Page TWO
THE PILOT—Southern Pines. North Carolina
THURSDAY. AUGUST 16, 1956
■LOT
Southern Pines North Carolina
“In taMng over The Pilot no changes are contemplated. We will try to keep this a good
paper. We will try to make a little money for all concerned. Where there seems to be an occa
sion to use our influence for the public good we will try to do it. And we will treat everybody
alike.”^ames Boyd, May 23, 1941.
An Alternative To The Pearsall Plan
We commend to the attention of Pilot readers
the editorial from The Smithfield Herald which
is reprinted as a feature on this page.
The Herald, edited and published by native
North Carolinians in what might be called a
typical Tar Heel agricultural county with a
large Negro population, is one of the
State’s most respected non-daily publications,
a newspaper that has won many honors for
the competence of its news and editorial pages.
The Herald, it seems to us, provides in the
•editorial reprinted today, an articulate and im
pressive voice for those North Carolinians—and
we believe there are far more of them than the
well-greased Pearsall Plan campaign would
have us believe—^who have grave doubts as to
the effectiveness and the legality of the pro
posals that ■\yiU come before the people in the
September 8 referendum.
The Herald calls for killing the Pearsall
amendments at the polls and places its faith in
the Pupil Assignment Act approved by the 1955
General Assembly as, in the end, likely to pro
voke less litigation for school admissions by
Negroes, while at the same time if administered
in good faith, opening the door, in a controlled
way, to an integration process that The Herald
sees as inevitable.
The Pilot is not wholly in agreement with the
Smithfield contentions. The Pupil Assignment
Act—while it lacks the brazen evasiveness, the
threat of school closings and the fantastic state-
supported private school provisions of the Pear
sall Plan—was also designed to facilitate delay
and evasion in compliance with the Supreme
Court decision. The Assignment Act, however,
unlike the Pearsall Plan, does permit some good
faith compliance.
The Herald makes clear, again and again in its
editorial, that the Pupil Assignment Act would
have to be used in good faith. That is, local
school boards would have to make pupil assign
ments truly on the basis of other considerations
than race.
Our misgiving about this proposal is that we
doubt if most school boards over the state would
use the Act in that manner. The temptation to
assign pupils for various semi-valid but possibly
trumped-up reasons would be well nigh over
whelming for a school board hard pressed by
Negro applications to enter white schools. If
they were to succumb to those temptations,
they might be provoking as many or more suits
as would be provoked under the Pearsall Plan.
There is this much about it: rejection of the
Pearsall amendments would not leave the State
rudderless, as Pearsall advocates would have us
believe. There is danger, of course, that if the
Pearsall plan is rejected, the 1957 General As
sembly would write into law a plan that would
be an even greater threat to the existence of
the schools. In this sense, rejection of the Pear
sall Plan is a pretty desperate gamble. But
would the people really allow their legislators
to approve a radical plan that would make pos
sible state-wide closing of schools?
What it all comes back to is the truth that
was included in the Pearsall committee’s report
of last April, a truth that conflicts so paradoxi
cally with what the report recommended be
done: “The decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States, however much we dislike it,
is the declared law and is binding upon us. We
must live and act now under the decision of
that court. We should not delude ourselves
about that.”
That is what we have said all along: the Pear
sall plan is a form of delusion—“whistling in
the dark,” as we once termed it. It is a peculiar
ly dangerous delusion because it ignores and
antagonizes Negro opinion and assumes from
the start that the Negro is the villain of the
piece, who is attempting, if he seeks to exercise
the right the Supreme Court has given him, to
destroy the public schools.
A wise and just administration of the Pupil
Assignment Act, in frank cooperation with Ne
gro leaders in each school district, offers a far
more promising outlook in the long run.
Challenging Opportunity In Welfare Work
In line with our continuing intferest in the
Moore County Welfare Department, we are
distressed that the Department has for some
time been unable to fill a vacancy for a case
work assistant on its staff.
Basic qualifications for the job are not ex
cessively hard to meet: an A. B. college degree
and an available automobile. The compensation
and conditions are average or better than aver
age for female employment in the area: $240
per month, two weeks of both annual vacation
and sick leave and a seven cents per mile car
allowance. But the job has no takers. Why?
Certainly the welfare post poses a challenge
—the challenge of social service, the opportun
ity to give an affirmative answer to the immor
tal question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Can
it be that such a challenge finds no response
in the heart and mind of anyone who might
be qualified for this job? Is there no appeal in
work that helps humble and often helpless hu
man beings at times when they are unable
alone to cope with the misfortunes that have
befallen them?
Welfare departments, with the help of case
workers, make arrangements so that mothers
can remain in their homes with their children
after homes are broken by death, illness, di
vorce or other causes. Case workers counsel
with parents who seem to want to separate
their family units, and can often thereby pre
vent the breaking up of a home.
Case workers have a wonderful opportunity
to work effectively in preventing juvenile de
linquency by helping parents and children un
derstand each other. One of the welfare work
er’s deepest satisfactions, we are told, is help
ing aged persons feel that they “belong” again
by placing them in one of the several boarding
homes now being operated in this county. Here,
if the aged persons are indigent, they can pay
their own way and retain a measure of pride
and normal life, with old age assistance funds
provided by the county, state and federal gov
ernments.
The I vacancy arises for the case worker in
Moore County, because a former case worker
is now serving as a child welfare worker.
Having advocated for a number of years the
appointment of a child welfare worker. The
Pilot is pleased and gratified that such a work
er is now active. But we are concerned that the
case worker vacancy remains. Already short
staffed, the Welfare Department is placed by
this vacancy under an added burden. We hope
that some one who reads this will step forward
or bring it to the attention of a qualified per
son who might be willing to serve.
Negro Policemen: A Reasonable Request
Appointment of one of more Negro policemen
to serve in West Southern Pines, as requested
by Councilman T. T. Morse last week, strikes us
as a sensible idea, although it appears that, with
a new budget just recently adopted, it will not
be possible to get started on such a venture for
nearly another year.
Negro policemen have worked out well in a
number of North Carolina communities. Not
only do they have a more detailed and deeper
knowledge of their own communities than do
white policemen, but there is something salu
tary, it seems, in investing a Negro with police
authority. The action negates the supposedly
widely held conviction on the part of Negroes
that the law. particularly enforcement of the
law, is the white man’s business and that, for
this very reason, enforcement of the law often
results in unduly harsh treatment of the Ne
gro under the white man’s domination of all
phases of the process.
Whether or not this point of view is fact
or fiction—and we suspect that instances of
both fair and unfair treatment of Negroes by
police officers could be cited—it is a very
healthy situation when a Negro, given all the
responsibility of any police officer, is the means
of law enforcement in his own community. It
is then at once apparent to a Negro offender
that the law is the law, with its own power
and reason for existence and that the vahdity of
the law has nothing to do with the color of the
arresting officer.
Meanwhile, what of the teejiagers in West
EDITORIAL FROM THE SMITHFIELD HERALD SAYS;
Kill Amendment^ Use Assignment Act In Good Faith
We have said in these columnsi
that the Pearsall Plan is not the |
answer to the problems created
by the Supreme Court decision
against segregation. It is our opin
ion that the Pearsall Plan is more
likely to increase racial tension
and bring on court actions to
force integration than it is to dis
courage the mixing of the races
in the schools; and it is more Uke-
ly to destroy the public schooi
system than it is to save that sys
tem.
Whatever the white majority
may think of the Pearsall Plan,
we may be certain that the Ne
gro leadership regards the plan
as an attempt to evade the deci
sion of the Supreme Court. And
we may expect that the Negro re
action to evasion will take the
form of one court action after an
other to compel admission of Ne
gro pupils to schools attended by"
white pupils. The law stands on
the side of the integrationists. A
flood of suits, then, logically
could be expected to hasten inte
gration and usher in more inte
gration than we might reasonably
expect without the Pearsall Plan.
Either that result, or a wave of
school closings across the state.
For if it is true, as the Governor
and other sponsors of the Pear
sall Plan contend, that the people
of North Carolina will not accept
mixed schools, the abohtion of
schools would not be confined to
a few isolated communities. Abol
ition would be widespread—just
as widespread as the integration
forced through numerous actions
brought by Negroes who look
upon the Pearsall Plan as an
evasion of the law.
The Pearsall Plan thus would
lead North Carolina into an un
welcome “either, or” situation.
Either we would have a flood of
integration in North Carolina. Or
we would have widespread clos
ing of the schools. Most North
Carolinians want neither result.
What Is Answer?
If the Pearsall Plan is not the
answer to the problems confront
ing us, what is the answer?
Nobody can be sure he has the
right answer, but it is our opinion
that the following course offers
greater hope of saving the public
schools and maintaining racial
peace than the Pearsall Plan:
(1) Accept the Supreme Court
decision as the supreme law of
the land. This is in line with part
of the Pearsall Committee’s re
port of April 5, 1956. For in that
report the committee declared:
“The decision of the Supreme
Court of the United States, how
ever we dislike it, is the declared
law and is binding upon us. . . We
must live and act now under the
decision of that court. We should
not delude ourselves about that.”
(2) Move toward compliance
with the law in the “good faith”
required by the Supreme Court.
(3) In compliance with the law,
use to the fullest possible advaU'
tage the Pupil Assignment Law
enacted by the Legislature in
1955. The Pearsall Committee,
while it doesn’t advocate reliance
solely upon that law, has recom
mended that local school units
make maximum use of the au
thority granted by the as
signment act. The committee has
advised local boards of education
to “declare that initial assign
ment to schools will be made in
accordance with what the assign
ing unit (or officer) considers to
‘‘Gee Whiz ^What Am I, Anyway?”
-p
Southern Pines who, said Councilman Morse,
constitute an acute problem—hanging around
night spots, evidently ripe for delinquency, and
staying out of school?
We go along with City Manager Cunning
ham in discouraging the use of “volunteer” of
ficers from’ among West Southern Pines men
who are concerned about the youth problem.
With police work, amateurs seldom do much
good and often provoke situations that get out
of hand.
It appears to us that West Southern Pines, as
has been stated innumerable times by leaders
in that community, is faced more with a recre-
tion problem than a police problem. And ama
teurs are free and welcome to approach the
youth situation from that angle.
The ex-servicemen mentioned by Councilman
Morse as worried about the youth of West
Southern Pine^could indeed render a service to
their community if they took the lead in pro
viding recreation facilities. What about boxing
bouts, for instance, for boys who are teetering
on the edge of trouble with the law? Perhaps
the town recreation budget could provide some
small sums for athletic equipment. It wouldn’t
have to be ^an elaborate program.
Councilman Morse did well to bring into pub
lic discussion a problem besetting his part of
to-wn. W!e feel sure that the town officials and
private individuals will do what they can to
help. And we think much could be done now,
without waiting a year for a Negro policeman
to be appointed.
be for the best interest of the
child assigned, including in its
consideration, residence, school
attended during the preceding
year, availability of facilities, and
all other local conditions bearing
upon the welfare of the child and
the prospective effectiveness of
his school.” This advice of the
Pearsall Committee ought to be
followed in good faith.
Many Negro Schools
No assignment of pupils could
be based upon color, but that
does not mean that every school
would have to be a mixed school.
Assignments could be based on
place of residence. The practical
effect of such assignment in
many areas of the state would be
the .maintenance of all-Negro
schools. Negro pupils living in
residential districts inhabited ex
clusively by Negroes would at
tend schools provided in those
districts.
It is reasonable to expect that
the parents of many Negro pupils
living outside of strictly Negro
residential areas would choose to
send their children to schools
with 100 per cent Negro enroll
ment. Thus what Governor
Hodges calls “voluntary segrega
tion” would come into play to
relieve much of the tension ac
companying the educational
transition. And in the absence of
a threat such as would be dang
ling over the head of the Negro
in the form of the Pearsall Plan’s
“escape” provisions, there would
be reason to expect a more ex
tensive practice of voluntary seg
regation than if the state were
pursuing what the Negro regard
ed as a policy of evasion or “com
pulsory voluntary segregation.”
Moreover, county and city
bocirds of education, acting in
good faith without evading the
law against color discrimination,
could make assignments of pupils
on the basis of factors others than
residence or parent preference,
as suggested by the Pearsall
Committee, and such assignments
further would reduce the mixing
of the races and the tension.
The strong probability is that
the integration occurring imder
such a course as we have outlined
would be relatively light. Tension
would not be great. Adjustment
could be made without disruption
of either educational or commu
nity life.
The 'Safely Valve'
And the course we have outlin
ed would not be without its
The Public Speaking
Crains of Sand
Slips Thai Pass
There have been a number of
slips of the tongue or of grammar
by speakers at the Democratic
convention in Chicago this week.
At the very height of his lam
basting of the Republicans in his
keynote address, (governor Clem
ent was pointing with horror at
Secretary Wilson’s having belit
tled the Suez Canal crisis. .. Only
trouble was the speaker called it,
shouting at the top of his voice,
Sual Canez!
Then there was the mayor of
Chicago in his welcome address.
Waxing more and more fulsome
about the glories of his city. “It’s
the most largest. . .” (in some re
spect that we don’t recall), he
bragged. That really pinned it
down.
He's Qualified
Dr. A. Palmer Hudson, Kenan
professor of English at UNC,
plans to write a book on North
Carolina humor.
Dr. Hudson, although he is not
a native of the state thinks he
has lived here long enough now
to tackle such a book. He has
been in North Carolina since
1929..
Among other things, he s'-'
that he has “eaten ramp and
shad, hog jowl and peas, and
drunk (in moderate quantities)
scuppernong wine and East Lake
white lightning, and smoked
1 (temperately) Camels, Chester
fields, Luckies, Salems, and Bull
Durham.”
Tribute to Mrs. Cox
To 'The Editor:
A lovely lady has passed, end
ing an era that some of us knew
and loved so much here in the
South.
Mrs. W. E. Cox was 82 years
young and had a most beautiful
spirit. She radiated love. Her sin
cere faith was a splendid ex
ample to all of us. Her charity
was always.
I came back to Southern Pines
about five years ago as a resident.
I had often been here at the Pine
Needles Hotel when Mr. Boone
had it, but was seldom in the city
of Southern Pines. I had met the
Rev. C. V. Coveil, the rector at
that time, but did not know any
other members of Emmanuel
Church.
The first Sunday I attended
morning service, Mrs. Cox greet
ed me so pleasantly, as did quite
a few others, and Mrs. Cox really
gave me such a warm and friend
ly welcome, saying she was so
glad I had come here to live and
that she hoped I liked Southern
Pines and would grow to love
Emmanuel Church as she did.
In a very short while, Mrs. Cox
came to call, bringing other
friends with her. She was charm
ing and most helpful in giving—
at first it was general informa
tion on the Church’s activities and
the life in general in Southern
Pines. She was so interested to
know my desires—what I liked
to do and so forth. When I men
tioned bridge, her eyes lighted
up. We had mutual interests.
She said she would see that I
met some of the bridge players—
this she did. Not only did I meet
friends in her home, but also at
clubs, for she really wanted me
to be happy. She was most sol
icitous of me and I appreciated
it so much.
As time went on, I foimd that
Mrs. Cox was just as solicitous
about each and every newcomer
to Emmanuel parish and welcom
ed others just as she had wel
comed me. Although I was almost
two score years her junior, I do
not get nearly as much as she did
out of the 24-hours we are allot
ted each day.
She never complained of being
tired—she didn’t take a rest or
siesta in the middle of the day
like most elderly people. Her
:hridge parties usually started at
2 p. m. and she was just as fresh
at 5 or 5:30.
Mrs. Cox had a remarkable
memory. Several weeks before
her death, she and I were part
ners in a foursome and had un
usual hands with which we ■ bid
and made seven no trump. About
10 days later, the same foursome
was together again and Mr|. Cox
brought with her in her own du
plicata case the fopr hands we
had been dealt 10 days previous
ly. She was so cute in putting the
hands on the'table and we three
friends were amazed at her abil
ity to remember the exact distri
bution of the cards.
She is not gone; she is just
away, with a wave of her hand
she said good-bye.
Was there anyone here in
Southern Pines who knew Mrs
Cox and who was not her friend?
As a memorial to her, let’s not
build something of cold stone, but
let us—we of her friends ■who are
here—carry on and keep* her as a
symbol of fine Southern charm
and Christianitv.
ISABEL FISHER COLLIER
Southern Pines
“safety vaJJve.” The safety valve
would be an appeal to the courts
for relief from real hardship or
any demonstrated intolerable sit
uation. The Supreme Court has
called for good faith in compli
ance with the segregation ruling,
and it has called for a prompt
and reasonable start toward com
pliance. But it has recognized
that in some areas compliance
might encounter serious difficulty
and could not be rushed. In its
follow-up decision of May 31,
1955, the Supreme Court declar
ed that once a prompt and rea
sonable start has been made to
ward freeing a school system
from racial discrimination ‘‘the
courts may find that additional
time is necessary” for carrying
out the segregation decision but
“the burden rests upon the de
fendants to establish that such
time is necessary in the public
interest and is consistent with
good faith compliance at the ear
liest practicable date.”
From that decision, it hiay be
judged that the basis of a request
for relief in cases involving hand-
ship or intolerable condition
would be good faith. A major
weakness of the Pbarsall Plan is
that the Supreme Court likely
would not interpret a plan pro
viding for resistance ot integra
tion by abolishing scliools as a
plan conceived in good faith.
The course we have outlined
avoids that weakness. Acceptance
of the Supreme Court decision
against segregation, movement
toward compliance with the law
of the land, honest use' of the Pu
pil Assignment Law, and rejec
tion of evasive procedures like
tuition grants and local option
elections on whether to retain
schools would constitute a plan
likely to pass the Supreme
Court’s good-faith test.
But above all, it is a plan that
avoids opening the door to des
truction of the public school sys
tem and also is a law-abiding
plan under which there would be
no flood of integration. The first
step in adopting such a plan
would be to kill the Pearsall
amendments at the polls on Sep
tember 8.
The PILOT
Published Every Thursday by
THE PILOT, Incorporated
Southern Pines, North Carolina
1941—JAMES BOYD—1944
Katharine Boyd Editor
C. Benedict Associate Editor
Vance Derby News Editor
Dan S. Ray Gen. Mgr.
C. G. Council Advertising
Mary Scott New^ton Business
Bessie Cameron Smith Society
Composing Room
Lochamy McLean, Dixie B. Ray,
Michael Valen, Jasper Bwearingen
Thomas Mattocks.
Subscription Rates:
One Year $4. 6 mos. $2: 3 mos. $1
Entered at the Postoffice at South
ern Pines, N. C., as second class
mail matter
Member National Editorial Assn,
and N. C. Press Assn.