Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 10—JANUARY, 1963—SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS
ALABAMA
Auburn Reveals Negroes
Asked About Enrollment
MONTGOMERY
A uburn University disclosed
Dec. 21 that “several” Ne
groes recently had asked about
enrolling at the all-white school.
President Ralph E. Draughon said re
quests were received during the fall
quarter for “admission information and
application forms.” As of the time of
the announcement, he said, “none of
these inquiries has resulted in the com
pletion of any credentials necessary for
admission to the university.”
Draughon declined to elaborate be
yond his prepared statement. However,
another Auburn spokesman said the
deadline had already passed for admis
sions in the winter quarter, which be
gins in January. Another quarter be
gins in March.
At least three Negroes have applied
for admission to the University of
Alabama (SSN, November and De
cember, 1962). However, the university
announced Dec. 3 the deadline for ad
mission to the semester beginning in
February had passed before any of the
applicants completed required admis
sion procedure.
The student legislature at the uni
versity added its support to official
statements calling for law and order
should the university be desegregated
(SSN, December, 1962). The admin
istration, board of trustees, faculty, and
Alumni Council have gone on record
for peace whatever happens.
Student Resolution
The student legislature released a
resolution Dec. 7 saying:
“The student legislature requests the
support of the entire student body, re
gardless of personal feelings, in the
preservation and maintenance of law
and order so that the education aims
and ideals for which the university was
founded may be furthered. Students de
siring to express their feelings or opin
ions toward any problem at the uni
versity should do so in a calm, lawful
manner.
“In spite of the announcement made
Dec. 3 affecting admissions for the
coming semester, contemplations on the
necessity for peace and order are still
called for and remain appropriate to
our lives as students . . . Cooperation
of each student is necessary so that
peaceful and orderly academic environ
ment, free from outside agitators or
pressure groups, may be maintained.”
The resolution, while similar to the
official policy declarations of the uni
versity, made no direct reference to
desegregation.
An NAACP lawyer in New York an
nounced in early December that the
organization’s legal staff would rep
resent Miss Vivian Malone of Mobile
(SSN, December, 1962) in her efforts
to enroll at the university.
The attorney, Mrs. Constance Baker
Motley, said: “We’ll take whatever
steps appear necessary to secure her
admission.”
She did not say what steps were
planned or when. The university is un
der a permanent injunction, dating
from the Autherine Lucy case of six
years ago, to admit qualified students
regardless of race.
What They Say
Democratic Leader
Puts Law and Order
Above Segregation
State Democratic Chairman Roy
Mayhall of Jasper said in Birmingham
Dec. 3 that maintenance of law and
order is more important to the state
than segregation.
Speaking before the Young Men’s
Business Club, Judge Mayhall said:
“If integration
comes to Alabama
—by court order
or what—I favor
enforcing the
law.”
The statement
put Mayhall,
along with some
other political fig
ures at odds with
George C. Wal
lace, who takes
office as governor
in January. Wallace has said repeat
edly he would resist any effort to de
segregate any school in Alabama—to
MAYHALL
the extent that he would “stand in the
school house door” and even go to jail
if necessary to thwart a court order.
In his speech, Mayhall said: “If the
U.S. Supreme Court says some Negro
can go to the University of Alabama,
so far as I’m concerned he can go . . .
I’m not going to go down there carry
ing a gun for or against him.”
‘Restrained Leadership’
Calling for “calm, restrained leader
ship” by state Democrats and Repub
licans, Mayhall expressed the fear that
there would be trouble of the kind ex
perienced by the University of Missis
sippi. But, he said, if there is violence
“the federal courts will enforce the
law.”
Whoever is in the White House at
the time will, he added, “stand firmly
on the side of law enforcement.” No
reasonable Southerner, he said, could
expect anything different.
Mayhall attributed the near defeat of
veteran Senator Lister Hill (SSN, De
cember, 1962) to the “trouble in Ox
ford, Mississippi, and the resentment
against the Kennedys.” Mayhall, a na
tional party loyalist, said he could not
reassure the state that the party “looks
with favor on segregation the way we
want it maintained in Albania.” But
neither, he added, could state Repub
licans “tell you that the Republican
Party offers us any sympathy or any
acceptable answer for our sectional
problem.
“To lash out at the Kennedys because
you are disturbed about segregation
makes about as much sense as kicking
a tree because you’ve run your car into
it.”
Guest Editorial
Later, Mayhall wrote a guest editorial
in the Daily Mountain Eagle, extending
his remarks and revealing some of the
reaction he had received. Mayhall
wrote:
“The response to my statement . . .
has been voluminous. The majority of
the letters have been approving, and
are from responsible people. However,
I am shocked to find there are so many
people in Alabama who seem to be
against law and order. Letters, most of
them unsigned, have been received
condemning me in the most insulting
terms for making the statement.
“One writer, to prove his point, cites
me to the fact that we wrested the
greatest government in the world from
England. Yet, he now wants us to defy
this very government to the point of
violence and bloodshed.
“ ‘You’re afraid to stand up for the
white race,’ one letter charges, and an
other (both unsigned) says, ‘You’re
plain NAACP scared.’
‘Searing Criticism’
“Any man who tries to walk the
road of lawful adjustment must resign
himself to searing criticism and even
worse. The man who said, “Render unto
Caesar the things which be Caesar’s,’
was crucified by the mob.
“Many of us seem so absorbed in
hating those with whom we do not
agree that we have lost our vision.
One of the most wonderful Scriptural
admonitions reads: ‘Where there is no
vision the people perish; but he that
keepeth the law happy be he.’
‘Keeping the law may not be easy
sometimes for some people, but in this
enlightened age the people of Alabama
at least should be able to settle our dif
ferences without the ugly, moronic
violence of mob hysteria.
“We may dislike some of our laws,
we may heartily dislike the person who
is the head of government; but we
cannot afford to express dislike in
bloodshed and anarchy.
“The board of trustees of the Uni
versity of Alabama, the Alabama Bar
Association and various ministerial as
sociations have made quiet moves in
the right direction. Whether they can
do more remains to be seen. It is clear
that they will never condone violence,
even though the ways of preserving
peace seem hard and possibly even
humiliating.
“At this Christmas season, may I take
this opportunity to stress our need for
less hate and vituperation, and more
mentality and tolerance in the me
chanics of molding an ideal government.
When we have mastered the fine art
of disagreeing without stooping to
name calling and violence, we will be
on the road toward peace on earth,
good will toward men.”
Mayhall was publicly praised and
denounced for his position. The Mont
gomery Advertiser, George Wallace’s
principal newspaper support in his suc-
Alabama Highlights
Auburn University revealed Dec.
21 that “several” Negroes have
asked about enrolling at the all-
white institution, but none had com
pleted applications.
Previously, the University of Ala
bama had announced that applica
tions for enrollment from at least
three Negro students were not com
pleted before the deadline.
Circuit Judge Roy Mayhall of
Jasper, state Democratic chairman
and one of the state’s most powerful
political figures, added his voice in
December to those calling for law
and order should desegregation come
to any of Alabama’s schools.
cessful campaign for the Democratic
nomination, called Mayhall’s Birming
ham speech a “combative bellow” which
“certainly will estrange Judge Mayhall
from Gov.-elect Wallace.”
Recalling that Mayhall had supported
Wallace, the Advertiser commented:
“For some time it has been plain that
Mayhall was inwardly crying havoc
over Wallace’s politics.” The Advertiser
continued that Mayhall’s announced
position is “just as opposite to the Wal
lace position as one can get.”
★ ★ ★
Allen Sees Important Role
For Ministers During Crisis
Lt.-Gov.-elect James B. Allen said
Dec. 3 that ministers must help mold
public opinion if “Alabama is to get
through the days of crisis ahead.”
Speaking to the Ministers Association
of Greater Birmingham, Allen said that
he stands for ‘law and order through
an honorable, lawful, peaceful means.”
Shortly before, the association had
adopted a resolution calling for peace
and good will “especially here at home
in Birmingham and all Alabama.” The
resolution continued:
“There is tension among peoples of
our beloved state. We rejoice in the
announced prayerful purposes of lead
ers, officials and students at our
schools, colleges and universities that
law and order, peace and good will,
prevail on every campus.
‘We rejoice in the editorials of news
papers and other channels of public
leadership that good will and good con
duct be the marks of every citizen in
our beloved state. . . .”
Allen and Attorney General-elect
Richmond Flowers have made numer
ous speeches over the state in recent
months emphasizing the importance of
law, even unpopular law. (SSN, No
vember.) As in the case of Democratic
Chairman Mayhall, their positions have
been interpreted as at odds in some re
spects to Gov-elect Wallace’s.
★ ★ ★
Alabama Congressman George Hud
dleston urged President Kennedy on
Dec. 9 to discipline James Meredith
for cutting classes at the University of
Mississippi.
In a wire to the President, Huddles
ton said that Meredith’s repeated ab
sences from class were proof that he
was not interested in getting an edu
cation:
“This is a waste of the taxpayers’
money and millions of dollars are be
ing spent on this man that could cer
tainly be put to better use. . . .
“American taxpayers are spending
millions of dollars on this student who
is at present taking a two-day holiday
and missing important classes. (Mere
dith was in New York at the time at
tending an NAACP meeting.) Mere
dith’s unexcused absences raise serious
doubts about his sincerity of purpose
in obtaining an education. A propa
ganda speech in New York before the
NAACP is not adequate excuse for
missing school work. Meredith should
be disciplined just as any other stu
dent would be under similar circum
stances.”
Louisiana
(Continued From Page 6)
segregated schools will be challenged
by the Congress of Racial Equality.
In New Orleans, CORE’s national di
rector James Farmer said the attack
will be made on the tax-exemption
feature of the bonds as a “federal sub
sidy for the act of breaking federal
law.”
The decision to challenge the tax
benefits of bonds was taken Dec. 23 at
a meeting of CORE’s National Action
Council here. The council at that time
also decided to broaden its campaign
against “police brutality” in Northern
as well as in Southern cities.
FLORIDA
Court Order Speeds Up
Escambia Desegregation
MIAMI
E scambia County, where 21
Negro children are attending
ten predominantly white schools,
is under federal court order to
speed up desegregation.
U. S. District Judge G. Harrold Cars
well ordered the first and second grades
desegregated throughout the county
next September and the third grade in
1964.
The school board was directed to set
up new school districts to eliminate
geographical segregation. Judge Cars
well set an April 10 deadline for this
and warned that he would “tolerate
no gerrymandering.”
In the same order the judge set Feb.
26 for the county’s response to a com
plaint that teaching and other school
personnel are not being desegregated
under his earlier order.
Further Action
The request for further action was
made by Charles Wilson, a Pensacola
lawyer.
Both actions were developments in
the long-pending suit, Augustus et al
v. Board of Public Instruction of Es
cambia County, Judge Carswell origi
nally ordered limited desegregation
which has been carried out. The U. S.
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decided,
however, that the order did not go far
enough and directed speedier compli
ance.
In putting the appellate court’s man
date into effect, Judge Carswell com
mended Escambia citizens for the way
they have accepted the steps already
taken. He also praised the school board
for its cooperation. He retained juris
diction of the case indefinitely to super
vise steps to be taken in the future.
William J. Woodham, Escambia
school superintendent, said Judge Cars
well’s expanded ruling was about as ex
pected and was “fairly consistent” with
orders in similar cases.
School administrators will proceed to
draw up the new district lines and have
a desegregation plan ready for the
court’s approval by the deadline.
★ ★ ★
Pre-Trial Conference Held
In Leon County School Case
The fact that all pupils attending a
school are members of the same race
is not evidence that their constitutional
rights have been violated, Judge Cars
well ruled in another case. The point
was raised during a pre-trial confer
ence in the Steele case against the Leon
County school board.
Judge Carswell said a plea of racial
segregation must be based on evidence
that children have been assigned to a
school on the basis of race.
“I know of no case that says there
must be compulsory integration,” the
judge commented. “The burden is upon
the plaintiff to show discrimination be
cause of race.” If this can be estab
lished, he said, the plaintiffs would
clearly be entitled to relief.
The point is one of the key issues in
the Leon County case. William O’Bryan,
school board attorney, said the plain
tiffs are attempting to establish prece
dent that proof of a specific act of dis
crimination is not necessary to sustain
a class suit.
O’Bryan insisted that the plaintiffs
have failed to produce a single case of
a Negro pupil attending a school he
would not be attending if there were
no segregation.
Community Action
Survey Indicates
Education Key
To Negro Advances
A survey of advances made by Ne
gro citizens in the St. Petersburg area
showed that education is the key to
progress.
Much of the increased status has
come since the establishment of Gibbs
Junior College in 1957. It was set up
by the Pinellas County school board
over serious objections. But Floyd T.
Christian, county school superintendent,
said that college-level education for
Negroes in the community was a mat
ter of compelling urgency.
Gibbs opened its doors with 210 stu
dents—preliminary estimates had been
from 80 to 100—and eight teachers. It
now has over 700 students and a faculty
Florida Highlights
A supplementary order speeding
up the desegregation process in
Escambia County schools has been
issued by the federal district court.
Judge G. Harrold Carswell told the
school board to desegregate first and
second grades countywide next fall
and add the third grade the follow
ing year.
In a Leon County case, Judge
Carswell held that attendance at a
school by members of only one race
was not prima facie evidence of a
segregation policy.
Higher education is a key to ad
vances by the Negro, a survey in St.
Petersburg indicated.
Florida’s school costs in the new
biennium may exceed a half billion
dollars. State School Superintendent
Thomas D. Bailey told the state
budget commission.
The segregation issue may be in
jected in a move by Florida legisla
tors to have the U.S. Constitution
amended to protect states’ rights.
i«ii mmmmmmmmmmmmm
of 53, including several white instruc
tors.
While most students are from the St,
Petersburg area, 13 states and several
foreign countries are represented.
The Florida Institute of Continuing
Studies, the new agency that provides
higher education for on-the-job tech
nical specialists and graduate students,
will soon open a facility in St. Peters
burg. In accordance with Board of
Control policy, qualified Negro students
will be accepted.
Thus, for the first time, St. Peters
burg Negroes will be able to pursue
graduate studies and earn four-year
college degrees without leaving the
community.
This kind of progress in education is
believed to have helped establish a bet
ter feeling between the races and pro
mote understanding in other areas
“We cannot develop this mutual under
standing and respect,” said Dr. John
W. Rembert, president of Gibbs Junior
College, “without communication as
individuals and equals.”
Legislative Action
Early Legislative
Session Expected
On Reapportionment
The Florida legislature, due to meet
in April for its biennial session,
probably be called sooner to deal w#
reapportionment ordered by the federa 1
courts.
Pressure is building up on Gov. Far
ris Bryant to include another subjef
in the call for a special session. This -
the proposal for joint action by the staw
legislatures to limit the powers of tbc
federal judiciary.
This was proposed at a meeting of tjf
General Assembly of the States at Cb
cago last month. It was suggested
the various legislatures (more than
meet this year) petition Congress
call a constitutional convention
consider three amendments.
‘Court of the Union’
,v$
The most important would P r °'
for a “Court of the Union” with auth
ity to review Supreme Court decisi
relating to powers of the states.
Florida legislators took the l e8 U:
advancing the proposal in Chicago
this group is anxious that Florida ta\
action on the petition as quickly
possible. .
While reapportionment of state lf^
latures is the issue that touched on
move, the school desegregation ^
cision is very much in the min ^
- . igtff
some Florida legislators. This ^
might raise the segregation issue a
extra or the regular session.
Except for this roundabout a P p ^^i,-
there has been no pressure on the 1 ^
lators for any kind of segref? 8
measures at this time.
,ti»'
★ ★ ★
Donald D. Weddington has
bec° t! ‘[
the first Negro to be appointed a
■t i- . i * i. TTnlVc*'.
ber of the faculty at the ^ nl
of Miami. A graduate student ^ ^
for an M.A. degree in mathema
for an M.A. degree in
is teaching freshman math.
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