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SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS—MAY I960—PAGE 3 ALABAMA Negro Applicants Too Late For Enrollment Deadline MONTGOMERY, Ala. T he 13 Negroes who applied for admission in March to the University of Alabama’s Exten sion Service Center in Mont gomery will not be enrolled for the spring quarter, university au thorities said. Only five provided the required transcripts, the Center director said, and these were received after the April 4 deadline. (See “In the Colleges.”) Two Negroes have made a new attempt to enter the state voca tional training school in Mobile. Their application forms were for warded to the State Department of Education; no immediate action was taken. (See “School Boards and Schoolmen.”) The 13 Negroes who applied for en rollment March 22-24 (Southern School News, April 1960) at the Uni versity of Alabama’s Extension Service Center in Montgomery did not com plete their applications by the April 4 deadline for the spring quarter. This was the reason given by uni versity authorities in announcing the Negroes would not be enrolled this quarter. Only five of them provided tran scripts of previous school records and these were not received until after the deadline, according to Dr. W. W. Kaempfer, Center director. Therefore, Kaempfer said, “none of the (Negro) applicants could be considered for the current quarter.” He had no comment about their possible acceptance later. Among the applicants was a former Alabama State College student expelled along with eight others for taking part in a Feb. 25 sit-in attempt at the Mont gomery County courthouse snack bar (SSN, March and April 1960). NO RULING Kaempfer said the Center had re ceived no ruling as to whether expelled students could be enrolled there, but added: “As far as I am aware, expelled stu dents are not accepted as students anywhere.” The only Negro ever to attend the university was Autherine Lucy, who was driven from the main campus in Tuscaloosa by riots in 1956. Ordered admitted by the U.S. District Court in Birmingham, she was subsequently ex pelled for publicly accusing university officials of conspiring in the demonstra tions. The expulsion was upheld by the same court that had ordered her ad mitted. ENTER LIBRARY A small group of young Negroes, be lieved to have been students or for mer students of Alabama State Col lege in Montgomery, appeared at the Montgomery library and then the newly completed city museum April 22. The group, said to number about 10, entered the library in the afternoon when a large number of white students were using reference facilities. Two stood at the desk, the rest entered the main reading room and sat down. An attendant asked if they had library cards; they said they did not. Asked to leave, they complied. Li brarians told them they could obtain service at the Negro branch library, also operated by the city. The group then walked four blocks to the newly completed city museum- library (the library has not yet moved in). Museum attendants ignored them as they walked around the art galleries. STUDENTS PROTEST In Tuskegee April 9 a small group of students paraded and picketed in protest to the Institute’s decision not to renew the contract of an assistant pro fessor of political science. The professor, Charles V. Hamilton, said he was notified April 2 that his contract would not be renewed. He said the action was in reprisal for his participation in student demonstrations against segregation, but the letter of notification from Dr. C. G. Gomillion, chairman of the division of social sci ence, did not mention this and Institute President L. H. Foster denied it. About 50 students picketed the homes of Dr. Foster and Dr. Gomillion with placards reading “Are There Un cle Toms Among Us?” Later they pick eted a building where the Institute’s board of trustees was meeting. Negroes have applied again for ad mission to the all-white state voca tional technical school in Mobile. Clay Knight, school director, said two Negro men—Richard H. Kennedy, 40, and Alvin H. Langster, 46—filled out information forms which were for warded to the State Education Depart ment in Montgomery. Five Negroes applied for admission at the school in April 1959, later re asserting their request. No action has been taken on these applications. How ever, the State Board of Education is now seeking a site for a new trade school for Negroes (see below). Including the Mobile school, six trade schools are now operated in the state, but only one of them—near Birming ham—is a Negro facility. State Supt. of Education Frank Stew art had no comment on the new chal lenge. Both applicants said they were employed at Brookley Air Force Base, one as a packer, the other a crate car penter. Kennedy asked for training in radio and television. Langster request ed a course in upholstery work. SEARCH FOR FUNDS Faced with early closing or teacher salary reductions because of a shortage in state school funds, local systems were busily scrounging for emergency money in April. Although educators had warned of school closings, State School Supt. Frank Stewart said he had no idea how many would be forced to cut short their school year. He said he has called for complete reports on their respec tive situations from all city and county superintendents. The situation was created when reve nues earmarked for school funds failed to reach the expected totals (SSN, March 1960) which had been used in preparing the record school budget au thorized by the Legislature last year. Gov. John Patterson proposed that funds be prorated, which would have entailed a 10 per cent cut in teacher salaries. Educators objected and the State Board of Education rejected the plan, instead authorizing schools to spend at the budgeted rate until the money runs out. The board also urged local boards to make every effort to supplement their funds from local sources. SOME HAVE TROUBLE Some school systems reported in April that they had been able to raise the extra money. Others were still hav ing trouble even borrowing funds. In Butler County, for instance, the county board ordered the 38 schools in the county to find ways on their own to pay for lights, water, heat and main tenance. Despite the frantic efforts, Mrs. Mar garet Vines, president of the Alabama Education Assn., said teachers are re signing in wholesale numbers in the (See ALABAMA, Page 4) ‘Dearie, Dear ... IE! Dear-ree!’ South Carolina (Continued From Page 1) point of view had not been adequately presented in Congress. (See “Political Activity.”) ilk r - - LEGAL ACTION A new suit seeking desegregation of the Summerton schools of Clarendon County was filed April 13 in federal district court at Charleston. This action is distinct (except in general purpose) from the litigation that commenced 10 years ago and which eventually, as Briggs v. Elliott, reached the U.S. Su preme Court. The Briggs v. Elliott case was one of five that brought about the 1954 Su preme Court decision ruling segrega tion in public schools unconstitutional. There has been no integration, how ever, in the schools of Summerton, Clarendon County or South Carolina, since that decision. The current case involves 43 Negro school children and was brought by 15 parents. It seeks an injunction against the operation of a dual school system, against pupil assignment on a basis of race or color and against the applica tion to Negro students of assignment criteria not applied to white students. AN ALTERNATIVE As an alternative relief, the parents seek a complete reorganization of the local school system on a “unitary, non- racial basis eliminating any discrimina tions.” Representing the plaintiffs are three Negro lawyers — Thurgood Marshall, general counsel for the National Assn, for the Advancement of Colored Peo ple, Matthew J. Perry of Spartanburg and Lincoln C. Jenkins Jr. of Columbia —and a white attorney affiliated with the NAACP, Jack Greenberg of New York City. The pending suit admits that admin istrative remedies have not been ex hausted since efforts were initiated last August for admission of Negro students to white schools. Plaintiffs contend, however, that under state school laws inadequate remedies are provided. ANOTHER SUIT Another lawsuit was filed at Flor ence in behalf of three Negro students expelled from the Mayo (Negro) High School at Darlington. Their expulsion stemmed from partic ipation in a student demonstration against a brand of milk being served in the school cafeteria. The particular milk was distributed by a firm listed among those being boycotted by certain Negro groups. The suit contended that the students have been denied their constitutional rights since state law makes no pro vision for granting hearings to expelled students. In late April, Judge J. Woodrow Lewis dismissed the suit, ruling that state law provided “a plain and ade quate remedy.” ATTENTION SWITCHES The lunch counter demonstrations of Negro students lessened in number during April. Attention switched to the trial of the students arrested for those and other demonstrations during the last few weeks. In Orangeburg, trials continued in termittently during April for the 388 Negro students charged with breach of the peace as the result of a March 15 mass demonstration. All brought to trial thus far have been sentenced to $50 fines or 30 days in jail. By April 23, a total of 211 of the defendants had been convicted. At Charleston, City Recorder J. Ken neth Rentiers found 24 young Negroes guilty of trespassing and of refusing to obey an order of a police officer. He sentenced each to 15 days in jail or a fine of $50 on each of the two charges. The Negroes were arrested after a seven-hour lunch counter sit-down in a Charleston variety store. SENTENCE 34 Florence Recorder Charles C. Mc Donald on April 20 sentenced 34 Negro demonstrators to 30 days in jail or fines of $30. The defendants were among 47 young Negroes arrested for a lunch counter demonstration. At Rock Hill, trials continued for the 70 Negro students arrested March 15 for breach of the peace. Convictions brought sentences of $35 fines or 30 days in jails. Complaints of the use of tear gas and fire hoses by Orangeburg authorities in breaking up a mass demonstration in March were brought before the state advisory committee to the U. S. Civil Rights Commission. The committee indicated it would hear further from spokesmen of the Negro demonstrators when the committee meets again in June. OTHER DEVELOPMENTS Two other legal developments involve race relations. One was the return to federal district court of a civil rights suit involving racial segregation at the Greenville Municipal Airport. The initial suit, brought by a Michigan Ne gro named Richard B. Henry, was dis missed by District Judge George Bell Timmerman. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on April 20 that the dismissal was erroneous and that “the complaint was entitled to more liberal construction than it received.” Pending in federal district court at Aiken is a $15,000 damage suit filed in late March by a Negro high school teacher who charges that a state high way patrolman deprived her of her civil rights and arrested her without due process of law. LEGISLATIVE ACTION The General Assembly took little ac tion on segregation legislation during April but a number of bills still are pending in committees of House and Senate. One measure, sponsored by Rep. John C. Hart of Union, was amended by the House after having once been tabled temporarily. The bill was aimed at requiring disclosure of ownership of newspapers so that South Carolina readers may be aware of the proprie torship of opinion-forming publications. Initially it would have required the publication in every issue of all per sons owning as much as 10 per cent of the stock. The measure subsequently was amended to require publication of the owners only once a year and in the same manner as required by federal postal regulations. The bill was referred to a Senate committee after adoption by the House. ASKS IMPEACHMENT Also in Senate committee is a resolu tion calling upon Congress to impeach the U.S. Supreme Court. Sen. John D. Long, also of Union, sponsored the re solution, which accuses the Supreme Court of usurping the rights of the states and the citizenry through its 1954 desegregation decision. During the closing days of March, the House adopted a resolution con demning the U.S. State Department for interferring in the internal affairs of South Africa. COMMITTEE REPORTS Meanwhile, the Special Segregation Committee, comprising both legislators and laymen, recommended in late March that no further legislation be in troduced at present on the subject. The group was concerned particularly with the sit-down demonstrations as it met March 30 in executive session. After wards, this was released by State Sen. L. Marion Gressette, chairman: “The committee does not recommend at this time any further legislation. Existing laws are clear and they are adequate for dealing with civil strife of any sort.” Dr. Stephen J. Wright, president of Fisk University, told the Palmetto (Negro) Education Assn. April 1: “The hope for changing the pattern of segregation and discrimination against the Negro rests upon the shoulders of the Negro himself. . . . The key battle for integration has already been won, and victory is certain. The battles ahead in the hard core states, including South Carolina, are going to be lost by those who practice segrega tion on the basis of race.” GENERAL COMMENTS At Charleston on April 1, retired Army Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer com- mented on the integration issue to The News and Courier: “I am opposed to the people of one section of the country attempting to settle the problems of people in an other section. I think it is unfortunate that the federal government has stepped in, and especially unfortunate that the Supreme Court has taken the stand that it has.” BITTERLY ATTACKS The Rev. H. P. Sharper, Florence Ne gro minister and president of the S. C. conference of the NAACP, was quoted in the Rock Hill Evening Herald of April 13 as bitterly attacking the press, Negro school principals, and “spineless” Negro college presidents. Reporting on an April 12 address by Sharper at Rock Hill, the newspaper said the NAACP official promised: “If I don’t stay in office but two more weeks, I am going to give the Negro principals hell. ... I am just going to stir up everything.” The Evening Herald of the following day carried a statement by the Rev. C. A. Ivory, head of the NAACP at Rock Hill, defending the local press and a number of local Negro school prin cipals. LEADER WARNS Farley Smith, executive secretary of the South Carolina Citizens’ Councils, said in early April that continued dem onstrations by Negroes against segrega tion were aimed at precipitating vio lence. He said that members of the councils had done everything possible to keep the fight over constitutional government and states’ rights from degenerating into a struggle between the races. U. S. Sen. Barry Goldwater (R) of Arizona, prior to his keynote address to the South Carolina Republican Party on March 26, had this to say about school problems: “The federal government has no right to go into schools. The federal govern ment has no right to go into elections other than federal elections.” IN THE COLLEGES Two Negro students from South Carolina State College (for Negroes) sought unsuccessfully on April 26 to obtain application blanks for admis sion to the University of South Caro lina. They were turned away and told the school does not admit Negroes. This was the first attempt by Ne groes to register in two years. Several Negroes applied at the university in 1958 when Allen University was de nied state accreditation for teacher training. CRITICAL REPORT The spring bulletin of the American Assn, of University Professors critic ized the South Carolina Board of Edu cation, former Gov. George Bell Tim merman Jr. and the presidents and trustees of both Allen University and Benedict College. The 18-page report covered actions by the state officials and the adminis trations of the Negro schools in 1957- 58. The report charged that the presi dents and trustees failed to maintain the principles of academic freedom and violated academic due process by not giving hearings to six faculty mem bers—three at each school—released under state pressure. Gov. Timmerman had charged re peatedly that the faculties at both schools contained members connected with Communist movements. The State Board of Education also removed Al len’s accreditation for teacher training, but it later was restored. The AAUP report stressed that Allen had admitted a white Hungarian refugee in 1957, becoming the only bi- racial college in the state, public or private. It also noted that the school ad mitted a student expelled from South Carolina State College (for Negroes) for leading a student strike against the state’s segregation policy. Two Negroes and an Indian from New Delhi told the press in Atlanta on April 4 that they had left a Columbia, S.C., meeting of the Mathematical Assn, of America because of racial discrim ination. They complained that they were not allowed to register as guests at the Wade Hampton Hotel in Columbia, where the convention was being held. They acknowledged that the hotel management offered to seek accommo dations for them elsewhere but said such would not be satisfactory. An association official said there never had been any racial discrimina tion at organization meetings but said the matter of hotel accommodations was up to the individuals and the ho tels. The protesting individuals were Lon nie Cross, mathematics chairman at At lanta University; S. C. Saxena of New Delhi; and William E. Brodie. POLITICAL ACTIVITY >. • R. Beverly Herbert, an 80-year-old Columbia lawyer, has entered the U.S. Senate race against Sen. Strom Thur mond. In announcing his surprise candidacy in the Democratic primary, Herbert acknowledged that he did not expect to win but that he wanted the opportunity to have a public platform to declare views on the segregation issue, which he felt the public should have. He paid tribute to Thurmond as a good governor and a good senator but said that neither Thurmond nor any one else in the U.S. Senate had pres ented anything better than “weak, lame and inadequate” arguments in behalf of the southern position. # # #