Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 12—JUNE, 1964—SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS
D. C.
Tribunal Hints
It Will Insist
On Faster Pace
(Continued from Page 1)
which would have taken until about
June 19. The NAACP said later de
livery might keep the public schools
from being reopened in September.
★ ★ ★
Senate Democratic and Republican
leaders announced June 1 that they
would move to impose cloture June 9
in the civil-rights debate. The date
later was changed to June 10, the
75th day of the filibuster.
The attempt to bring the measure to
a vote would require the support of
two-thirds of the senators present and
voting. Majority Leader Mike Mans
field (D-Mont.) said he was not sure
he had the votes, but “I’m figuring on
doing my best.”
If the cloture move succeeds, each
senator—including the 19 members of
the Southern bloc—will have one more
hour to talk on the bill and the amend
ments, more than 300 of which have
been introduced. The leadership hopes
to complete action on the bill before
the Republican National Convention
opens in San Francisco July 13.
An extensively revised version of the
House-passed measure, hammered out
in weeks of conferences among GOP
and Democratic Senators and Justice
Department officials, was introduced by
Sen. Everett M. Dirksen (R—Ill.) on
May 26.
The bipartisan package of amend
ments dealt primarily with public ac
commodations, voting and employment
sections of the omnibus civil-rights
measure. But one change was designed
to emphasize and strengthen language
in the House version dealing with the
“busing” o c school children to overcome
racial imbalance.
The new section declares that “noth
ing herein shall empower any court
“We’re Making Progress
‘With All Deliberate Speed’”
.:fr.
Burck, Chicago Sun-Times
D.C. Highlights
The U.S. Supreme Court indi
cated in its actions last month on the
Prince Edward County, Va., and At
lanta school suits that from now on it
expects more rapid compliance with
school desegregation decrees.
Senate leaders moved toward a
June 9 showdown on cloture in the
civil-rights filibuster that will then
be 74 days old. A series of amend
ments worked out by the leadership
included a change tightening lan
guage on “busing” of school children
to correct racial imbalance.
D.C. School Supt. Carl F. Hansen
and civil-rights leaders had a “fruit
ful” meeting and agreed on the
merits of a citizens’ committee to
deal with school problems. But an
other proposal—appointment of a
human relations director for the
school system—was put off for 90
days by the Board of Education.
The U.S. Comptroller General is
sued a ruling that blocked Army
plans to reimburse the University of
Mississippi for damage done to the
campus by troops during the disturb
ances surrounding enrollment of
Negro student James Meredith in the
fall of 1962.
The American Council on Educa
tion announced plans to operate a
clearinghouse of information on ef
forts to expand higher education
opportunities for Negroes.
The Supreme Court directed Ala
bama courts to lift that state’s eight-
year ban on operations of the
NAACP. (See Alabama report.)
of the United States to issue any order
seeking to achieve racial balance in
any school by requiring the transpor
tation of pupils or students from one
school or one school district to another
in order to achieve such racial bal
ance.”
Southern opponents of the measure
cited its concern with the “busing” is
sue as evidence of the fact that the
measure is designed to apply to South
ern communities while granting im
munity to Northern de facto segrega
tion.
President Johnson, who had earlier
urged Senate passage of the civil-rights
bill in exactly the form approved by
the House, indicated at a press con
ference June 1 that the package of
mendments introduced by Dirksen
ad the administration’s blessing. The
president predicted favorable Senate
action on the measure.
★ ★ ★
Superintendent Meets
With ‘Rights* Leaders
D.C. School Supt. Carl F. Hansen
and civil-rights leaders had a “fruitful”
two-hour meeting May 15 and agreed
on the merits o' a citizens’ committee
Kentucky
(Continued from Page 11)
The Commission on Religion and
Race of The National Council of
Churches, the program sponsor, said
the training would be held instead at
Western College for Women at Oxford,
Ohio, a United Presbyterian school, one
of several campuses offered after
Berea’s withdrawal.
The program calls for the workers
to go to Mississippi and teach such
courses as civics and remedial reading
to Negroes, with the basic aim of in
creasing the registration of Negro
voters (SSN, May).
Dr. Francis Hutchins, president of
Berea, said he made the decision to
cancel Berea’s participation “because
we didn’t think it was wise to proceed.”
He said that after the program was
reported in the press, there was no
critical reaction in the Berea area, but
that he did hear from other parts of
the country.
A spokesman for the Council of
Churches’ commission expressed dis
tress over Berea’s decision and said
it did not seem to be in keeping with
the liberal traditions of Berea.
Hutchins said, “The college is still
integrated, and we are still carrying
forward our own program in our own
way.”
★ ★ ★
Westley Unseld, a 6-foot 8-inch
Negro basketball ace who received of
fers from 115 colleges, on May 20 signed
an athletic grant-in-aid to attend the
University of Louisville in his home
town.
He thus passed up an opportunity to
become the first Negro varsity player
at the University of Kentucky and in
the Southeastern Conference. UK,
which adopted a policy of desegregated
sports last year, had offered him an
athletic scholarship in April (SSN,
May).
The University of Louisville’s varsity
basketball squad had Negro players for
the first time this past season. But the
football team has been desegregated
since the early 1950’s. The teams com
pete in the Missouri Valley Conference,
made up chiefly of desegregated Mid
western schools.
Unseld’s decision apparently post
poned varsity desegregation at the
University of Kentucky at least until
the 1966-67 academic year. He was the
only Negro offered a basketball grant-
in-aid and none received a football
offer. Any players receiving offers next
year would be on freshmen teams in
| 1965-66.
In another development, two white
| seniors at Frankfort High school ac
cepted athletic offers to attend Ken
tucky State College, predominantly
Negro but desegregated. They are foot
ball player Barry Moore and baseball
and basketball player Tommy Barnes.
MISSOURI
St. Louis Superintendent Retires
ST. LOUIS
UpHE RETIREMENT Aug. 1 of Philip
J. Hickey as superintendent of
St. Louis public schools was an
nounced May 16. He is expected
to be succeeded by William Kott-
meyer, deputy superintendent.
Hickey suffered a stroke last August,
and Kottmeyer has been acting super
intendent since that time. Hickey, now
convalescing at his home, probably will
be named a special consultant to the
Board of Education.
Hickey, 68, is widely known in edu
cational circles for the major role he
has played in desegregation of public
schools in St. Louis following the Su
preme Court decision in 1954. He is a
former president of the American Asso
ciation of School Administrators.
As acting superintendent, Kottmeyer,
53, has been criticized by some Negro
and civil rights leaders on de facto seg
regation in the schools, but he has had
the support of most members of the
Board of Education, including the three
Negro members.
Philip J. Hickey and William Kottmeyer
Retirement and succession.
Neighborhood Policy
He has carried out the board’s neigh
borhood policy o' having pupils attend
the schools nearest their homes when
possible. This has meant that a neigh
borhood composed primarily of Negro
families will have schools with mostly
Negro enrollment.
The Rev. John J. Hicks, board presi
dent, a Negro, said that action both on
to help resolve school problems.
Julius Hobson, Washington director
of the Congress of Racial Equality
(CORE), said after the conference that
he believed the school system was
striving to comply with suggestions
made by civil-rights groups.
Hobson praised Hansen for proposing
employment of a full-time director of
human relations to assist teachers in
breaking down racial and cultural bar
riers within schools. School board com
mittees on personnel and finance ap
proved the new $10,350-a-year post
May 14, but the full board postponed
action for 90 days on May 21.
The superintendent said the human
relations director would:
• Head an administrative committee
charged with “encouraging intergroup
education” and trying to solve prob
lems “growing out of differences in
race, creed, and social and economic
background.”
• Work with all elements of the
community to improve relationships be
tween the school organization and the
community and “to deal with problems
of conflict wherever they may arise.”
• Act as a public relations officer in
interpreting school programs 'or news
media and report and disseminate
school news within the school system.
The proposed citizens’ committee,
Hansen said, should be a broad-based
group to help assess the need for
school improvements. The idea was sug
gested by a spokesman for Americans
for Democratic Action, one of the
groups that conferred with the super
intendent.
★ ★ ★
Ruling Blocks Army
Payment for Damage
To Ole Miss Campus
A ruling by the U.S. Comptroller
General has blocked Army efforts to
compensate the University of Missis
sippi for damage done to the campus
by troops during disturbances accom
panying the enrollment of Negro stu-
'ent James Meredith in 1962.
The Comptroller General’s ruling
was disclosed May 16. An Army
nokesman said the matter was still
“under study,” but he saw little likeli
hood of payment to the university.
More than 22,000 federal troops were
used in the action involving Meredith’s
enrollment as the first Negro at “Ole
Miss.” Some soldiers were stationed on
the campus from Sept. 30, 1962, to May
20, 1963.
The university, describing the troops
as “tenants” who were responsible for
damage to the campus, presented claims
totaling almost $105,000. The Army
scaled these down to $37,000 and ap
proved payment.
But Comptroller General Joseph
Campbell rejected the theory on which
the claims were based. “The use and
occupancy of the university property,”
he wrote, “was incident to the exercise
Kottmeyer’s promotion and Hickey’s
retention as consultant would be up to
the board membership, but that in his
opinion the board would act favorably
on both matters.
Hickey has been superintendent for
22 years and a member of the school
system 41 years. “His experience, edu
cation and administrative acumen
should not be lost totally to the school
system,” the Rev. Mr. Hicks said.
Kottmeyer has been with the school
system since 1935. He was named dep
uty superintendent in 1961 and took
over most of Hickey’s former duties in
the instruction department.
Appointment of Samuel Shepard Jr.,
a Negro, to succeed Kottmeyer as dep
uty superintendent was urged May 24
by the St. Louis Branch of the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People.
Shepard, an assistant superintendent
of elementary education, has directed
a self-help program for Negro pupils
in the Banneker school district.
Long, Long Trail
Seibel, Richmond Times-Dispatch
of a paramount right o r the Federal
Government in the nature of a police
power.”
★ ★ ★
Georgia Attorney Direets
Ad to Washington Teachers
Carter Pittman, an attorney of Dal
ton, Ga., ran advertisements in Wash
ington newspapers early in May ad
dressed to “District school teachers who
feel there has been a deterioration in
public school standards and who are
willing to testify under oath.”
The advertisements asked teachers
to get in touch with Pittman. In a
telephone interview with the Washing
ton Post, the Georgia attorney said
school conditions in Washington have
“deteriorated substantially” since de
segregation. He charged that teachers
are under pressure to keep quiet about
the decline.
“Washington was supposed to be a
showcase of integration,” he said, “but
a black cu.tain has been drawn over
it.”
School Supt. Carl F. Hansen said
teachers would be neither forbidden
nor encouraged to respond to Pittman’s
advertisement, but would be provided
with information on his “segregationist
background.”
Missouri Highlights
Philip J. Hickey will retire Aug.
1 as St. Louis superintendent of pub
lic instruction.
Reports from Jefferson City indi
cated that Missouri has made steady
progress in classroom desegregation,
but segregated schools exi t in sev
eral parts of the state. In other areas,
only token desegregation has been
achieved.
Schoolmen
State Reports
Steady Increase
In Desegregation
Reports f rom Jefferson City, the
state capital, in May indicated that 10
years after the United States Supreme
Court decision on school desegregation,
Missouri has made steady progress to
ward complete classroom desegregation.
However, statistics are not available
in this state to show the extent of the
desegregation or how much remains to
be done.
It is known that segregated schools
exist in several parts of the state and
that in other areas only token desegre
gation has been achieved.
In a few school districts, mostly ®
Southeast Missouri, schools still are
segregated at all levels. With the de
segregation of two school districts in
Pemisco County last fall, every county
in the state has at least token desegre
gation.
Not Complete
However, in several cities, only h*e
elementary or the high school has been
desegregated, with the remaining g ra “
remaining all-Negro or all-white. J
other cities, the neighborhood sc :
has remained segregated because the
has been no desegregation in hous®
Hubert Wheeler, state commission
of education, estimated May 23
95 per cent of the school districts^
the state are desegregated at
level. Putting it another way,
cent of the Negroes live in dis 1
which are desegregated, he said.
some
than
In the face of these figures,
sources say that not many more u
half of the state’s Negro students
tend desegregated schools, even 1 0 ^
the school districts they li ve 111
technically desegregated. icansas
Enrollment figures from the .
City public schools show tha
than three-fourths of that citys
school children attend schools m .i eD tS
fewer than 10 per cent of the s ^ 0 f
are white. More than 12 P er ^ an sas
the Negroes attend schools w ^^gd.
City in which no whites are ^ qq jje-
and about 40 per cent of the - • ^ 9 , e r
gro students are in school wi
than 10 white students.
Believed Typical
It is not known whether J u j th e
City figures are typical throu ^ jc
state, but Negro leaders ee
true. . . in M) 5 '
“Integration is not com r fJ~ , - sari
souri; we know that, Wh te is
tinned, the :> L , j er
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