The Omaha guide., 1939-05-20
UNEQUAL EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITY FOR NEGROES.
SHOWN BY WPA INDEX OF
RESEARCH PROJECTS
CONTINUED from page y


s.i.utions of higher learning for
Negroes increased from less than
100 to more than 1000. The state
of North Carolina maintains two
Standard four-year colleges for
Negro s.uden.s in addition to three
normal schools for Negroes, the
Index points out.
South Carolina presented less
favorable picture for Negroes in
the realm of education Summarize
ing the findings of the South Car
olina Stae Department of Educa-
tion completed in 1887, the Index
states:
"Overcrowding was found in
1,417 or 22.5 percent, of the white
classrooms, and in 2,209 or 71.8
percent of Negro classrooms. The
medium age for public school
buildings for whites was Ia years;
that for Negroes was 16.5 years.
Sixty buildings for whites and 204
for Negroes We're at least DO years
cid. The average number of class
rooms per building for whites was
five and that for Negroes two. Fa-
cilities for school lunches were
found in 518 white and 319 Negro
schools. Dip lamps wre found in
approximately one thousand class
,ooms. Thirty-seven white and l.
327 Negro schools were using
homemade benches, 153 white and
372 Negro schools homemade
desks"
The Building Survey Report for
the South Carolina State Depart
ment of Education also indicates.
hat no heating facilities were
found in 80 Negro schools Steam.
{, hot water heat was reported in
percent of whi,e school and in
percent of Negro schools
Th9 reports of these research
rejects contain many facts of
general interest on the whole
school situation. 1t is clear that
il a good many States the educa-
tional facilities are inadequate for
both white and Negro children.
And it is where there is poor pro-
visions for all children that Negro
children suffer wost from lack OF
educational opportunity.
! An important feature of recent
educational history is the construc-
ton, repair and modernization OF
school buildings by The WPA. In
dle last three years, WPA workers
ave constructed 2,200 new school
l lildings and have extensively i'm
A roved and repaired over 22,000
more throughout the country. The
|, icture given above of South Caro-
lima conditions can be supple
mented by the report of the Unit
ed States Community Appraisal
Committee in South Carolina
which says:
"Many who considered our edu--
cational future hopeless from the
standpoint of physical facilities
are now beginning devoutly to-
hopo that with Works Progress as
sistance every child in the State
NAV. at not too distant date, have
the opportunity of attending
school in a publicity owned build
ing that is comfortable, safe and
adequate. To this end much mas
been done in the past two ana q
half years, but much remains 10
be done-particularly among Me-
gro schools"
In addition to listing and sum-
marizing the educational situation
of the Negro in various! Statcs'
the Index is guide to Informal
ton about the conditions of the
Negro contained in the Planning
Agency, population and migration
social problems and crime. In most.
instances the WPA Index points
to the Negro as an integral part
of the important problems await
ing social and legislative solution
in the South.