Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / June 12, 1951, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
4 Negroes Are Students At UNC Now CHAPEL HILL, N. C. JUNE 12, 1951 1 j '' -4 Editorial Neither Race Must Falter In all questions of social import, there appear views of such diversity, and often with such validity on the part of each, that it becomes difficult to reconcile them. That there should be many views on matters of public interest is quite proper. That there should develop views which are irrevoc ably opposed to each other is also quite within the range of highest probability. These trivial restatements of axioms common to the democratic lexicon are pleasing to the ear and soothing to the nerves, but ultimately there comes a time of reconciling the apparently irreconcilable. Now is that time, and the Su preme Court finds itself with the task of melding logic and emotion, equality and custom, change and social concord. There are those who suggest that the problem is quite simple. In fact, most of the participants in the current upsurge connected with education for Negroes in the South are convinced that the problem is simple. However, these exponents o fthe divers points of view have arrived at their present condition by differing routes. Their points of depar ture, in every case, exercise a controlling influence upon their destination. The World view. Many of the more informed students of international relations are aware that a social upheaval is now in process throughout the greater portion of the planet. Partciularly is this the case in Asia. They take cognizance, these observers, that the white man is terribly out-numbered by the colored man. They advocate a policy calculated to win the friendship and respect of the men of color. They are quite worried lest Russia and her Communist satellites use our segregation practices against us in the global propa ganda war now in progress. These gentry consider segrega tion a great liability, quite in excess of any advantages it might provide. The Scientific view. To those who consider themselves scientific, and that to the exclusion of bare prejudices, there is no great problem. The Negro is one of the several sub species of Homo Sapiens. He is quite "human." While his I.Q., on the average is not quite as high as that of whites, there are individuals in the race whose I.Q.'s are astronomical. These scientists hypothesize that the differential is probably due to the environmental disadvantages which exist for the average Negro. Thus the true scentist dismisses the problem. The Legal view. The legalists are confused. Following the brief flourishing of the "complete-equality-for-Negroes" atmosphere immediately after the Civil War, it was perceived by many that perhaps slaves of only five years before could not be given complete equality, even under the law. Thus the legal profession hastily retired behind a delightful contrivance known as the "equal but separate" doctrine. The 14th amend ment, passed in haste by a fearful Radical Republican con gress and promptly ratified, complete with its "equal protec tion of the laws" clause, its "citizenship" clause, and its "privi leges and immunities" clause, was laid upon the legal shelf. The "equal but separate" doctrine was deemed sufficient to meet all constitutional requirements. However, the court has recently made an asonishing dis covery. It has found that it is very difficult to be "equal" if one is "separate." In fact, the court is on the verge of repud iating its own doctrine. But we should not be astonished at this state of affairs, for the court has often changed its mind in the past. (For example, the court discovered a Federal common law in Swift vs. Tyson and then found that such a thing did not exist in Erie Railroad vs. Tompkins some eighty years later.) The court now asserts that equality includes not only equality of physical facilities but also equality of intangibles; such things as reputation, student body, faculty, and even atmosphere. While the court formerly emphasized separate ness, it now emphasizes equality. The formula remains the same, but it is now weighted in a new direction. While the court is still technically committed to its "equal but separate" doctrine, it is quite clear that the court considers an open minded reading of the 14th Amendment to be of determina tive importance, and that if the "equal but separate" doctrine is to survive, it must also conform to the constitutional man date. Thus, the stress upon equality is almost sufficient, at this writing, to destroy the formula . . . but not quite. (Continued on Page 2) Summer Registration Soars To Record With 250 Frosh John Robson To Berlin For New Job Dr. Charles B. Robson of the department of political science here is leaving the University for a two year period to serve in the state department. He will serve in the capacity of chief of the cul tural relations branch of the Ber lin element of the U. S. high com missioner's office in Germany. This organization consists of the sections of religious affairs, music, theater, community activi ties, general education, higher ed ucation, and the arts. These ac tivities are not controlled by the occupation forces so that this agency is concerned with assist ing and coordinating German ef forts in this field. It is also the function of this office to coordi nate the work of private interests in the United States who wish to cooperate with the German or ganizations. One of the most notable achievements in this line has been the establishment of the famed Free University of Berlin whose president was a visitor on this campus last year. This school has grown until its student body, is approximately the same size as that of Carolina. Even at this size it can accommodate less than one tenth of its applicants. Dr. Robson will leave tomorrow to take up his new duties. He will be accompaied by Mrs. Rob son and their son Charles B. Rob son, Jr. Acting as chairman of the department of political science during the period while Dr.' Rob son is on leave will be Dr. Paul Wager. GM Program Scheduled For Summer The summer activities program of the student union is now being laid out. The program will be arranged to conform "to the in terests which students express. Billboards have been placed at Graham Memorial, the YMCA lobby, and Lenoir Hall with at tached clipboards for students to make suggestions or to sign up for the activities in which they desire to participate. A list of proposed activities was released yesterday by James Rathburn, director of Graham Memorial. Included in the list were dances, picnics, hikes, ser vice projects, industrial and scenic tours, religious activities such as vespers, speakers, and forums, sports activities in co operation with the Univerity in tramural program, and tourna ments in such skills as chess, checkers, table tennis, bridge and other activities which lend them selves to this sort of competitive arrangement. The Rendezvous Room in the basement of GM will be opened soon for summer operation and the main lounge will continue to remain open until 11 o'clock each evening for reading, cards, and special activities. A student body of approxi mately 3800 members, including a record number of some 250 freshmen, began reporting to classes at 8 o'clock this morning as the first term of the Univer sity Summer Session officially opened. Credit for maintaining the large enrollment, approximately the same as last year's, in spite of the war-time conditions is given, by Summer Session Dean Guy B. Phillips, to the large freshman class and the fact that the benefits of the GI Bill term inate in July. The freshmen, who arrived on campus last week for a two-day orientation program on' Satur day and Sunday, are for the most part recent high school graduates wishing to begin their college careers as soon as possi ble in view of the war situation. Under the quarter system a stu denfis able to complete the re quirements for graduation in three, years instead of the cus tomary four by attending all summer terms during that per iod. Of the 300 new freshmen, 100 will be enrolled as cadets by the Air Force ROTC. The Naval ROTC, held to a percentage bas is, will take only the top 10 best qualified. Preliminary reports from all University departments indicate a lfrtfe vjroJlchent M. th e.rrd- v. X- v GUY PHILLIPS Director Summer School uate level. Director Phillips has ascribed this largely to the July termination of the GI Bill. Many Veteran graduate students and teachers, he explains, are an xious to obtain the final benefits of the bill. Bud Bryson Dies Herman J. "Bud" Bryson, Jr., second year med student died Sunday night at Duke Hospital after an illness of several weeks. He completed his undergraduate work here in 1949. He served on the Men's Honor Council and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. His funeral will be held Tuesday in Marion, N. C. Late Yacks All students who failed to get their Yackety Yacks last quarter may pick them up between 4:30 and 5:30 until next Friday, Jim Mills, editor, said yesterday. 1 f 4w' ' i 4 XK4 For the first time in the 159 year history of the oldest State university Negroes will attend classes here today. They will sit in unsegregated classrooms. Two of them will live in Steele dormitory in the approximate center of the University campus. All of the advantages and privileges offered to white stu dents of the University will al so be available to the Negro stu dents. The students Floyd McKis sick of Asheville, Harvey X. Beech of Kinston and Durham, J. Kenneth Lee of Greensboro, and James Lassiter of Rocky Mount were admitted to the University Law School last week after the Supreme Court refused to review a circuit court decision ordering the University to open its law school to Neg roes. All have previously at tended the Law School of North Carolina College in Durham. Beech and Lee, upon applica tion for a dormitory room, were assigned to room 33 in Steele dormitory. Lassiter will com mute from Durham, and McKis sick has not yet completed his plans. Although the new students are the first Negroes to enter the University, they are not the first to be accepted for admis sion. Walter Diggs, of Greens boro and Winston-Salem, was accepted b ythe University Med ical School last March after the trustees opened the graduate schools to qualified Negroes where equal facilities do not exist in other state maintained schools. Diggs .will enter in Se- tember. The University opposed the Law School suit and eventually carried it to the highest court in the nation because a law school for Negroes is maintained by the state at North Carolina College. Thus far, there has been little or no reaction to the Negro ad missions from the predominately southern student body. Administrative officials have refused to comment on any . problems which may arise from the situation, which brings the two races together in an educa tional institution for the first time in the history of the State of North Carolina. The University will handle any problems which may develop when, and if, they arise, one University official, who declined to be mentioned by name, ex plained. , The four Negro students ar rived on the campus early yes terday for registration. They were excited and awed, as most students are upon their first day at the University. They were humble and a little timid as they asked questions to orientate themselves tc the campus. They were slightly apologetic for the news-photographers and report ers who swarmed around them as they arrived on the campus. Everywhere that they went for registration they were re ceived with courtesy and dig- Tho Tar Heel The Tar Heel will be pub lished every Tuesday and Thursday during the first ses sion of summer school and pos sibly during the second session, also, depending on success and finances during the first. All students interested in working on the staff of the paper are encouraged to con tact the editor as soon as pos rather slim.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 12, 1951, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75