Twin-City herald., 1937-04-10
no PREJUDICE
III E:TlGS

Every SO often, various groups, for
lack of definite program to pur-
sue or an obvious common enemy TO
fight, take it upon themselves to en-
gage in certain useless and i'll adj
vised Investigations. One of the ex-
amples of this procedure is the late
investigation Of the Negro Student
Council of the University into the
policies and practices of the Athletic
Department of the university. Thev
were attempting to ascertain wheth
er or not there was a policy of
prejudice in vogue in that depart
ment.
There has never been an attempt on
the part of the coaches of that in
stltutlon to manifest any degree of
racial prejudice in regards to the
possible participation of Race stu
dents in the various major and minor
sports offered. The Department of
Physical Education has its own
theory and nractice in regards to who
will and who will not participate in
varsity sports. and that theory and
practice decidedly does not include a
policy of racial discrimination in any
sport.
Their policy is one of merit which
demands a high standard of native
ability. progress. and achievement for
those who are finally elected to rep
resent the university in the various
contests Then too, the university has
certain scholastic standards which
have to be met if boy holds forth
any desire or hope to become a var
sity man. Other conditions which
go a long ways toward deciding who
will take an active part in the ath-
letic program are the attitude. spirit,
interest, moral and physical fibre Of
the boys.
- It is true that there are s-certain
sports such as basketball, swimming,
gymnastics and wrestling, which
Race boys have not taken part in, but
it is not due to the fact that they
cannot do so. 1T IS DUE TO THE
FACT THAT RACE BOYS HAVE
NOT MADE AN EFFORT TO GO
INTO THESE SPORTS.
To date, Race boys have only at
tempted to engage in football, track
and cross country events, and they
nave been more than welcome to
take part. Some Of these athletes
are Robert Marshall, 1903-O4-O5; ELS
worth Harpole, 1930-31-33; Dwight
Reed 1935-36; Horace Bell, 1886, in
football; Art Wiesager, 1928-29-30;
William O'Shields, 1926-27, in track,
and Henry Munday, 1881, in cross
country. If any other men attempted
to take part and failed, it was not
due to racial prejudice, but to the
inability of the men to come UP to
the high standards which character
ize the athletic program of the Uni
versity of Minnesota. It is wrong
to assume that one cannot engage in
an activity when he has made abso-
lutely no effort to do SO. If there
are any boys who feel that they have
the qualities that would enable them
to succeed in any of the sports, I
would suggest that they avail them
selves of the opportunity to do so.
The University of Minnesota has
nothing to do with the athletic poll
cies of other schools in the Big Ten.
It only administers, prescribes and
organizes its own program.
In regards to the idea of having
Pace boys play against Southern
teams, l have only this to say, it is
not anything can happen to
boy in such a contest. AS an after
thought, would like to ask you. what
better pep talk would Southern
team need than to find a NEGRO
lined Up on the ODnOSinG taa,,,2