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BACKGROUND: A Handbook for Reporters covering the desegregation of Atlanta Public Schools prepared by OASIS Organizations Assisting Schools in September Room 813, SO Whit hall Street, S.W. Atlanta 3, Georgia J �A List of People You May Want to Interview ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Sup erintendent: Dr. John W. Letson City H all - Ja 2-3381 Deputy Superint endent: Dr. Rua! W. Stephens ATLANTA BOARD OF EDUCATION Chairman: L J. O'Callaghan 11 Marietta St., N . W. - Ja 1-0238 A ttorney: A. C. (Pete) Latimer Healey Building - 521-1282 ATLANTA DEPARTMENT OF POLICE Chief: Herbert T. Jenkins 175 Decatur St., S.E. -Ja 2-7363 ATLANTA CHAMBER Of COMMERCE President: Ben S. Gilmer American Telephone Co.: 529-8611 Executive Vice President: Opie L. Shelton Commerce Building - 521-0845 ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA Eugene Cook State Judicial Building - Ja 5-0401 ATTORNEYS FOR THE TRANSFER STUDENTS Donald L. Hollowell 859 Hunter St., S.W. - Ja 5-8372 E. E. Moore, Jr. 175 Auburn Ave., N.E. - Ja 4-6861 FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGE, NORTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA Frank A. H ooper, Jr. Old Post Office Building - Mu 8-3517 GENERAL ASS EMBLY COMMITTEE ON SCHOOLS Chairman: John A. Sibley Trust Company of Georgia - Ja 2-6000 GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA S. Ernest .Vandiver State Capitol - Ja 1-177 6 GREATER ATLANTA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES President: Dr. Arthur Vann Gibson Church Office: Tr 2-8939 Executive Director: Dr. Loren T . Jenks 163 Walton St. , N.W. - Ja 3-2796 GREATER ATLANTA AND GEORGIA COUNCILS ON HUMAN RELATIONS Director (Atlanta ): Mrs. Walter Paschall 41 Exchange Pl. , S.E. - 525-6468 Director (Georgia): Mrs. William C. Pauley 41 Exchange Pl. , S.E. - 525-6468 �GUTS (GEORGIANS UNWILLING TO SURRENDER) Lester G. Maddox Home: Ce 3-4374, Business: Tr 4-9344 HOPE, IN C. (HELP OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION) Chairman: Mrs. Thomas M. Breeden Home: Bl 5-3820 LEAGUES OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ATLANTA AND GEORGIA President (Atlanta): Mrs. Rushton Coulborn 1036 Peachtree St., N.E. - 876-0732 President (Georgia ·: Mrs . Fleming Law 7 - 17th St. - Tr 2-4075 Public R elations Chairman: Mrs. Edward Vinson , Dr 7-5286 MAYOR OF THE CITY O.F ATLANTA William B. H artsfield City H all - Ja 2-4463 N. A. A. C. P.-ATLANTA BRANCH President: Reverend Samuel W. Williams Church Office: Mu 8-0206 Executive Director: James Gibson 236 Aubu rn Ave., N .E . - M u 8-6064 OASIS (ORGANIZATION S ASSISTING SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER) G eneral Chairman: Mrs . Philip Hammer Home : Ce 3-0955 Vice Chairman: Rev. Allison Williams Church Office: Ce 7-6491 Vice Ch airman: Mrs. William S. Shelfer Dr 3-0765 Secretary -Treasurer: Mrs. Hamilton Lokey Ce 7-4215 Executive Director: Mrs. J. C. Harris 50 Whitehall St. - Ja 5-8469 Pub lic Information Chairman: M rs. D avid Neim an - Ce 7-0209 SO U THERN REGI ONAL COUNCIL Executi ve Director: Dr. Leslie W . Dunbar 5 F orsyth St. , N .W. - 522-8764 STAT E D EPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Superintendent: D r. Claude Purcell State Office Building - 688-2390 UNITED CHUR CH W O MEN OF ATLANTA President: Mrs . P hil B. Narmore 872-5 862 �RALPH Atlanta has sought in all things to be a responsible city. This is her great tradition. As early as December 1889, Henry W. Grady, whose name is on our modern and beautiful city hospital, on one of our finest schools, on one of our hotels, and whose statue stands in the heart of our city, said, in a speech made to the Merchants of Boston : "The problem of race ... is so bound up in our honora ble obligation to the world th at we would no t disentangle it if we could ... I would rather see my people render back this question rightl y solved th an to see them gather all the spoils over which fac tion has contended since Cataline conspired and Caesar fought. " This was Grady's basic a pproac h. His opinions, dealing with the context of hi s time, do not all jibe with tod ay's. But, he was rig ht in the great sense .. . it must be rightly solved. This is the city which welcomed back General Sherman, not many years after the war, and gave him a tremendous reception , including a dinner attended by Confederate veterans who directl y had opposed him-a nd who had been driven from the city which he proceeded , in time, to burn. This is the city which has always tri ed to look forw ard , not backward . It has never wa nted to be an old Southern city, caught like a fl y in amber, and dying of qu aintness and musty charm. From the tim e the so und of hammers and the ras p of saws bega n to be heard in the rebuilding of the city after Sherman's fires had died , we have sought to bu ild into th e city a belief in the principles of thi s country, of justice and opportunity. We have not always succeeded . T he record is not unm arred. But we h ave never ceased to try. One of our great strengths is that there have [ 2] �..L been attracted here the graduates of the many institutions over the nation. Every year we are pleased to carry items about the local alumni of Wisconsin , of Minnesota, of California, of Princeton , Yale, Harvard , Smith, Radcliff, Vassar, et al, who are to have a luncheon or dinner and are calling on the faithful to attend. Atlanta has attracted, too, many of the more ambitious young men and women from the smaller cities and towns of our own state and others of the South. We are a city of transportation and communication , and this has brought t·o us young executive and professional men . This press pack is an example. A great many persons, all volunteers, have worked on it. They want yo u to know that after the school decision by the U. S. Supreme Court, this was a city in which there was a debate and a continuing exchange of ideas. The White Citizens Councils, the Klans, and others of that mentality, could , and did, have their say. But they were answered. They did not dominate. They could not coerce or intimidate, as they did in neighboring states. The men and women who have compiled this press pack represent volunteer citizen organizatio ns wh ich have worked for public schools-and for the orderly processes of law. We, of the press, radio and television , have helped them have their say . We commend them to you. One never knows. The forces of evil and violence are unpredictable. But we believe that the overwhe lmin g sentim ent in thi s city is for lawf ul procedures. W hat we chiefly want yo u to know is that we have not been idle. We h ave not sa t with folded hands and wa ited. We h ave not left it for others to do. The people of the city have tried to organize public opinion , and , more important, to inform it. Th is press pack contains the essence of that effort. RALPH McGI LL Publisher, The Atlanta Constitution [3] �CITY OF A T LA NTA OFF ICE of th e MAYOR A t lanta 3, G e o rg ia To the Gentlemen of the Press: On behalf of the City of Atlanta, it is my pleasure to extend you a cordi al welcome. · You have traveled far in order to be present as history is once again made in Atlanta . Knowing Atlanta and her people , I have every confidence that the story you flash to the world will be a positive, dramatic picture of a great City facing profound change with di gnity; a City continuing to be a credit to the N ation ; a City too busy to hate. May your stay with us be both enjoyable and rewarding. And when you go , may you take with you in your mind a memory of the South at its best, and in your heart, a desire to return. We ar e always glad to have you with us. Sincerely yours, Mayor [ 4] �CITY OF ATLANTA DEPARTMENT of POLICE Atlanta 3, Georgia ST ATEMENT OF HERBERT T . JENKINS, CHIEF OF THE ATLA NTA POLICE DEPA RTMENT "T he Board of E ducati on and the Superintendent of Schools bas original and ·complete jurisdiction to operate the public schools of Atlanta. In accordance with state and F ederal regulations and u nder order fro m the Federal Court, the Atlanta schools will be desegregated when school opens on August 30, 196 1. "If an y person or persons object to the m anner or method of operation of the A tlanta Public Sch ools, those objecti ons must be m ade to the Superintendent of School's offi ce at the City H all, and u nder no circum stances will objections be disc ussed , or disturbances be permitted at any of the ind ividua l schools. "Local and State laws have always surrounded and provided special protection for public worship and public schools. Section 36. 14 of the City Code forbid s distu rbi ng public schools and states that 'no person, at or near any p ublic sch ool, shall , by co nversation, sign, or otherwise, engage the attention of any of the pupil s, to the disturbance of such school. ' 'The highest value of the law is the keepin g of the peace- the Atlanta Police D epartment has fu ll responsibility and authority to maintain the peace and good order over the entire city, and espec iall y at and aro und the schools." August 1, 1961 [ 5] �BACKGROUND: ATLANTA {19S4-1961) When the Supreme Court Decision of May 1954 put an end to legal segregation in the nation's schools, Georgia, like other deep South states, adopted an official policy of last-ditch legal resistance. Despite protests from the Georgia Education Association, the League of Women Voters and oth~r responsible citizens' groups, the General Assembly of 1955 adopted a "Private School Plan" which included , among other measures, a provision to cut off funds from any school system which attempted to desegregate. Secure in their legal "Magi not Line" and unhampered by fea r of Federal initiative in enforcing the ruling in "Brown vs. Topeka," most Georgians felt the Supreme Court's emphasis was on the word "deliberate" rather than "speed." Schools would continue in the traditional way; regional mores would remain unchanged. The bitter lessons of Little Rock and Norfolk were as yet unlearned. The changes in Baltimore, St. Louis and Louisville were not deep-South enough to stir Georgians from the blanket of apath y which then covered the entire school question. The first brush with realit y came in January 1958, when a group of Atlanta Negroes. in a "class action ," filed suit agai nst the Atlanta School Board . The suit (Calhoun et al vs. Latimer ) asked that the School Board be enjoi ned from practicing racial discrimination in the public schools. When in June of 19 59 U. S. District Judge Frank Hooper ruled in favor of the pl aintiffs and ordered the Atlanta Board to submit a plan for desegregation by the fo llowing December, the handwriting was clearl y on the wall. The [ 6 ] �School Board had no alternative but to submit a plan. Yet any plan to desegregate Atlanta's schools would be squarely in conflict with Georgia's m assive resistance laws and would automatically fo rce their closure. Meanwhile, in October of 1958, echoes from Norfolk and Little Rock began to reverberate along the Peachtrees. Anxious letters were written to the newspapers. Isol ated groups of citizens held meetings. In November, the School Committee of the Atl anta League of Women Voters publicly submitted ten questions to the School Board, the most important of which was, "Will every school in A tlanta close if the Courts order integration?" T he School Board withheld a public answer since the y were litigants in the pending Court suit; but an Atlanta Constitution columnist outlined the city's dilemma. On November 25th, under the auspices of the League of Women Voters, an open meeting was called to discuss ways and means of keeping schools open. A steering committee was fo rmed to seek coopera tion with the business and fi nanci al leadership of A tl anta. Since it was felt that a public stand at that time would be undesira bl e and premature, the steering committee neve r got off th e ground . T he disengagement of the loca l power structure , the unyielding "never" of the State political leadershi p and th e strident, often threatening segregationist voices clai ming th at "no school s are better than in tegrated ones" were powerful deterrents to organized community action. Yet because the Atlanta papers respo nsibly reported the news fro m other So uth ern cities, pointing out editoriall y the tragic consequences of m assive resista nce elsewhere, ma ny A tl antan s realized their public schools were in jeopardy and sought a way to save them. On December 9, 1958, eighteen white parents chartered HOPE, Inc. (Help O ur P ublic Education), choosing to avoid the integration vs. segregation iss ue by taking an u ncomplicated stand [ 7 ] �for open public schools, period. Conceived primarily as an educational organization designed to clear up the fog of confusion engendered by "massive resistance," "interposition" and other socalled alternatives to compliance, it rapidly became a rallying ground for moderates who previously had suffered to remain silent. With the fervor and enthusiasm only amateurs could maintain, HOPE spawned a welter of public manifestos (Ministers, Educators and Doctors, to name just a few) and generated enough interest by March of 1959 to hold a public rally which drew upwards of 1,500 people and some prominent speakers in support of open schools (Atlanta Mayor Hartsfield, Publisher Ralph McGill, Georgia Legislator M. M. (Muggsy) Smith and Editor Sylvan Meyer) . Favorable press, radio and television coverage Iof the March rally established a bona-fide "Open Schools Movement." HOPE chapters formed in Gainesville, Marietta, Jonesboro, Rome, Athens, Macon and Savannah with other nuclei of interested supporters in cities and towns throughout the state. Inevitably there was opposition, much of it wellfinanced and organized. In addition to the States Rights Council led by Augusta politico, Ro y Harris, the Klans and White Citizens Councils, Atlanta-based centers of resistance such as MASE (Metropolitan Association for Segregated Education) and later GUTS (Georgians Unwilling to Surrender) headed by Lester Maddox, now a candidate in the five-cornered Atlanta m ayoralty race, sprang up to harass open school advocates. On November 30, 1959 the Atlanta School Board submitted a stair-step plan for desegregation of the public school s begi nning with the 12th grade (given in full elsewhere in this pamphlet) . Judge Hooper approved the plan on January 20, 1960 and ordered it into effect the following September; or as soon as the General Assembly of Georgia could enact statutes to allow Atlanta schools to operate. [ 8] �In an attempt to influence legislative action, open school supporters mounted an educational crash program. Mayor Hartsfield proclaimed a "Save Our Schools Week" in Atlanta. Representatives of state-wide civic groups joined together in a coordinated effort. Legislators, business leaders and other opinion-makers throughout the state received repeated mailings underlinin·g the social, economic and educational disasters accompanying school closings elsewhere. The Fulton and DeKalb County legislative delegations which previously had withheld unanimous support, promised to seek legislative change. They were joined by a handful of salons from other parts of the state; but the prevailing sentiment when the General Assembly convened was to let Atlanta bear the brunt of school closings to preserve segregation elsewhere in Georgia. · All during the legislative session public pressure in behalf of open schools grew stronger. Delegations of open school supporters called on Governor Vandiver, Senator Russell, Senator Talmadge and as many legislators as they could buttonhole. As a. result, the Legislature appointed a nineteenmember "General Assembly Committee on Schools" empowered to conduct hearings in each of the State's Congress ional Districts to find out whether "the people of Georgia may wish to make a deliberate determination as to whether future education is to be afforded through direct tuition payments for use in private schools devoid of governmental control , or whether the public school system as it presently exists shall be maintained notwithstanding that the school system of A tlanta and even others yet to come may be integrated . . . " Cynics regarded the Committee as a delaying tactic at best. It had power only to inquire and recommend and it was a foregone conclusion that most Georgians considered "race-mixing" far more disastrous than the abandonment of public education. Yet the strong grass-roots support for [ 9 ] �open schools in nearly every part of the State was a surprise to almost everyone. The Committee had the good fortune to be chaired by widely-respected John Sibley, Chairman of the Board of the Trust Company of Georgia. Mr. Sibley conducted the hearings with good-humored dignity and impartiality. The importance of the "Sibley Commission" in awakening Georgians to the alternatives they faced cannot be overestimated. When the Committee issued its report in April 1960, the 11-member m ajority recommended a Freedom of Choice plan, somewhat similar to Virginia's. The 8-member minority_ stood fast for segregation, even at the cost of closed schools. The division within the Committee itself reflected the sharp differences of opinion in the state. Yet for the first time in the deep South, the majority of an all-Georgia committee appointed by the State Legislature with the blessings of the State Administration recommended that existing laws be changed to allow some desegregation . . . before a Negro ch ild actually applied to enter a w hite public school. After the publication of "The Sibley Report,., Judge Hooper stayed integration of Atlanta schools for a year. On May 9, 1960, he amended the Atlan ta Plan to include desegregation of the 11th and 12th grades at the beginning of the J96 l school year. The Atlanta Plan was to become effect ive "whether or not the General Assembly of Georgia at its session in January I 961 passes permissive legislation. " In Judge Hooper's words, "to order the Atlanta Public Schools to integrate . . . in September 1960 could mean but one thing; that is, the closing of Atlan ta's schools. To postpone this ... will give the Georg ia Legislature ... one last cha nce to prevent thi s closing. " I mmedi ately fo llowi ng this fina l Court decision , HOPE called a "Georgia Open Schoo ls Co nference" attended by 500 delegates in vited from some 87 Georgi a cities, towns or counties. Edward [ 10] �R. Murrow televised this Conference in a nationwide documentary "Who Speaks for the South." As it became more acceptable to speak out openly for legislative change, many came forward with strong public statements. As a Gainesville editor put it, "You can hear minds changing all over Georgia." In the F all of 1960, open school advocates initiated "Operation Las t Chance," taking their cue from Judge Hooper's words . Armed with forthright statements from Churches (all faiths and every important denomination, including the influential Georgia Baptist Convention) ; business leaders (the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Jaycees and key individuals throughout the State); lawyers (the Atlanta and Georgia Bar Associations); educators (the Georgia Education Association , "Mr. Jim" Peters, venerable Ch airman of the State Board of Education) ; and m any others, the issue was kept constantly before the public. "D ays of Deci sion" Forums were held in Athens, Rome, A lbany, Columbus, Augusta and Savannah to plead the case for legislative change. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce conducted its own Legislative Forums, with Administration floor-leaders F r ank Twitty and Carl Sanders finding a preponderance of open-school sentiment and refl ecting this in their public statements. All this was played again st the backdrop of New Orlea ns which remained in the headlines throughout the F all. Coincident with the opening of the 1961 Legislati ve Session was the now-famous "Athen's crisis. " When two Negroes were ordered ad mitted to the Uni versity of Georgi a by U . S. District Judge W illi am A. Bootle, Governor Vandiver and the Legislature were prov ided a chaotic exa mpl e of what "bitter-end " resistance meant. Existi ng statutes wo uld fo rce closing Georgia's beloved University ( the nation's oldest state-supported institution of higher learn ing ) and this was too bitter a pill fo r even the strongest segregationists. On [ 11 ] �January 18, 1961 , S. Ernest Vandiver, who had been elected Governor of Georgia only two years prior on a platform which said he would never permit desegregation , underwent a dramatic reversal. In o~der to save the schools of Georgia , he offered a "Child Protection Plan ," through which a community can decide by local school board action or a referendum whether it wants to close its schools when it faces a court order to desegregate. If a community decides for open schools, tuition grants provide mone y for children not wishing to attend integrated schools. The Legislature promptly repealed the mandatory closing Jaws and adopted the Governor's four-bill package. The open schools advocates bad won their bat tle. Atlanta was now free to comply with its Court order, with no threat of school closings. Applications for transfer to the 11th arid 12th grades were submitted by 133 Negro children between May 1st and May 15th. After an exhaustive series of tests and interviews (required by the Atlanta Plan) ten were chosen to enter four previously allwhite high schools (Brown, Grady, Murphy and Northside) . 38 others are still in the process of appealing the Board's decision to reject their applications. One white child, Sandra Melkild, now attending Northside High School, has requested transfer to another presently all-white school , basing her request on "freedom of association ." The Atlanta School Board has denied her a transfer. On August 9th the State School Board overruled the Atlanta Board's decision ; but Judge Hooper has ordered a stay of the State Board of Education's ruling, pending a hearing. Once the conflict between State and Federal laws was resolved , emphasis shifted to desegregation with dignity. The organizations comprising the " Open Schools Movement" sent representatives to call on Dr. John Letson , Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, early last February to ask what citizens might do to help create a climate [ 12 ] �of calm, dignified compliance with the law. It was suggested that church, business, service and youth groups outside the immediate jurisdiction of the school administration be encouraged to play a leading role in this effort through public discussion and dissemination of information. A new group, in fact an Organization of organizations, was formed with a broad base of community support. Its name: OASIS (Organizations Assisting Schools in September) an acronym Atlantans feel is descriptive of their city. OASIS, with its 53 affiliates, is divided into three sections-Religious, Civic and Service Groups and Youth-serving Agencies. Members range from service clubs and Girl Scouts to labor unions and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Its activity has been lowkey but intensive, seeking to work through already existing organizational machinery to reach hundreds of thousands of Atlanta's citizens. OASIS has stimulated hundreds of meetings throughout the long, hot Atlanta summer. 126 volunteer discussion leaders h ave been on call to assist at gatherings varying from 200 in the Southwest Community Council to half-a-dozen an~ious parents meeting in a neighbor's living room. A Speaker's Bureau, headed by an ex-president of The Toastmasters, provides information for business and service groups. A troupe of Theater Atlanta Players has presented improvised desegregation skits for teenagers at camps and youth centers all over town . OASIS has brought over one hundred white and Negro youth leaders together and encouraged Atlanta's more prominent citizens to speak out in behalf of responsible compliance. OASIS' Religio us Section spearheaded the observance of "Law and Order Weekend (Friday, August 25th through Sunday, August 27th) during which Atlanta's prolifery of churches and synagogues conducted special prayers for peacefu l transition. Ministers were asked to take their [ I3 ] �vacations before August 15th so that they would be on hand to give moral leadership. All faiths have participated in this effort, with leading clergy and lay representatives playing active roles as catalysts. All of these efforts have received considerable support from Atlanta's newspapers, television and radio stations. Mayor William B. Hartsfield's repeated assertions that Atlanta will preserve its reputation for .g ood race relations have been followed by public and private measures designed to prevent trouble. Police Chief Herbert T. Jenkins has had officers from his department observing racial disturbances in other cities for two and one-half years. The Chief has publicly proclaimed that law and order will be maintained and warned would-be violators of penalties. School Superintendent, Dr. John Letson, has told Atlantans that anything less than desegregation with peace and dignity will "exact a price that will not be paid in full for a generation." And when school opens on August 30th, this city hopes to demonstrate that careful planning and intelligent preparation can prevent the violence that has accompanied school integration nearly everywhere else in the deep South. AN EDITORIAL P.S. WE HOPE YOU WILL READ In writing the forego ing p iece, we h ave tried to give you "just the facts. " Now Jet us tell you what's in our hearts. We had a double purpose in preparing this kit. If our schools desegregate smoothly and without incident- and the overwhelming majority of A tlantans are praying that they will- we wanted you to know why. If a rock is thrown or a demonstration staged, you ought to know that is not the whole story of our city. Ask any of our local newsmen to tell you about the " Open Schools Movement." They'll say we·re [ 14] �,, a bunch of starry-eyed amateurs-a strictly grassroots-type operation held together chiefly with scotch tape and imagination. But they'll also tell you that we held together-through three interminable uphill years to accomplish what those who thought they knew all about Georgia said never would happen in our generation. Who took part in the "Open Schools Movement?" The ordinary people who live in Atlanta-and believe ir or not, much of Georgia. The printer who donated pamphlets and hand-bills on a "pay if yo u get it" basis. The businessmen wh-o gave an office and typewriter, stationery, erasers and all that scotch tape. The lawyers who voluntered their time and brainpower to unsnarl the tangled legal thickets. But most of all, the women of Atlanta who licked the stamps, organized the meetings and stayed on the telephone until they finished the job. Yes, the unsung heroines of the "Open Schools Movement" are mostly ordinary housewives and mothers who left beds unmade and meals uncooked to insure their children's educational future. Is it over yet? Not by a long shot. There are those with whom old ways die hard. We have beard the nation's most m ilitant racists are marshaling their forces to make a stand at this "Second Battle of Atlanta." You must have heard it too- or most of you wouldn't be h ere. W hen the "symbolic ten" go to their classrooms, segregation in Georgia's common schools will be offici ally over. T here are those who wish the ten could be a thousand. There are many who object to even one. But whatever the views that divide them, A tlantans are united in a single hope : that the story that unfolds on August 30th will be m uch different from the one you might have expected . A nd when ten Negro children go to school on Wednesday, the heart of A tlanta will go i n with them. MRS. DAVfD N E IMAN Public Information Chairman OASIS ( Organizations Assisting Schools in September) [ 15 ] �Atlanta Public Schools CTTY HALL ATLANTA 3, GEORGIA To Representatives of the Press, Radio and Television: Citizens of Atlanta have long recognized that good schools are an essential part of a great city. Recent developments have demonstrated a determination on the part of all concerned to assess realisticaf!y the problems we face and to proceed with the educational tasks ahead. Teachers and others who are a part of the Atlanta public school system face the future with confidence and with the firm conviction that changes and adaptations will be made as circumstances require. I am certain that I speak for all school personnel in saying that we are happy to be a p ~rt of a great city that we are convinced will become still greater in the year ahead. Sincerel y, John W. Letson Superintendent JWL/frk [ 16 ] �jv ATLANTA l::C::. CH AM BER Of COMM ERCE 1301 COMM ERCE SUILOING / P.0, SOX 17 4 0 /ATLANTA I , GEOl'tGIA / '21•084 5 ~ f Dear Visitor: A tlanta is on trial. But so are the mass communications media of this n ation. How well we both conduct ourselves will have a great and lasting effect on this city. We, the busines leaders of this city, have never faltered in our solid support of our officials in their determin ation to obey the Jaw. We do not intend to let lawlessness impede this mature city's quest for greatness. We are going to continue to do everything possible here in Atlanta to p lay our rightful role among American cities. We like to think of ourselves as responsible citizens. We know we, in turn, can look to each of you - our visitors- fo r the same high degree of responsible journalism. Sincerely, Opie L. Shelton Executive Vice President [ 17 J �The Atlanta Plan, Amended January 18, 1960, Provides: " Whereas, The State Board of Education has not promulgated rules and regulations relative to the placement of students in the schools, and thfa Board has the inherent power of pupil placemen t, and more complete regulations are necessary. " Now therefore: To insure orderly procedures of uniform application for pupil assignment, transfer, and / or placement, and to enable the continuing improvement of the educational advantages offered the following rules and procedure shall be followed: " ( 1). In the assignment, transfer or continuance of pupils . .. the following factors and the effects or results thereof shall be considered , with respect to the individu al pupil , as well as other relevant matters: "availabie room and teaching capacity in the various schools; "the availab ility of transportation facilities; " the effect of the admission of new pupils upon established or proposed academic programs; "the suitability of established curricula for particular pupils; " the adequacy of the p upil 's academic prepara tion for admission to a particular school and curriculum; " the schol astic aptitude and relative intelligence or mental energy or ability of the pupil; " the psychological qualification of the pupil for the type of teachin g and associations involved ; " the possibility or threat of friction or disorder among pupils or oth ers; " the poss ibility of breaches of the peace or ill will; " the effect of admission of the pupil upon the academic progress of other students in a pa rticular school or fac ility thereof; " the effec t of ad mi ssion upon preva iling academic standards at a particul ar school; " th e psychol og ical effect upon the pupi l of at tend ance at a part icul ar school; " the home environment of th e pupil ; " the maintenance or severance of establi shed soc ial and psychological rel atio nships with other pup il s and with teachers; " the choice and interests of the pupil ; " the ability to accept or confor m to new and different ed ucationa l environment; " the moral s, cond uct, health and personal stand ards of the pupil ; " the request or consent of parents or guardi ans and the reaso ns ass igned th erefo r. " (2). The C ity Superintendent of Schools wi ll ad minister these prov isions, subject to the supervision of the Board. [ 18 ] �(3). The Superintendent will designate the school to which each child applying for assignment or transfer shall go. "All existing school assignments shall continue without change until or unless transfers are directed or approved by the Superintendent or his duly authorized representative. " ( 4) . Applications for admission, assignment, or transfer and/ or placement shall be directed to the Superintendent and delivered to the school principal between M ay 1st and May 15th. (5). A separate applica tion must be filed for each child. (6). Application forms must be filled out and signed by parents or guardians and notarized. The Superintendent may require interviews, tests, and investigation. (7) . Notice of action taken shall be mailed to parents or gua rdians within thirty days or not later than June 15th and will be final action " unless a hearin g before the Board is requested in writing within ten days from the date of mailin g such sta tement." (8) . Parents may file in writing objections to as, ignment or request transfer to "a designated school or to another school." The Board shall act on same within a reasonable time. A hearing will be begun within twenty days of decision by the Board that a hearing is necessa ry. (9). H ea rings on requests for transfers shall be conducted by the Board or not less th an three of the members of the Board , and decisions "of the members or a majority thereof sha ll be deemed a fin al decision by the Board ." (I 0). Unless postponement is requested by the parents or guardi an, the Board will notify them of its decision within ten days after conclusion of the hearings. Every appeal shall be fin all y conducted by the Board before September 1st. Any person dissatisfied with the final decision of the Board may appeal to the State Board of Education. (1 1). Th e Boa rd may ass ign certain pupils to vocational o r other special schools or termin ate their public school enrollm ent altogeth er. ( 12). " Beginnin g September 1, 1960, or on September 1, fo ll owin g favorable action by the General Assembly of Geo rgia, student assignm ent in the Atl anta Public School System shall be made in accord ance with aforesa id rules and regul ations and with out rega rd to race or color. F or the fi rst school yea r in which it is effecti ve, th e pl an shall app ly to the students in the 12th grade. Th ereafter , in each successive year, th e pl an shall be ex panded to the immediate lower grade; e.g. in 196 1-62 grade 11th, in 1962-6 3 gra de 10th, etc. , until all grades a re includ ed. "•:• ( 13) . " N othin g conta ined in this resolution shall prevent the separation of boys and girl s in any sch ool or grade or to prevent the assignment of boys and girls to separa te schools.·· ( 14). T hese ru les shall be contin gent upon th e enactmen t of sta tutes by the General Asse mbly o f G eorgia and shall be submi tted to the Genera l Assembly fo r approval. • O n May 9, 1960 U. S. Distri ct Jud ge H ooper rul ed th a t the P la n of t he Atla nta Boa rd of E duca ti o n fo r grad ua l desegrega tio n be put into o perat io n o n May 1, 1961. A pplicat ions to the twelfth a nd e leve nth grades of the Atla nta Public Schools were received fro m May I to I 5. [ 19 ] �The Atlanta Public Schools: Some Facts and Figures Prepared by the Atlanta Department of Education THE FOUR SCHOOLS TO BE DESEGREGATED Brown High School, named for Joseph E. Brown, Civil War governor of Georgia, is located at 765 Peeples Street, S.W. West End, as the section is popularly known, is an old and established part of the city where the population now comprises low to middle income families, although many longtime residents still retain and live in their fine old homes. It is a section of strong loyalties and considerable pride of accomplishment. The principal of the school, Maxwell Ivey, formerly principal of Hutchinson Elementary School and former Director of Athletics and coach of champion football teams, is serving his first year as a high school principal at Brown. The school may be reached from City Hall by driving west on Whitehall, thence to Gordon, left on Peeples for three blocks. There are about 1200 students and 50 teachers in the school. In 1961 there were 131 graduates with approximately 45 % attending college. Both students and teachers are very loyal to the school and its fine tradition of good conduct and high ideals. Murphy High School was opened in 1930. Its present principal is George M. McCord whose tenure as principal began in 1942. Mr. McCord is well known in national camping circles, is very active in YM CA, and other youth serving organizations. Thei address of the school is 256 C lifton Street, S.E., adjacent to Memorial Drive. The school may be reached by going east on Memorial Drive for approximately 3 miles. There are approximate ly 1200 students and 50 teachers in the school. Of the 205 graduating this year, about 50% continued in college. The community is a section of moderate priced homes, law abidi ng citizens, and church-going population. The school is particularly noted for a balanced program of meeting student needs and interests. Henry Grady High School was created in 1947 from old Boy's High School and old Tech H igh School which was once situated in the same building and on the same grounds. Named for Henry W. Grady, famous orator a nd newspaperman, the school h as taken great pride in its preparation of students for college. Located at 929 Charles Allen Drive. N. E .. ( formerly Parkway Drive) the school is relatively close to the downtown section but is also accessible to very fine resident ial areas of the city. T he school population ranges from families of lower middle in- [ 20] �comes to relatively high incomes, with considerable diversity in religious and ethnic composition. It may be reached by way of Peachtree, Ponce de Leon and Charles Allen Drive; or by Peachtree and 10th Street. The principal is Roger H . D erthick (i ncid entally, brother of Lawrence Derthick, former U. S. Commissioner of Education) who is president of the Atlanta Teachers Association. The school has an enrollment of about 1500 students and there are uO or more teachers. Approximatel y 80 % of the students continue their educatio n in college. Northside High School , whose address is 2875 Northside Drive, N .W. , is located in an upper income section of the city. Mr. W. H . Kelley has been principal of the schoo l since its inception in l 950. The school is in that portion of the c ity annexed in 1952. Former coach and Engl,ish teacher, he presides over the school with humor and dignity. The school has an enrollment of approximately 1100 a nd there are about 45 teachers. More than 88 % of the 242 graduates this year will conti nue in college. The school has maintained strong lead in football championships in recent years and is one whe re students indica te a strong school spirit. The school may be re ached by going north on the Expressway to Northside Drive, or by going Peachtree Road to West Wesley, turn left to Nortbside, then right one block. Historical Facts About Atlanta School System Established in 1872 with an enrollment of 3293 elementary pupils and 301 high school students. Inauguration of 6-3-3 orga niza tion in 1923 with 8 junior and 4 senior high schools. Enrollment 53,49 1 students in alJ sch ools. E stablishment of communi ty, co-educational comprehensive high schools in 1947. Total enrollment 60,761. Annexation of 39 schools and approximately 20,000 new st udents in 1952. Decentra liza tion of administrati on and Area organiza tion 1956. More than 42 millions expend ed fo r new school buildings since 1946. Board of Education P resident, L. J . O'Cal! aghan; Oby T. Brewer, Jr.; Dr. Rufus E. Clement; Ed S. Cook; Glenn Frick; Elmo Holt; Harold F. Jackson; Mrs. Clifford N . Ragsdale; Fred M . Shell. Administration Superintendent, D r. John W. Letson; D eputy Superintendent, D r. Rua ! W. Steph ens; Assista nt Superintendents, J arvis Ba rnes, J. Everette D eVa ughn; Area Superintendents, Dr. H . A. Bowen, Dr. Ed S. Cook, Jr. , D. W . H eidecker, Warren T . Jackson, D r. G. Y. Smith; Comptroll er, E . R. Holl ey. Direct ors and Supervisory Staff D irectors 18; Co-ordin ators and Supervisors 7; reso urce personnel 3 J. Area O rganization Decentra lization of administra tion and instructi onal supervis ion by subd ividin g to 5 geograp hica l school areas under Area Su perintendents and supervisory staffs. [ 21 ] �Schools Structural organiza tion : Elementary, kindergarten through 7; high schools, grades 7-12; 2 vocational schools; 2 evening high schools; 2 evening vocational schools; 5 special schools. No. of No. Enrollment A.D.A. Teachers Elementa ry High Schools TOTALS 75,302 29,456 104,758 119 26 145 63,562 24,640 88,202 2,265 1,220 3,485 High Schools Minimum requirements for diploma (beyond 8th grade) : English 4 units, social studies 3 units, m ath 2 units, science 2 units, "activities" 2 units, electives 5 units. College preparatory a nd distinctive diploma curricula available in all high schools. % Noof No. of A11e11ding A .D.A . Grad11a1es College Name Tea chers 23% 120 50 988 Archer 45% 36 665 112 Bass 45 % 51 1087 131 Brown 516 D ykes 25 27 547 80 East Atla nta 41 924 177 20% Fulton 552 George 30 64 80% 1356 Grady . 60 256 81 1784 243 29% Howard Murphy 49 1030 48% 205 53 1091 239 85% North Fulton ·242 44 981 88% Northside 42 O'Keefe 786 87 23% 1614 29 % Price 78 200 43 840 25 % 107 Roosevelt Smith 36 532 18% 98 1147 47 % Southwest 53 234 Sylvan 46 1021 41 % 179 Therrell 29 585 1623 Turner 69 201 45 % 2243 106 W ashingto n 324 68 % 1072 West Fulton 52 148 21 % finances Operating budget, 30 millio ns. Sources of income: local taxes 55.1 %; sta te taxes 28.2 %; other sources 2.5%; cash b ala nce 14.2 %. Allocation: administrat io n 2.1 %; instruction 71.9 %; m a intenance 4.7 %; operation 7 .0 %; opera tin g b alance 5.6%; others 8.7 %. Tea cher Salaries (Annu a l sa lary in 12 monthly payments) Certifica1io11 Mi11 in111111 Maxim 11111 Years to R each M axi11u11n $4308 4500 4920 5520 $6540 7164 7896 8688 19 22 24 25 B.A. . M.A . . . . 6 year College Doctorate Buildings and Grounds Category E lementary High School TOTALS . No. Units 130 45 175 No. Acres 535.5 343.1 878.6 [ 22 ] No. Classrooms 2 194 1186 3380 Va/11e

$4 1,985,331 30,692 ,01 I 72,677 ,324 �libraries No .of Books 280,211 208,413 488,624 Categories Elementary High School TOTALS Cafeterias

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"'"' 17 3 20 ~ 0 0 Radio and Television Education Radio a nd television statio ns owned by Board of Education. Over 500 radio and TV sets in the schools;" over 60,000 studen ts viewing and hea ring 89 radio a nd 58 TV programs per week in 139 schools. TV instruction in Health, General Science, General Biology, World History, Physics, Social Stud ies, Mathematics, Frenc h and S panish. Health and Physical Fitness Required of all e lementa ry p upils a nd 8th a nd 9th grade stude nts. Interscholastic a thle tic program in 2 3 high schools comprises J7 teams in each hjgh school in 10 different activities under 11 5 teacher-coaches. P a rticipatio n, exclusive of bands a nd pep squads, by 5,000 students in 113 home games viewed by 200,000 spectators. Audio-Visual Education Esta blished in 1921, one of the oldest educa tional aud iovisual depa rtments in the na tion; school system has 5,000 pieces of A-V equipment and 10,000 A-V items; 2,000 presentations in classrooms; planetarium for space science instruc tion; primate ho use with fu ll-time instructor. Future Plans and Needs Three new high schools; 400 additiona l elemen tary c lassrooms; warehouse a nd school services building; administration building; c urriculum development, super-visory, and materia ls center; a utoma ted da ta processing equipment a nd staffing; expansion o f curricular a nd instructional leade rship program . [ 23 ] �MAPS of high school grounds by Atlanta Police Dept. BROWN HIGH SCHOOL GOROoN' l HENRY GRADY HIGH SCHOOL I N [ 24 ] �Red line marks curb across adjacent streets. This line encloses area off-limits to public and press. MURPHY HIGH SCHOOL

-r-=- C I TY LIMIT fJEKALB co. ~ M NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL fr ~ (\ <,;- . ] ~~I ,~ ~ JlW. -l1- -· - WESLE Y RO - 11- --------·-- ----- -- . J [ 25 ] . N �1 ~ Information About the Transfer Students All of the ten transfer students, in the words of Deputy School Superintendent Rua! Stephens, " have outstanding school academic records, made excellent scores on the tests given them and very favorable impressions" when the y were interviewed by school officials. Some of the 10 were accepted in spite of the fact that their residences are nearer their present schools than the schools they asked to attend . School officials said that in such instances there were factors of " overriding importance" which figured in the decisions to accept the students. In one case, a youth aspired to go to the Naval Academy at Annapolis and was unable to get the ROTC training or special college preparatory courses in m athematics and physics at his present school. School officials m ade it clear from the beginning th at an important consideration in whether a Negro student was accepted or rejected would be his chances of doing well in a new school environm ent. Those finally accepted had composite test scores wh ich in most instances exceeded the median composite scores of the grades and schools to which the y are being transferred. Allen , D emaris-16 years old. Accepted for the 12th Grade, Brown High School. Composite test score: 94.6. Median in 12th Grade at Brown: 66.4. Asked for transfer in order to receive speci al training in social studies , science and mathematics. Special interest: Arch aeology. Previous extra-curricul ar activities : Dramatic and Dance Clubs, Junior Red Cross, Honor Society. [ 26 ] �Black, Willie Jean-15 years old. Accepted for 11th Grade, Northside High School. Composite test score: 93 .8. Median in 11th Grade at Northside: 82.8. Asked for transfer because of superior curriculum offered in science and mathematics. Special interest: Medical career. Previous extracurricular activities: Laboratory assistant, Honor Society, Science program at Morris Brown College. Gaines, Donita-16 years old. Accepted for 11th Grade, Northside High School. Composite test score: 92. Median in 11th Grade at Northside: 82.8. Asked for transfer because of superior curriculum . Special interest : Engineering. Previous extra~curricular activities : Honor Society, Library Assistant, Student Government, Y-Teens. Ho lmes, Marth a A on-17 years old . Accepted for 12th Grade, Murph y High School. Composite test score : 72.2. Median in 12th Grade at Murphy : 65.6. Asked for transfer because of crowded conditions at Howard High School. Special interests: Chemistry and m athem atics. Previous extra-curricul ar activities: Band, Business-office assistant, English Club, Honor Society, Student Government. Jefferson , Lawrence-] 7 years old. Accepted for 12th Grade, Grady High School. Composite test score : 85.8. Median in 12th Grade at Grady: 79. Asked for transfer because of overcrowding at Howard H igh School. Speci al interests: Mathemat ics and English. Previous extra-curricular activities: Honor Society, Student Government, Cit y-wide Stude nt Council. [ 27 ] �McMullen, Mary James-16 years old. Accepted for 12th Grade, Grady High School. Composite test score: 69.6. Median in 12th Grade at Grady : 79. Asked for transfer because of overcrowding at Howard High School. Special interests: Social Science teaching. Previous extra-curricular activities: Basketball, Choir, Cheerleading. Nix , Madelyn-15 years old. Accepted for 11th Grade, Brown High School. Composite test score : ·83 .6. Median in 11th Grade at Brown: 65.8. Asked for transfer because of superior curriculum in mathematics and physics. Special interest : Medical ·career. Previous extra-curricular activities : Honor Society, Orchestra, Student Government. Simmons, Arthur C.-16 years old. Accepted for 12th Grade, Northside High School. Composite test score : 84.4. Median in 12th Grade at Northside : 84. Asked for transfer because of superior curriculum, particularly Mechanical D rawing. Special interest: Engineering. Previous extra-curricular activities : Honor Society. Walton , Rosalyn- 16 years old. Accepted for 11th Grade, Murphy High School. Composite test Score: 56.8. Medi an in 11th G rade Murphy: 67 .8. Asked for tra nsfer because of proxim ity to home. Special interest : E lementary school teaching. Previous extra-curricular activities : Choi r, Honor Society. Welch, Thomas E .-1 6 years old . Accepted for 11th Grade, Brown High School. Compos ite test score: 89 .2. Median in 11th G rade at Brown: 65.8. Asked for transfer in order to take ROTC, unava ilable at Washington H igh School. Special interest : Admission to A nnapolis and future N aval Career. P revious extra-curricular activities : Chorus. [ 28 l �Sigma Delta Chi Code of Ethics I. The primary function of newspapers is to communicate to the human race what its members do, feel and think. Journ a lism, therefore, demands of its practitioners the widest range of intelligence, of knowledge, and of experience, as well as natural and trained powers of observation and reasoning. To its opportunities as a chronicle are indissolvabl y linked its obligations as teacher and interpreter. II. To the end of findin g some means of codifying sound practice in just aspirations of Am erican Journ a lism these gains are se t forth: 1. RESPONS!BlLITY The right of a newspaper to attract and hold readers is restricted by nothin g but consideration of p ub lic we lfa re. The use a newspaper m akes of th e sha re of public attention it gai ns, se rves to determ ine its sense of responsibility whi ch it shares wi th ever y m ember o f its staff. A jo urn a list who uses his power for any selfish or o th erwise un wo rthy purpose is faithless to a h igh tru st. 2. FREEDOM OF THE P RESS Freedo m of th e press is to be guarded as a v ita l rig ht of m a nki nd. It is th e unqu estion able rig ht to di sc uss whatever is not explicitl y forbidden by law, incl uding the wisdom of any restrictive statu te. 3. I NDE PENDENCE Freedom fro m a ll ob liga tions, except th at o f fide lity, to th e pub lic in terest is v it al. A. Pro motion of any p ri vate interest, co ntrary to the ge nera l we lfa re, for whateve r reaso n, is not co mpatib le with honest journalism. So-called news co mmuni ca ti ons from private sources should not be published wi th o ut public notice of their sou rce or e lse substa ntiation of their claims to va lue as news, bo th in fo rm and substance. B. Pa rtisanship, in editorial comm ent, whi ch knowingly departs fro m the truth, does vio lence to the best spirit of journ a li sm ; in the news columns, it is sub versive of a fu nd amental pri nciple of the p rofessio n. 4. ALL SINCERITY, TRUST, ACCURACY. Good fa ith with the reader is the fo un datio n of all journa lism worthy of the name. [ 29 ] �Youth-Serving Organizations Section: Chairman, Mrs. John Steinhaus Co-Chairman, Mrs. R. H. Brisbane Atlanta Boys Clubs Atlanta Girls Clubs Atlanta Jewish Community Center Bethlehem Community Center B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Girl Scouts Grady Homes Community Girls Club Interdenominational Youth Center Religious Education Association Salvation Army Temple Youth Group Wesley Community House YMCA YWCA Religious Organizations Section: Co-Chairmen: Reverend Nat Long Reverend Norman Shands Atlanta Chapter, American Jewish Committee Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Georgia Council of Churches Greater Atlanta Counci l of Churches Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance United Church Women of Atlanta and Georgia Churches of every faith: Catholic, Eastern and Greek Orthodox, Jewish and Protestant; and every denomination within each faith: Jewish : Orthodox, Conservative, Reform. Protestant : Alli ance, Assembly of God, Baptist, Christian Science, C hurch of Christ, Church of God , Congregation al, Episcopal, Friends, Holiness, Latter Day Saints, Lutheran, Methodist, N aza rene, Primitive Baptist, Presbyteri an, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventists, United Liberal , Unity. [ 32 ] - �~ 37 �