About Southern school news. (Nashville, Tenn.) 1954-1965 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1963)
PAGE 20—JULY, 1963—SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS WEST VIRGINIA Governor Says State Can Profit From Record CHARLESTON he beginning of West Vir ginia’s second century was marked here June 20 with Gov. W. W. Barron pointing to the state’s progress in school desegre gation as one of the major achievements of its first 100 years. Barron called attention to what West Virginia has done in the desegregation field in a public statement issued to commemorate the centennial anniver sary. He said: “West Virginians have a right to be proud of their state’s progress in de segregating schools, opening up of pub lic accommodations, and in at least be ginning to end job discrimination.” Since 1954 all state-supported col leges and universities have dropped racial barriers and every public school district with Ne groes has moved to admit them to whatever schools they wish to at tend. “During my ad ministration,” the governor said, “a State Human Rights Commis sion has been es tablished, and I have issued an executive order banning discrimination because of race, creed or color in the hiring of state employes.” Studies School Desegregation The human rights commission, now in its third year, was established to seek an end to discrimination in em ployment and places of public assembly. But it also has surveyed the effects of desegregation on the schools, and has used the findings of those surveys to aid it in its other work. Barron said, “We shouldn’t become complacent because of our state’s progress. In this centennial year, we know that thousands of visitors are coming to West Virginia. “They include men, women and chil dren of all colors. What would be their impression of our state if they were denied a meal when they were hungry, a room when they were tired? “Reflect a moment and try to place yourself in the Negro’s position ... He wants only the same things that most other Americans have—an equal op- Delaware (Continued Fiom Page 19) petuate segregation. Redding is a Wilmington attorney. The bill provides for merger of dis tricts to reduce the current 87 to about 30, so that all districts will offer all 12 grades. It specifically states that various Ne gro elementary schools will be merged with white districts, but omits the three Negro comprehensive high schools—Redding in New Castle, Henry in Kent, and Jason in Sussex. REDDING PARRES West Virginia Highlights Gov. W. W. Barron said West Vir ginia could profit during its second 100 years from its progress during the past century toward ending ra cial discrimination in the public schools. During an appearance at Charles ton on West Virginia’s statehood day, President Kennedy said he was pleased with the peaceful steps taken to end discrimination in the state. Two capital improvement projects at Bluefield State College, formerly a Negro institution, were placed on a priority list by the State Board of Education. portunity to realize his potential, to live as an American with a sense of dignity and security that is the promise of America. ★ ★ ★ Kennedy Lauds Steps Taken in West Virginia President Kennedy spoke in Charles ton briefly on centennial day—cutting his remarks short because of a heavy downpour of rain. During his extemporaneous remarks he did not mention the civil rights is sue, but in conversation with Barron he was complimentary of West Vir ginia’s progress in the field. The President said it was a source of satisfaction to him and his administra tion that the state had taken steps par ticularly in the field of school desegre gation, with a minimum of strife and public demonstration. ★ ★ ★ A Negro educator who shared the platform with Kennedy made civil rights his main subject. He was Dr. Mordecai Johnson, president emeritus of Howard University in Washington. He said West Virginia is setting a record in the nation for attainment of equal rights and privileges for persons of all races. The fact that there now are more white students than Negroes at West Virginia State College, which was all- Negro until 1954, is “one of the most beautiful things to look upon in the United States,” Johnson declared. He praised West Virginia for its action in the desegregation of schools after the 1954 Supreme Court decision. In The Colleges Formerly All-Negro College Approved For Building Funds The State Board of Education on June 17 placed two capital improve ment projects at Bluefield State College on a priority list. Bluefield has been subjected to re peated studies in recent years because of its high per student operating costs, and there was some thought less than a year ago of changing it into a tech nical school. It now is a four-year degree-granting liberal arts college. Bluefield, desegregated in 1954, has failed to attract students in the num bers needed to keep down costs. Like West Virginia State at Institute, it for merly was an all-Negro college. West Virginia State’s enrollment now is more than 60 per cent white. Blue field is still predominantly Negro. Community Action Methodists Express ‘Concern’ On Racial Dr. Parres said the schools were left out of the bill “because we have found that it would be economically and edu cationally unsound to consolidate them at this moment.” Cites Example He said the Henry school in Dover, for example, would lose half its pupils if forced to consolidate with the Dover Special School District. Henry, he said, then would no longer be a county school, and children from other dis tricts which now attend it would have to go to other schools. Dr. Parres said Dover would not be able to fill the Henry building with students (especially since it is erecting a new high school) and that half the teachers at Henry would not be needed. He declined to speculate whether the teachers would be ab sorbed by other districts. Strife In Nation The West Virginia Methodist Confer ence, largest annual gathering of church people in the state each year, unanimously adopted a resolution June 7 expressing “deep concern” over racial strife in many parts of the nation. The resolution declared there is a need for “completely equal educational opportunities,” the right to vote and equal pay for equal work. ★ ★ ★ The Charleston branch of the Na tional Association for the Advancement of Colored People, long contending that school desegregation will not be totally effective until Negro graduates have better employment opportunities, car- FLORIDA Dade County Board Adopts Policy Declaring All Operations Biracial MIAMI he Dade County School Board announced that the entire public school system is now officially desegregated. Future assignments, including those of pupils, teaching and administrative personnel, will be made “without re gard for the creed or color of any individual,” the board said. The policy statement was read with out advance notice at a June 5 meeting of the board. Mrs. Jane Roberts, chair man, said that it signified no change but was, in effect, notification to all involved, including prospective em ployes from other states, that race or color will not be considered in the school operation. There had been some community discussion of school desegregation prior to the statement. ‘Lack of Sincerity’ Charged The Rev. Theodore R. Gibson, Dade County NAACP chairman, accused the school board of dragging its feet in an interview two days earlier. He said school officials showed “a lack of sin cerity” in complying with court rulings. At the time, Mrs. Roberts responded: “I hate to dignify his remarks with any comment. If the Rev. Gibson is dis satisfied I think the courts and the polls are the place to settle differ ences of view. “I am proud of the people of Dade County and the progress they have let us make toward desegre gating the public schools. “I am sorry he has not seen the progress we have made.” The official statement was made with the endorsement of the entire school board. It declared: “We do not believe we can teach democracy in our schools without de monstrating our belief in democracy in the way the schools are operated. “All employes are hereby notified that they are expected to teach or work with other employes to teach pupils, and to teach and to supervise or be supervised in their work by other em ployes, without regard for the creed or color of any individual. “This is an integrated school system and should be understood as such by all persons connected with it. “It is also the policy of this board that all positions are open to all ap plicants regardless of creed or color and every effort will be made to secure the best qualified person for every vacancy.” Florida Highlights Dade County schools are now to be considered officially biracial in all op erations, the school board declared in a formal statement of policy. Polk County, Florida’s seventh lar gest turned down a request by sev eral Negro children for reassignment to white schools. After a seven-year legal struggle, William Holland Jr., son of a West Palm Beach Negro attorney, was ad mitted to a previously white school. Florida school officials are studying the effect of recent Supreme Court decisions on six counties which planned to allow transfers to students assigned to biracial schools. Jacksonville citizens have formed an organization called ASSIST to work for peaceful and orderly de segregation in Duval County. Hereafter all teachers will work through the single CTA. The DCTA will continue as an entity to work for desegregation of teacher organizations in other counties. All other activity will be suspended. Its assets probably will be converted into a scholarship fund. ★ ★ ★ For the first time Negroes in Polk County, Florida’s seventh largest locat ed in the central citrus and lake region, have moved to desegregate schools. Eight children applied for transfer to white schools under the assignment law. All requests were denied with the notice that a public hearing would be granted if sought. Roe Martin, director of the school board’s pupil assignment division, re commended that the eight, along with 14 requests from white children, be denied. Martin said reasons given by Negro parents seeking the change “indicate an attempt to rate schools in the coun ty, ‘one school is better than another,’ or that ‘one school has better facilities than another,’ or similar reasons.” Requests on similar grounds have been denied consistently in the past when no racial question was involved. Race was not involved in these decis ions, Martin said. Negro leaders reported that a suit to desegregate the schools was being pre pared. Officials In Six Counties Study Ruling on Transfers School officials in six Florida coun ties were studying the U.S. Supreme Court decision in two Tennessee cases involving school transfers. The court held unconstitutional transfer provisions which allow pu pils to transfer from schools because they are in a racial minority. Optional transfer is a feature of court-approved plans under which the six Florida counties have been reg istering pupils for the coming term. The counties are Escambia (Pensa cola), Duval (Jacksonville), Hills borough (Tampa), Orange (Orlando), Volusia (Daytona Beach) and Leon (Tallahassee). No change is anticipated unless the plan is challenged in court and amend ments are required. In notifying Duval County’s 110,000 school children of their transfer rights under the plan that will lead to first- grade desegregation next term, Duval Supt. Ish Brant said reassignments would be made “only for sufficient and valid reasons.’ All pupils have been assigned to the schools they have been attending, ex cept the incoming first-graders and those promoted to a higher school. Community Action Duval County Parents Form Organization To Seek Compliance With Duval County facing its first school desegregation in September under a court order, citizens are ex pressing hope that the change will be made peacefully. A group of parents has chartered an organization known as ASSIST to “urge responsible action on the part of citizens and officials in complying with the school desegregation order. The initials stand for “Aid September Students in Sensible Transition.” Mrs. John B. Ross, ASSIST vice chairman who called the first meeting, said the group will seek to mobilize moderate sentiment to guide public and official reaction. Temporary chairman is the R ev - George W. Todd III, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany. The 50 members include representa tives of religious, civic, business and professional organizations. Court Orders Negroes Enrolled MRS. ROBERTS Records By Race Dropped The school board announced it is discontinuing record-keeping on a racial basis and will no longer classify schools as segregated or desegregated. Negro and white pupils attended clas ses together in 18 schools last year and assignments already made will increase this to “about 30” in September, the school department said. It was brought out for the first time during the discussion that faculties at five schools were desegregated during the past year. There was no public announcement. There probably will be others when schools open in September but person nel assignments are not yet complete. The Dade County Junior College, operated by the school board, desegre gated all activities during the year. It is the only such institution in Florida. Desegregation of teachers’ organiza tions was accomplished by a simple gesture. It came when the Dade County Classroom Teachers Association, with 6,000 white members and the Dade County Teachers Association, with 2,000 Negro members met in the same room for their annual Fellowship Day. ried their appeal June 14 to Mayor John Shanklin and the Charleston Chamber of Commerce. “The organization is disturbed over the lack of employment opportunities for the Negro youth in the Kanawha Valley and plans to request the mayor and chamber of commerce to appoint a biracial committee to assist in the elimination of discrimination in em ployment,” NAACP President Willard Brown said. In Palm Beach White Schools William M. Holland, West Palm Beach Negro attorney, filed suit in 1956 to have his son, William Jr., enrolled in the white school nearest his home. The suit (Holland v. Board of Public Instruction of Palm Beach County) was the second in Florida and soon became outstanding for its length. Holland took his fight through the courts three times, winning the first sweeping order for school desegregation in the state. But accomplishment bog ged down in technicalities and Holland turned to state agencies, following the administrative procedure in the as signment law by appealing to the State Board of Education. The attorney contended that the school board had changed districts to bar his son from a white school. He pleaded that the Negro school to which the student was assigned was inferior to the school he wished to attend. Consent Decree Entered As pressure grew on the school board, a consent decree was entered by Dis trict Judge Emett Choate desegregating the senior and junior high schools in j Palm Beach County. This, however, did not affect the Holland boy. Twice Holland petitioned the court i to reopen his case to raise other ques tions, the latest that his son was barred from a white school by a gerrymander. Finally, on June 16, Judge Choate ordered that William, now 12, and his | brother, Maurice, 6, be accepted in white schools. William will attend Central Junior I High in West Palm Beach and Maurice I the Central Elementary. It will be the The William Hollands Junior and Senior iti°° rst elementary school desegreg l the county. matter- “I feel happy about the w ^° , e c tjc." though it’s sort of anticlimax lid Holland. , w he n His main purpose was reacn jp ^segregation was accomp ■a aim Beach County, the at ° a ftef ared. Having his sons hmluoe > long a time, he added, was : personal satisfaction. uittem 655 Holland said he had no , u ut ha d ver the lengthy legal strugg ® . j-fe aly praise for the school o .jj lid he is confident his sons icepted by their classmates. j,as “We think it (desegregation! een handled very well,” he ap pl? jrtainly feel the same thing st®P i this instance. It’s just ano \ thp rip’ht direction.
