Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

PAGE 8—OCTOBER, 1963—SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Senate Democratic Leaders Give Civil-Rights Bill Top Priority (Continued from Page 1) tabled by a 39-to-37 vote. Javits charged that the Department of Health, Education and Welfare had refused to give assurances that it would not aid institutions that practice racial or religious bias. He said five of 87 medi cal schools and 32 of 243 collegiate nursing schools bar Negroes. Senate Majority Leader Mike Mans field (D-Mont.), who made the motion to table Javits’ amendment, said, “We’re on the same old treadmill. If you want the bill, vote to table.” ★ ★ ★ Another anti-segregation amendment offered by Javits—this time to an Agriculture Department money bill— was rejected by 46-to-22 vote of the Senate on Sept. 26. The amendment would have banned the use of $2.5 million in funds for Federal Extension Service activities in areas which pract ice racial discrimination. Sen. George D. Aiken (R-Vt.), rank ing Republican member of the Agricul ture Committee, opposed the amend ment on the grounds that it would punish young people for the practices of their elders. The successful motion to table the amendment was offered by Sen. Humphrey. ★ ★ ★ Attempts by Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace to block court-ordered school desegregation were criticized Sept. 10 by Sen. Sam J. Ervin Jr. (D- N.C.), a leader in the Southern con gressional fight against President Ken nedy’s civil rights program. “Gov. Wallace’s actions in the past few days have made him the chief aider and abetter of those who would attempt to pass foolish laws like this,” Ervin said. His comment was made during a debate with Berl I. Bernhard, staff director of the U. 3. Civil Rights Commission. Dur ing argument over the administra tion’s proposal for federal help to erwin school boards planning desegregation, Bernhard asked Ervin whether the Senator supported Wallace’s action. He drew the criticism of Wallace as a reply. Ervin’s comment came five days be fore the Birmingham church bombing which claimed the lives of four Negro children, and which in turn brought a new wave of congressional criticism of the governor. In a typical comment, Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R-N.Y.) said Wallace “cannot escape some responsi bility” for the bombing. President Comments In a statement issued Sept. 16, Presi dent Kennedy expressed “a deep sense of outrage and grief’ over the death of the children, and called on every American to support racial justice and harmony. In what appeared to be a reference to Wallace, Kennedy said “it is regret table that public disparagement of law and order has encouraged violence which has fallen on the innocent.” In succeeding days, the President had separate meetings at the White House with representatives of Birmingham’s white and Negro communities, and with the city’s religious leaders. Georg la (Continued from Page 7) lower grade each succeeding year under the plan. It also provides that the school board retain powers to assign pupils to various schools, pupils must attend schools within their attendance areas, transfers and reassignments must be requested Feb. 1-15, 1964, and sets up procedures for appeals to the board of education. In Atlanta, white parents protested a board of education decision to turn all-white Lena H. Cox Elementary School over to Negro use. The two nearest Negro elementary schools were crowded more than 50 per cent beyond capacity and the Cox school was at about half capacity. Atlanta’s grade-a-year desegregation plan has not yet reached the elemen tary level. On Sept. 19, Kennedy announced that he was appointing two former Army men to go to Birmingham as his repre sentatives “in helping the city to work as a unit in overcoming the fears and suspicions which now exist.” Named for the mission were Gen. Kenneth C. Royall, a veteran of both world wars and Secretary of the Army in the Truman administration, and Col. Earl H. (Red) Blaik, former football coach at West Point. The two men left for Birmingham Sept. 24. ★ ★ ★ Kennedy Questions Moving Students For Raee ‘Balance* President Kennedy said at a Sept. 12 press conference that he would not approve of moving children from their neighborhood schools to “far-away, strange places” to achieve a racial balance in the schools. The President’s comment came in re ply to a reporter’s question about his reaction “as a parent” to proposals “to wrench children away from their neighborhood family area and cart them off to strange, far-away schools to force racial balance.” The question apparently referred to attempts in some Northern cities to redraw school boundary zones and transport pupils to effect desegregation. Kennedy said that much depended on “what the situation was in each district,” but added that he “would not have any hesitancy in saying no to your question.” “This in the final analysis must be decided by the local school board,” the P esident said. In another press conference comment, Kennedy praised “the courage and re sponsibility of those community lead ers” responsible for the desegregation of 150 school districts this fall. (This was the total reported by SSN last month.) “There may have been some difficul ties,” he said, “but to the great credit of the vast majority of the citizens and public officials of these communities, this transition has been made with understanding and respect for the law. “The task was not easy,” the Presi dent added. “The emotions underlying segregation have persisted for genera tions, and in many instances leaders in these communities have had to over come their own personal attitudes as well as the ingrained social attitudes of the communities.” Kennedy said he did not think a milestone had yet been reached in desegregation progress, although “there is some cause for satisfaction in most of the events that happened in the last two weeks.” He said he thought the administration was moving “at about the right tempo” in civil rights matters. ★ ★ ★ Pupil-Test Results Called ‘Encouraging’ District School Supt. Carl F. Hansen released results of citywide standardized tests on Sept. 13 and called the per formance of Washington pupils “en couraging.” The tests are given annually to fourth- and sixth-grade pupils and to high school freshmen and seniors. Re sults of the testing program in the 1962-63 school year: Fourth grade—Pupils were above the national norm in spelling, close to it in arithmetic computation and total language skills, but below it in word knowledge, word discrimina tion, reading and arithmetic prob lem solving. The test scores were higher than those of the previous year’s fourth- graders in all areas except arithmetic. Ford Offers $15 Million Grant To Negro Colleges NEW YORK T he Ford Foundation an nounced Sept. 12 that it would provide $15 million to help strengthen Negro Colleges. The funds will be granted as follows: • $5 million to the United Negro College Fund for its campaign to finance buildings and other capital im provements in its 32 member institu tions. • $10 million to a small number of private Negro liberal-arts colleges that are members of the Fund, to be selected over the next year on the basis of their academic quality and performance and their future promise. The grant to the United Negro Col lege Fund campaign is subject to the requirement that each dollar donated by the Foundation be matched by two dollars from other sources. Grants to individual colleges may also entail some matching provisions. ‘Special Need’ Noted “These actions by the Ford Founda tion, which has long had a primary interest in expanded educational op portunity for all Americans, reflect the special need to expand the educational horizons of Negro men and women,” Henry T. Heald, president of the Foundation, said. “The Foundation will continue to support institutions that enroll both Negro and white students. But at pre sent, when many Negro students in higher education attend Negro Colleges, t is essential that financial assistance Iso be directed to them. “The strengthening of these institu- ons, some of which already enroll a jw white students, should hasten the ay when there will no longer be all- iegro or all-white colleges and uni versities. “The nation’s educational system at all levels has awakened to the justice and necessity of extraordinary efforts to raise the educational sights and achievement of culturally disadvantaged youth, many of whom are Negro. The Ford Foundation for several years has assisted pioneering efforts in schooling attuned to the needs of such young people, especially in the major cities of the nation. It expects to continue such efforts and in the meantime believes it is important to improve the quality of the colleges attended largely by Negro youth.” D. C. Highlights Senate Democratic leaders dis closed plans to give civil rights legis lation priority over the tax cut in order to press for passage of the civil rights bill this year. A House Judici ary Subcommittee approved a civil rights program considerably stronger than that requested by President Ken nedy. The House version was hailed by civil rights leaders and denounced as a “witches’ brew” by Southern senators planning a filibuster against the legislation. Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s efforts to block school desegregation were criticized by a North Carolina senator as playing into the hands of civil rights advocates. President Kennedy conferred with Birmingham leaders and named a Sixth grade—Pupils surpassed the national norm by two months in arith metic computation, by three months in language usage and by five months in spelling and language study skills. They fell below the norm by two to four months in reading, word know ledge and social study skills. Freshmen—Half of the pupils in the top “honors” track of the District’s four-track program scored as well or better than 92 to 95 per cent of all students tested nationally. Half of the pupils in the regular track scored as well or better than 44 to 55 pier cent of those tested nationally. Seniors—Half of the students in the honors track and half in the regular track scored as well as or better than 93 to 96 per cent and 60 to 77 per cent respectively of those tested nationally. However, half of the seniors in the general track did as well as or better than only 29 to 38 per cent of those taking the test. ★ ★ ★ The District of Columbia Commis sioners on Sept. 17 banned active re cruiting of new city employes at schools that practice racial discrimination. The commissioners’ order paralleled a similar directive issued earlier by the Civil Service Commission to agencies of the federal government. It was aimed primarily at business and sec retarial schools. Officials said they would work with the Commissioners’ Council on Human Relations in deciding which schools would be affected by the ban. Indi vidual graduates of the schools will not be affected by the order. ★ ★ ★ Julius Hobson, Washington director of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was arrested Sept. 6 after he refused to leave the offices of the Ben jamin Franklin University, a private accounting school, where he had sought to apply for admission. Hobson and an associate, Stowall Kessler, were charged with unlawful entry and released on $300 bond. The arrests were the third and fourth since CORE began protesting in August against the school’s refusal to admit Negro students. two-man team to attempt to mediate in the city’s racial crisis. President Kennedy told a press conference he would not approve of moving children from neighborhood schools to “far-away, strange places” to promote desegregation, but he said the matter was one to be decided by local school officials. The President praised “the courage and responsibility” of community leaders responsible for the desegrega- tion of 150 school districts this fall. James H. Meredith, first Negro graduate of the University of Mis sissippi, announced that he was setting up a scholarship fund to aid needy Negro students. President Kennedy opened a na tionwide campaign to raise $50 mil lion for 32 schools affiliated with the United Negro College Fund. Military Bans Activities In Segregated Places Defense Secretary Robert S. McNa mara has ordered military units not to participate in events where audiences are segregated or where admission is denied to Negroes, the Pentagon an nounced Sept. 17. The ruling will affect participation of service academy teams in athletic events at segregated stadiums, as well as demonstrations and performances staged for the public by various mili tary units. The new ruling was disclosed as Chairman Carl Vinson (D-Ga.) of the House Armed Services Committee in troduced legislation to void an earlier McNamara order allowing base com manders to declare segregated civilian establishments off limits to men under their command. Vinson assailed the directive as illegal military interfer ence in civilian political matters. Former Howard Dean Named to Judgeship Spottswood W. Robinson III, former dean of the Howard University lav school, was nominated by President Kennedy Oct. 1 to be a judge of the Federal District Court for the Dis trict of Columbia. If confirmed by the Senate, Rob inson would be the first Negro to fill such a post in Washington. Robinson, 47, is a member of the U.S. Civil Rights , . Commission. He served as dean o Howard law school from 1960 until la* June. A native and resident of Richmond Va., Robinson has had extensive school desegregation nu he pa f in which the Supreme Court held segregation to be unconstitution • j has also argued many Virginians ^ desegregatin cases, including Prince Edward County. ROBINSON penence in gation. As an NAACP attorney, ticipated in the 1954 Brown case Meredith Sets Up Scholarship Fund James H. Meredith, first Negro gradu ate of the University of Mississippi, announced at a Washington press con ference Sept. 6 that he was setting up a scholarship fund to assist needy Ne gro students. Meredith, who has been living in Washington since he was graduated from the university last summer, said the fund would have offices here and in Jackson, Miss. He told reporters the fund would assist students attending both segre gated and biracial institutions. “We are primarily concerned with wanting to help those who will help themselves,” he said. The 30-year-old Air Force veteran, whose admission to the univerity re quired the forceful intervention of the federal government, said he hopes to return to school next year for post graduate work in law or political science. He said he will divide his time between Washington and Jackson, and will try to encourage Negro voting in Mississippi. Meredith’s wife has also moved to Washington with their three-year-old son, and is a graduate student at Howard University. At the press conference, Meredith released letters he had written to Presi dent Kennedy and the Attorney General praising the administration, particularly Justice Department officials, for as suring his right to attend the Univer sity of Mississippi. Meredith said the scholarship fund would be used primarily to give needy high school students financial assistance to keep them from dropping out of school and to help them take summer courses. Some scholarships will also go for college expenses, he said. The major aim of the fund will be to assist average students to supplement their schooling sufficiently to pass col lege entrance examinations and ap prenticeship requirements, he said. “My primary concern is for the un educated to become educated, the un trained to become trained and those who cannot make their livelihood to become able to make a good living for themselves,” Meredith told reporters. Meredith is president of the nonpro fit, tax-exempt corporation administer ing the fund. He said he would receive no salary from the fund and expected to raise money for it through speaking engagements. He also called for con tributions from “privileged Americans” of all races “to join me m helping underprivileged youth. ★ ★ ★ President Opens Dri'e For Negro College Fund to raise »* A nationwide campaign . the million for 32 colleges allied ope n^ United Negro College Fund * gcpt- formally by President Kennedy 12. _ j row** 3 ' On the same day, ° r t Qty tb 3 ' tion announced in New ° r t0 tb 3 it was granting $15 ^u Sch°°K United Negro College Fund , ^ $5 million to the campaign $10 million to selected mem ^ *itb President Kennedy, wh ^ fund officials and presi e Mb 1 of the Negro colleges at a <<gre a. House, called the campaign £ national effort.” He said W* ^ leges are faced with &*£****£ at a time when Negr tic ipati otl better jobs and greater P the life of the Nation. ^ The Negro coHegeswhih from the development camp deI s mold as undergraduates the future,” Kennedy said.