was unconstitutional on May 17, 1954. An implementation decision followed on May 31, 1955, direct ing that desegregation proceed with all deliberate speed. At the time of the first decision, 17 southern and border states and the District of Columbia required segregation of the races in their public schools. Other states out side the area had laws or policies that permitted racial separation in their schools. As the end of the sixth school year approaches, complete segregation is maintained in five states: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. The other 12 states and the District of Columbia have 182,104 Negroes at tending classes with whites. Out of the region’s total 3,039,133 Negro stu dents, 524,425 of them attend schools in districts that have desegregation either in practice or principle. ALL DESEGREGATED All the bi-racial school districts of Maryland, West Virginia and the Dis trict of Columbia are desegregated but the percentage of Negroes in schools with whites varies: District of Colum bia 82 per cent, West Virginia 50 per cent and Maryland 22 per cent. Four other states with a sizeable percentage of Negroes attending bi-racial classes are Delaware, 44 per cent; Missouri, 43 per cent; Kentucky, 28 per cent; and Oklahoma, 26 per cent. The number of Negroes in formerly all-white schools ranges from one per cent to .01 per cent in six states: Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia and North Carolina. STATISTICS KEPT Statistics kept by SERS and Southern School News trace the developments since the ’54 ruling. At the close of the 1956 school year, 450 school districts were reported desegregated. In 1957, 270 were added and in 1958, 60. At the fifth anniversary in 1959, 802 school districts were desegregated out of the 2,909 in the region that were bi- racial. This month, the records show 749 out of 2,849 bi-racial districts were desegregated. The decrease in both fig ures resulted from consolidation of school districts in several states. What happened to the five original cases that brought about the historic decision? In 1955, all were remanded to the lower courts from which they came. For the three that originated at Wilm ington, Del., Topeka, Kans., and the District of Columbia, compliance with the court order promptly ensued. Two other cases remain on the court dockets: Prince Edward County, Va., and Clarendon County, S.C. Develop ments on both occurred in federal courts as recently as April. U.S. District Judge Albert V. Bryan at Richmond ordered Prince Edward to desegregate its schools on April 25. But the decision had no practical effect since the county abandoned its public schools last year to avoid racial inte gration. Negroes and whites continue to at tend separate schools in Clarendon County, as they do in all South Caro lina. However, a new suit filed in fed eral court at Charleston April 13 seeks an injunction against the dual school system in Clarendon County.# # # Desegregation Suits Filed InTennessee;Other Major Cases Involve Four States S CHOOL DESEGREGATION SUITS filed during April ranged from pe titions entered for the first time to one dating back to the original 1954 Supreme Court decision. Negro attorneys in Memphis and Chattanooga filed long-ex pected suits seeking to desegre gate public schools in the two Tennessee cities. Both suits were brought as “class” actions so as to apply not only to the complainants but to others similarly situated. A new suit seeking desegregation of Summerton schools in Clarendon Coun ty, S.C., was filed in U.S. District Court at Charleston. The action is distinct, GEORGIA Sibley Commission Favors Local Option by 11-8 Vote MACON, Ga. THhe Sibley school study com- mission submitted a sharply divided (11 to 8) majority and minority report on what Georgia should do about the impending Atlanta school desegregation and the threat of closed public schools. A majority recommended a “freedom of choice” plan. A mi nority wanted to stand fast on present segregation laws. Gov. Ernest Vandiver said no special session of the Legislature would be held this summer. U. S. District Judge Frank Hooper has set May 9 as a date for a hearing, at which time he may say when Atlanta must desegregate. (See “Under Survey.”) The long-awaited Sibley school study commission report was made public April 28. It was sharply divided, 11-8. A majority wanted state constitutional changes to permit local freedom of choice in schools forced to desegregate. SOUTH CAROLINA New Clarendon Suit Filed Challenging Segregation COLUMBIA, S. C. A new suit challenging segre gation in Clarendon County was filed in federal court during April. Another federal action was brought in Darlington County against expulsion of three stu dents from a Negro high school. (“See Legal Action.”) Defendants in numerous cases involving Negro demonstrations against segregation were tried during April, with the majority being convicted and sentenced to pay fines or serve jail terms. (See “Legal Action.”) The South Carolina General Assem bly continued study of various pro posals affecting segregation but did little in the way of enacting new meas ures. (See “Legislative Action.”) The American Assn, of University Professors released a report criticizing South Carolina authorities and Negro college officials for the dismissals in 1958 of certain faculty members at two Negro schools at Columbia. (See “In the Colleges.”) Sen. Strom Thurmond (D-SC), states’ righter and segregationist, drew opposition in the forthcoming Demo cratic primary from an elderly Colum bian who charged that the southern (See SOUTH CAROLINA, Page 3) A minority, saying there could be no such thing as “token integration,” rec ommended that Georgia stand pat on its constitutional and statutory segrega tion laws. Gov. Ernest Vandiver said there would be no special legislative session this summer to act on the commission reports, contending such a session would be “fruitless.” If the Legislature does not meet this summer, voters can not consider any proposed constitu tional changes until November 1962. REPORTS READ Meanwhile, the reports were being read with interest by U.S. Judge Frank Hooper of Atlanta. Urged by Negroes to order desegregation of Atlanta schools by next September, Judge Hooper had said he would wait until after the commission reported before deciding. He has set a new hearing for May 9. The commission, created by the Leg islature to take a reading of the public pulse on the school desegregation is sue, heard more than 1,800 witnesses representing, or purporting to repre sent, more than 115,000 persons. Hear ings were held in each of Georgia’s 10 congressional districts. Under the chairmanship of John Sibley, Atlanta banker, the commission also held two supplementary hearings and sent a special group to Virginia to investigate private school conditions in Prince Edward County. SIGNED REPORT The majority report was signed by Sibley, Rep. Howell Hollis, Sen. John W. Greer, Chairman Robert O. Arnold of the State Board of Regents, Univer sity System Chancellor Harmon W. Caldwell, State School Supt. Claude Purcell, Georgia Press Assn. President Homer Rankin, Samuel J. Boykin, Charles A. Cowan, Zade Kenimer and John W. Dent. The minority report was signed by commission Vice Chairman John P. Duncan, head of the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation; J. W. Keyton, pres ident of the Georgia County Commis sioners Assn.; Sens. Wallace L. Jemi- gan and H. Eulond Clary; and Reps. J. Battle Hall, Render Hill, George Brooke and H. Walstein Parker. AMENDMENTS OFFERED Two proposed constitutional amend ments offered in the majority report would: 1) Specify that no child shall be compelled against the will of parents or guardians to attend an integrated school and that such children shall be re-assigned or given a direct tuition grant. 2) Authorize the Legislature to es tablish local school units that could (See GEORGIA, Page 2) except in general purpose, from the liti gation that commenced 10 years ago as Briggs v. Elliott and brought about the 1954 decision ruling segregation uncon stitutional. At New Orleans, the Orleans Parish school board asked U.S. District Court Judge J. Skelly Wright to set aside his order for a desegregation plan by May 16. The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Ap peals in Philadelphia was asked to set aside Delaware’s grade-a-year deseg regation plan approved by a lower fed eral court in 1959. An attorney for 42 Negroes argued that the original de segregation order, dating back to 1957, provided for admission to all levels. In another legal development during the month, a federal district judge or dered 14 Negroes admitted to a Pulaski County, Va., white high school in Sep tember. A federal appeals court upheld the Alexandria, Va., school board’s re fusal to admit five Negro children to white schools on the basis of residence and academic standing. Developments state by state during April were: Alabama The 13 Negroes who applied for ad mission to the University of Alabama’s Extension Service Center in Montgom ery will not be enrolled for the spring quarter, university authorities an nounced. Two Negroes have made new attempts to enter the state vocational training school in Mobile. (Page 3) Arkansas Negro plaintiffs in the Little Rock case filed a 66-page brief arguing against the use of the pupil assignment law and for expansion of the desegrega tion plan. (Page 7) Delaware Caesar Rodney School District and the State Department of Public In struction exchanged letters in sharp disagreement over the registration and transfer policy for Negro pupils at the second-grade level. (Page 2) SSN Readers Sent Notices For Renewals Southern School News renewal notices have been sent to hun dreds of SSN readers whose sub scriptions expire next month with the end of Volume 6. This is a reminder to those whose subscriptions expire with the June issue to renew now and maintain a continuous factual and objective record of segregation-desegregation developments in the South. Although schools soon will be taking vacations, present indications point to an active summer of seg regation and desegregation develop ments prior to school openings next fall. Don’t lose track of these de velopments by failing to renew promptly. * * * A revised Statistical Summary, collected and published by South ern Education Reporting Service, will be ready for distribution this month. The semi-annual report covers the status of school segregation-de- segregation in the 17 southern and border states, plus the District of Columbia. It includes pertinent data, state by state, on enrollment, teachers, colleges, legislation and litigation. The summary, including revisions, is available for $1 a year from Southern Education Reporting Serv ice, P.O. Box 6156, Nashville 12, Tennessee. District of Columbia Congress passed its second civil rights bill since Reconstruction Days—impos ing stiff penalties for interference with court desegregation orders. Washington School Supt. Carl F, Hansen reported that five years of school desegregation had given students rising achievement levels, better teaching efficiency and more educational services. (Page 16) Florida Two court actions raised the prospect that a number of additional suits to de segregate schools will be filed in Florida state and federal courts. (Page 15) Georgia The Sibley school study commission announced its long-awaited findings, issuing both a majority and minority report. U.S. District Judge Frank A. Hooper will hold a hearing on the At lanta school desegregation case May 9 after having studied the commission re port. (Page 1) Kentucky Democratic and Republican candi dates for the U.S. Senate made it clear at a “summit conference” of Negro leaders that school desegregation will not be a campaign issue. (Page 13) Louisiana Mass student resignations from all- Negro Southern University followed the suspension of 18 students who led equal-rights demonstrations in Baton Rouge. Student and university figures on the number of students who re signed varied widely. (Page 14) Maryland Republican Sen. J. Glenn Beall re ported that his poll showed a majority of Marylanders do not want school in tegration to move faster. A poll last August showed that 52 per cent of his constituents favored integration. (Page 9) Mississippi The current Legislature passed a bill authorizing local trustees to close pub lic schools on threat of integration, an authority previously reserved to the governor. Eight other bills with racial angles either had passed or were pend ing. (Page 4) Missouri Integration of public schools was re ported to be working out smoothly and without difficulty at Jefferson City. (Page 6) North Carolina Negro student leaders from 11 south ern states and the District of Columbia agreed at a meeting in Raleigh to form a southwide committee to co-ordinate their segregation protests. (Page 11) Oklahoma A National Conference of Christians and Jews official predicted Northeast High School in Oklahoma City will have Negro students for the first time this fall. (Page 9) South Carolina Federal action was brought in Dar lington against the expulsion of three Negro high school students. (Page 1) Tennessee Two school boards adopted grade-a- year desegregation plans like that originated in Nashville. (Page 5) Texas Both Houston and Dallas, the state’s two largest school districts, are under federal court orders to announce deseg regation plans during May. (Page 12) Virginia Private segregated schools, set up in several communities to avoid public school integration, generally reported successful operations. (Page 10) West Virginia An attorney for the National Assn, for the Advancement of Colored People asked a federal court to retain an old school desegregation suit on its docket pending investigation of complaints of non-compliance. (Page 13) # # #