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PAGE 16—APRIL, 1964—SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS NORTH CAROLINA Steps Taken Toward Biracial State Teachers Association WINSTON-SALEM G roundwork for bringing white and Negro teachers into one statewide association was laid on the March 19-21 weekend when the present Negro and white associations, meeting separately in Raleigh, overwhelmingly ap proved resolutions on this issue. The two associations agreed in prin ciple, but not in approach, on the idea of desegregation. The North Carolina Education Association (NCEA), voted for dropping racial requirements for membership. The North Carolina Teachers Association (NCTA), Negro, passed a resolution calling for the eventual merger of the two separate bodies. Representing more than 36,000 mem bers, the NCEA voted to submit three constitutional amendments to the gen eral body: • Delete the word, white, from the requirements for membership. • Provide local option for member units—there is one unit in each of the state’s 171 school districts—on whether they choose to admit Negro members. • Permit the NCEA board of direc tors to set up more than one unit in a school district if the local unit re fuses to desegregate and at least 10 Negro teachers want to joint the NCEA. Third Step Remains These proposals have passed two of the three steps required for passage. The first step was approved by the board. The second step came with the favor of the delegate assembly. The third step will be a favorable vote by two-thirds of the entire membership when general ballots are mailed out in February, 1965. The racial issue in NCEA member ship has come to the front because of general criticism of racial associations in the national convention of the Na tional Education Association. Current ly, both the NCEA and NCTA are represented in the NEA, but states outside the South are represented by only one state association. Dr. Frank G. Fuller of Greenville, president of the NCEA, said: “This decision puts us in line with the times. I was very pleased with the way in which the delegates met their responsibility. I think they showed good judgment in their actions.” No Merger Passage of the proposed changes will not mean merger of the two groups or even the end of the NCTA, Dr. A. C. Dawson, executive secretary of the NCEA, said. The NCTA, however, is not enthus iastic over the NCEA proposals. The Negro group approved proposals for the merger of the two professional associations. These were presented by Dr. Lafayette Parker of Winston-Salem, president, and Dr. Charles Lyons Jr., executive secretary. “We believe the basis of attack on the dual association question in North Carolina should be merger and inte gration rather than absorption and ab olition,” the NCTA resolution stated. The resolution called the present NCEA proposals “only a first step.” The NCTA also asked that the local option policy be “held in abeyance until a state policy acceptable to the two associa tions has been agreed upon.” Three-Level Program The NCTA approved a three-level program seeking “full merger not later than 1966.” The proposals were: NATIONAL LEVEL—NCTA be fairly represented in the NEA with one board member, one resolutions committee Florida (Continued From Page 3) The number in white schools tended to increase in the higher grades. Plan Working Well Hall and representatives of the Duval board insisted that the grade-a-year plan is working well and has been ac cepted by citizens of both races. They asked for at least a full year’s experience before changes are ordered. Johnson noted that no action has been taken by either county to imple ment Judge Simpson’s order to deseg regate teaching staffs. This directive, upheld two months ago by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, has been appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court. A similar speedup petition, filed with Judge Simpson by plaintiffs in Hills borough County, was postponed for a later hearing. North Carolina Highlights Desegregation of the professional education association of teachers in North Carolina was approved in prin ciple by both the white North Caro lina Education Association and the Negro North Carolina Teachers As sociation, but the two groups did not agree on the approach. Henry Logan, a Negro high-school boy, was named most valuable player as he became the first Negro to play in a post-season high-school Blue- White basketball all-star game in Asheville. The school districts and Negro plaintiffs worked out plans for a de segregation program in cases that were to come before the U.S. Middle District Court. Judge Edwin M. Stan ley accepted the suggested proposals. Parents of nine Negro children filed suit against the Lexington City Board of Education in the U.S. Mid dle District Court in Greensboro, asking desegregation of the school system. The majority of Negro high-school graduates are taking no further formal schooling after graduation, but a slight majority of white grad uates are continuing their educa tion, a five-year survey revealed. member and “fair representation” on all NEA committees when a state is involved. STATE LEVEL—The board of the merged group would first include mem bers of the boards of both the NCEA and NCTA. The new board in its final form would include Negroes in propor tion to membership in the new associa tion. Staffs of both associations be re tained in the merger with final positions and salaries based on qualifications without regard to race. Certain state offices for a time after the merger be alternated between the two races. LOCAL LEVEL—Guidelines for dis trict and local associations be similar to those at a state level. Set up a se ries of committees, human relations and other workshops to ease the tran sition. Local NCEA and NCTA units sponsor cooperatively meetings, work shops, seminars and other activities in inter-group relations. Local NCTA and NEA affiliates have local option within a time table for merger in a policy agreed upon at the state level. ★ ★ ★ Negro Basketball Player Elected Most Outstanding Henry Logan of the all-Negro Stephens-Lee High School in Asheville completed a successful high-school athletic career March 26 by becoming the first Negro to play in the 12-year- old Blue-White basketball game spon sored by the Rhododendron Civitan Club of Asheville. Logan led the White All-Stars to a record 109-99 victory over the Blue All-Stars with 23 points and 14 assists plus several blocked shots, and was named the game’s most valuable play er. Earlier in the month the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper had voted him Western North Carolina’s Player of the Year. The Blue-White game features top high-school seniors from Buncombe County, including Asheville, on the White team against outstanding play ers from bordering counties on the Blue team. The Civitan group uses funds raised for the benefit of its retarded children’s program. A crowd of 2,600 fans, including 2,- 450 paid, jammed the Asheville-Bilt- more College gymnasium to see the game, and nearly 1,000 were turned away. Coach Praises After the game, Coach Martin Ban ner of the Whites—he is mentor of Er vin High School during the regular season—said of Logan: “I was real glad to see Logan get the Most Outstanding Player trophy. I still don’t think he opened up. Maybe he was a little tight or maybe he didn’t want to put on a show, but he’s an even better player than he looked to night.” During his high-school career, Lo gan was a star in both football and basketball at Stephen-Lee. He was se lected to Negro all-state teams in both sports. He led the basketball team to one Negro state title and a second place in the state tournament in his three years of varsity action. In addition, Logan was elected a co captain of the White All-Stars. ★ ★ ★ The North Carolina Fund named a Negro as an assistant director and an nounced plans for Peace Corps-styled North Carolina Volunteers of college students to help battle poverty in the state. The hind currently is in the process of selecting 10 committees in the state to initiate a project to re duce poverty. More than 50 areas have offered plans for anti-poverty programs. George H. Esser Jr., executive direc tor of the fund with offices in Durham, announced that the N. C. Fund also will seek to provide aid to communities that do not receive major grants. Dr. William A. Darity, who began his career as a public health officer in Charlotte, was named assistant di rector of the fund in the field of com munity development. For the past 10 years he has worked internationally for the World Health Organization of the United Nations. He has organized public health edu cation programs for Arab refugees, has been professor of health education of the School of Public Health, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and has been WHO regional adviser on health education to 17 nations in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. North Carolina-Trained Darity received his B.S. degree at Shaw University and M.S. degree in public health from North Carolina Col lege, both Negro colleges. He earned his Ph.D. degree from the predomin antly white University of North Caro lina at Chapel Hill. Jim Beatty, a nationally known track star, heads a program, the North Caro lina Volunteers, to recruit 100 college students from both Negro and white colleges of the state, to work in teams of 10 at each of the 10 areas selected for the war on poverty effort. The col lege students will work for a total of $250 for 11 weeks with housing and board provided free of charge. Townspeople in selected communities with be invited to “adopt” the students during their 10 weeks of service. The other week will include an orientation program and study at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. The N. C. Fund is a privately en- In the Colleges dowed $14 million organization with a goal of reducing poverty in North Caro lina. Community Action New Organization Offers Program For Chapel Hill A new organization, Community Ac tion, Inc., was formed in Chapel Hill March 22, to work out a positive pro gram for better race relations. Chapel Hill, the home of the University of North Carolina, is currently beset with a variety of racial protests. Three whites and two Negroes completed an eight-day Holy Week fast in front of the Post Office on Easter Sunday. Community Action, Inc. is the result of a proposal by Dr. E. Maynard Adams of the UNC faculty to the mayor’s Hu man Relations Committee. The mayor’s committee and the Board of Aldermen have endorsed the new agency which proposes a program of education, work shops and action “to promote intelli gent, peaceful progress toward an open community with the full rights and opportunities for all.” The new agency will include two board members each from these co operating agencies: Chapel Hill city council, Carrboro Board of Commis sioners. In addition, two board mem bers each would come through appointment by the UNC chancellor, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Merchants Association and the Ministerial Asso ciation. Specific proposed actions include: • More and better job opportunities for Negroes through a program of sur veys and training. Service will provide prospective employers as well as Ne groes. • More educational opportunities for Negroes. This may include the setting up of day care centers, nursery schools and kindergartens. The agency also will supplement regular classroom study with after-school assistance to children whose study is affected by family or other problems. • Workshops to include parent edu cation, interracial discussions of com mon problems among adolescents and improved sanitation and appearance of housing. Community Action, Inc. hopes to get most of its working capital from foun dations, Adams said. ★ ★ ★ Dr. J. Raymond Oliver, a dentist and member of the Winston-Salem Mayor’s Goodwill Committee, stirred a heated discussion on Winston-Salem on March 4 when he announced the organization of the Citizens Committee for Equjj Opportunity. This committee, he said, was formed to seek more desegregation in the Wi®. ston-Salem-Forsyth County school sys. tern. Oliver is a member of the sub. committee on education of the Good, will Committee. After a heated discussion in a sub- sequent Goodwill Committee meeting Oliver announced that his new group would not take immediate action, but await developments. ★ ★ ★ The city of Gastonia was named an “All-America City,” one of 11 named by the National Municipal League and Look magazine. One of the reasons cited was the city’s actions to improve race relations. The award said: “Schools, restaurants, hospitals, the golf course and ball park have all been integrated without incident, and a bi racial committee meets regularly, de spite occasional crossfire from extremist groups. Last year, citizens voted a five- cent property tax increase to build an integrated liberal arts college.” Legal Action Judge Approves Plan Providing Immediate Steps Judge Edwin M. Stanley of the U. S. Middle District Court in Greensboro accepted plans worked out by plaintiffs and defendants in three school desegre gation cases, Belo v. Randolph County Board of Education, Duvissetts v. Cabarrus County Board of Education, and Ziglar et al v. Reidsville Board of Education. In all three cases, school boards agreed to assign pupils to schools with out regard to race in the 1964-65 school year. They also permitted Negro chil dren to request transfer immediately from all-Negro schools to white schools. The court has the right to reopen the case in case of disagreement. At torneys in the Cabarrus County and Reidsville cases are to meet with Judge Stanley in early 1965, before Feb. 15. to set plans for the 1965-66 school year. Three Cases Case by case, here is the situation. Belo v. Randolph County Board ol Education—Filed Oct. 22, 1962 by par ents of 11 Negro students. The schoo board has since assigned seven Negroes to a previously all-white school. More plans are to be made for the 196**" school year with a conference sched uled with the court in early 1965. (See SINGLE, Page 17) Program Seeks Better Race Relations Negro students of colleges in North Carolina are quietly working on a project to promote better race rela tions throughout the state. This will be an educational approach through films made for television through WUNC- TV in Chapel Hill, state supported edu cational television station at the Uni versity of North Carolina. Jesse Jackson, president of the stu dent body of Agricultural and Techni cal College of Greensboro, appears to be the liaison man behind the scenes, but nob ody is talking for publi cation. Jackson is the A&T student who a year ago led a series of massive demon strations against segregation^ downtown Greensboro. He is JHV.IVJVI1 , also very active in the State Young Democratic Club. He is a star football player, too. After graduation from A&T, he plans to attend predominantly white Duke University next fall to study for the ministry. Details of the program have not been announced, but the existence of the program has been confirmed by Gov. Terry Sanford through his race rela tions advisor, Capus Waynick of High Point. Goal of this effort is to get the “Negro protest movement off the streets as much as possible.” In a recent interview Jackson said campus leaders of Negro colleges have held several meetings in connection with these plans. ★ ★ ★ The American Association of Univer sity Professors adopted a resolution at its state meeting March 7 asking trus tees of all North Carolina colleges and universities to “employ faculty and staff on the basis of merit rather than color.” At that time the association met on a Negro college campus, North Carolina College at Durham. The professors also elected a Negro, Dr. C. E. Boulware of the host school, vice president. In a mail resolution, the association also affirmed the right of a college fac ulty member to demonstrate against segregation as follows: “Be it resolved that this conference affirm the rights of faculty members and students of the colleges and uni versities of North Carolina to protest peacefully by constitutional means against injustices in their communities. “The practice of public protest against injustice is well established in our na tional traditions of freedom and justice; the right to do so derives from the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States, which guarantees to all citizens freedom of expression, the right to orderly assembly and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.” ★ ★ ★ Chancellor William B. Ay cock of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill reported to the Faculty C oun .. that all UNC jobs are open to all 9 fled persons. “Race is not a qualify ^ or disqualifying consideration, said. - e Aycock gave a full report on ^ number of Negroes working for university and what they do. No classification is reserved for any 1 ^ he said. “All the jobs are open to races ... ^ “Discrimination in employment^ contrary to university policy. »tfve is evidence of a violation, corr action will be taken. Until su dence is produced, I hope tha ^ persons charged with the respond of hiring will enjoy the P resU __. rlS i- that they are fulfilling their bilities in accord with university cy.” He gave these figures: , i 0 b= Of 2,545 persons in classifleo- f under the state, 961, more than• jgj cent, are Negroes. Negroes . i u <j- of 538 jobs in technical and ing nurses, laboratory technics others. ulcers, Of 869 office and clerical ^° r Negr oes are Negroes. There are 2o 92 among 140 skilled workers. - T „- r oe=- semi-skilled workers, 28 ar ? i u de '' The 72 unskilled workers ,,. 0 rk erS Negroes, and the 829 service involved 694 Negroes. gain® The issue of campus em P 10 L pt er up March 2 when the local c erS ity the American Association o ( j Professors discussed the faculty of the college and o issues.