Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / Dec. 11, 1954, edition 1 / Page 3
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CALVERT HONORS *‘CARMEN JONES” PRODUCER Joseph Makel, right, public rela* tionp executive of Calvert Dis* tillara Co., presents a scroll on behalf of Calvert and National Negro Radio Network to Otto Preminger, producer of “Carmen Jones” sensational illm which opened in New York last week, ikonard Evans, left, of the Net* work, presided at the ceremonies which were held in the Skyline Room at' the Theresa Hotel in New York. Dorothy Dandridge, star of Carmen Jones film, speaks at the preview cere* monies at the Hotel Theresa. Juanita Hall, a member of the cast, looks on. Her ^ photo was featured on the cover of Life magazine the week of the opiening of tht film., Can Integration Work? BT EFFIE M. CLARK large majority of our 49 states '.practice segregation under vari- I ous guises; from the selection of I administrative and (teaching I personnel down to gerryman- I dering shoo! districts. However The Supreme Court edict of May 17, outlawing segregation in public schools, evoked press comments that ranged between two extremes—the decision is “revolutionary,” it is “infa mous.” Reactions from individu als selected at random could hardly be more extreme. This ruling strikes a new high making it in a sense, revolution ary; for the court’s Judgment rested not upon a comparison of the “tangible” factors in Negro and white schools, but upon “the ^ect of segregation Itself on public education.” The Jus tice* ruled that “to separate” children of a minority group “from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the conununity that may af- vfect their hearts and minds in a «ay unlikely ever to be done.” \The court contended that egregation with the sanction law...has a tendency to retard the educational and mental development of Negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would re ceive ,in a racially integrated school system,” Seldom in the history of American jurisprudence has mental health with its sociolo gical implications served as a major premise for legal trans cendence of the social custom. The new law strikes a blow- and at the deep rooted racially delineated system or caste, and eanscquontly, -has- aroused io^L tense feelings among adults. Essentially, the ruling states that the basic tenets of demo cracy cannot be taught effec tively in public schools imlesa they are practiced in the schools. In view of the Justices’ contention that education Is per haps “the most important funct ion of state and local govern ments” and subsequently “the very foundation of good citizen ship’'—they had no other al ternative for reaffirming A- merlcan demcmratlc—idealism sonje‘states’ tenacious obeisance to the world-at large-. Sectional Loyalties Influence Emotional responses to this momentous decision, both pro and on, become more highly charged when sectional loyalties take precedence. In the first place it is erroneous to assume that the 17 states immediately affected by the ruling, are the only ones where segregation is practiced in public schools. A to regional loyalties, affects ar retarding influence on other sections of the country which admittedly need to do better in their school practices. The old leud between the Bostonians and the Charleston ians constitutes a fiery rebuttal in the debate over the efficacy of desegregation and yet it misses the crux of the whole matter. Whether we like it or not, the In which live and the future to which we as pire rule out this obsolete clea vage. Old Order I* Dead Technological industrializa tion has swept the whole coun try into its orbit. No longer is there an industrial north and agrarian south. The old north and the old" south are dead. -Whatever the merits of theCivll War, despite mistakes of the Reconstruction Era—at best, they should help thoughtful per sons apprehend the magnitude of the task before us. Retreat to old Civil War haunts for sup port of one’s viewpoints on the question of integrated schools clouds the issues. At bottom, the puestion of in tegrated schoools is one of hu man relations. What pertinent advantages or disadvantages ac crue to integrated classrooms? What significant trends are in dicated in states where integra ted schocris have progressively evolved to the point of general public acceptance? Are we in formed of the outcome in Wash ington, D. C., Baltimore, Md.; and the 25 counties in West Virginia where time-honored customs were overruled? What Is The Negro In all the arguments 1 have read by persons who are equivo cal or outrightly opposed to the new law, never is their con cept of the Negro made explicit. Is he a cat, a giraffe, is he half human? Can he think, can he talk, does he have feelings that deserve consideration? Did the Negro create this racially-de lineated system of caste which the opponents of integration fight so hard to defend? How does he fit irito this puzzling picture? Obviously to die-hard “white ■upfeuaelats'’ the Negro is * punk. They have no clear con ception of him as a ponowor of human dignity nor tenable r«a- sons for why he should con tinue in the humilating role of a second class citizen. Neither can they find supporting evi dence for their arrogant con cepU of white supremacy in so cial anthropopogy nor in the biological sciences. Trend 0} The Times The desire of Negroes to par ticipate as first-class citizens at the local, state and national levels in civic affairs, merely reflects the trend of the times. Throughout the world oppress ed peoples and small nations seek to participate as partners with the major powers in shap ing world events, since their general welfare too is directiy affected by the shifting econo mic and social forces on the in ternational scene. Prejudices of old horse-and' buggy days do not fit into our modem mode of living, our manner of work or travel. They prevent people from learning how to live together as fellow citizens. They impede America’s ascendancy to world leader ship, as indicated in the U. S. Attorney General’s brief to the Supreme Court on the school question. The deliberate prac tice of segregation growing out of mis-directed prejudices dissi pates mutual confidence and goodwill so essential to domes tic unity, besides leaving much to be desired in the eyes of nations who “should follow our example.” Our “tenth man,' the butt of racial stigmatism, needlessly constitutes a special problem in all public areas. Yet his energies and talents also are needed for ameliorating grave national problems of employ- 8ATUBDAT, DEC. 11, 19S4 THE CAMOUNA HGIFr-OPQIlieTniSTiS RBiiiy ‘mopfiG" Make regular weekly savings deposits, start ing right now, in our 1955 Cluh S Deposit Weekly ReedTe in M Weeks $ .50 ... .... $ 25.00 1.00 ... 50.00 2.00 ... .... 100.00 8.00 ... 150.00 5.00 ... .... 250.00- IQJIO .... 600.00 Fidelity Worth Durbam orne* Roxboro Rd. ft Uayttard At«. 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M. 1 McMILlANFURmniRESIOliE 5 MILES EAST OF DURHAM DIAL 2-1772 NEW HIGHWAY 7Q A CO]\IPL£TE ELECTRIC AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICE DUKE POWER COMPANY DIAL 2151 Corner Manmim and Parrish Sts. 'ment, commerce, housing, heal tb, education just to mention a few. Where whites earnestly se^ to work with Negroes as active participants in civic affair*, an tipathies are jnellowed; old pre judices are eventually question ed and sometimes discarded by such searching persons, tf par tial correction of this astigma tism is possible in adult, what transforming results can ensue for children where they are given half-a-chance , to know children of other racial and cultural groups as children. Supreme Court Ruling Not Revolutitmary To integrate schools through out America is to imidement the principle of human ^gnity, the Magna Charter of democra tic precepts. In this sense the Supreme Court decision is not revolutionary, but a necessary step in the forward thrust of democratic process. Obstacles To Integration Really there are only two ob stacles to successful integration of schools' throughout this country. First, unwillingness to give it a try. Second, bungling in the area of public relations when planning the transition program. Skilled leadership of school administrators, heads of civic organizzations, and especially the enlightened clergy can off' set much of the general reluc' tance to try integration in the untired areas. Free and open discussions sponsored by ganizations, radio and press can greatly facilitate the job. Free discussion means giving all sides a chance to be heard with out reprisals. Transition Not Easy To oversimplify the problems incumbent with making this transition is naivete. In socially benighted areas where no meet ing-ground has been laid be tween the two races, the transi tion cannot be made without some pain of disappointment, especially if adequate steps are not taken early enough to offset a maximum of confusion. Pa rents especially, cannot be ex pected to go along automatically LBT8 nrvsvr MORB IM THEMI THmre OUR 3E$T »10Pf FOR. THE ATOMIC FUTURE BUT MONfV FOR TMIiR EPUCATiok ANp I POdTT MEAN UNClf «AMS r' AMlV with practices against which they have been conditioned by customs and mores. This doesn't mean that people cannot change or subdue their vehement resis tance to new practices. Young People More Adaptable In contrast to older adults who find the anticipated change too hard a pill to swallow, emerge youth of both races who are not thorbugMy taken-rn by post-bellum mores. They half- accept, half-believe the quixotic Bourbons, traditions, realizing daily that the facts belie their half-hearted acceptance as the walls of segregation crtmible aU around them. Some of these youths in re turning from U. S. military out posts of World War II, In re turning from exchange studies in Asia, Europe, Africa, they were and are quickened with the growing realization that the paramount global-wide prob lem is not how to perpetuate white supremacy, but hair -W save the human race. I^ttegration Must Work Integration of schools can work and must work iat we have come too far Jo turn beck. It can be facilitated through a clearer understanding of what the word means. Integration means simply, to bring the parts together into a whole. It is sy nonymous with the American ideal of democracy “a melting pot’’ People of diverse culture* and backgroimds share the same rights and privileges under law. They may worsiup differently, speak different languages. 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The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 11, 1954, edition 1
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