The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1939-03-17

HOWARD UNIVERSITY
March 3, 1898
The Honorable
The Board of Education
FRANKLIN Administration Building
Washington, d G.
Lalies and Gentlemen:
The Marian Anderson Citizens
Committee expresses its appreciation
n the Board of Education for It's
action March 8, 1889, granting the
Howard University School OF MUSIC
permission to give the Marian An
derson Concert April 3, 1889, IN the
Auditorium of the Central High
School. Ii regrets, however, that
the Board did not feel free to con-
slider this specific emergency request
without introducing into the aues'
ton broad considerations Of genera
policy which had nothing to do with
the application.
The Board Of Education implies
that holding the Marian Anderson
Concert in Central High School on
Easter Sunday, April 8, 1889, means
departure from the dual schooi
system in force in the District OF
Columbia. The dual school system
is not involved in the Marian Ander-
son Concert application. Central
High School is in vacation from
Thursday, April 6, to Monday, April
III.
The basic question involved is not
the dual school system but the COM
munity use Of public buildings Inc
position Of the Citizens Committee
is that public school buildings are
community property. and the pubiie
is entitled to use them so long as
such use does not directly interfere
with the educational purposes tol
which they we're primarily construct
ed Central High School has beer
assigned to the education Of Wh.te
students But these white student
viii leave the building three day
before the concert and not return
until seven days after il, The Maflaf
Anderson Concert cannot possibly
conflict with any use Of the bulldlnE
for the education Of white children.
The Citizens Committee does no
admit the Marian Anderson Concer
is q commercial venture. Miss An
derson reduced her usual minlnan
guarantee out Of consideration fo
the Howard University School 9
Music. The concert series Away
operates at / deficit over any gls
year. The aim Of the School z.
Music ii to give e the UNIVERSITY
and the citizens OF Washington tas
best artists ii can command. In Mis-
Anderson it presents sapeilatNt
artist, one whose concerts are at
tended by ali races and all classes
The fact Miss Anderson receives !
guarantee does not make her concert
commercial unless one is going tf
hold that the guarantees visiting
university athletic teams receive
when local universities stage basket
ball games and other athletic con
tests in high school gymnasiums ane
stadiums make such games and con
certs commercial.
Finally, the Citizens COMMITTEES
feels the Board OF Education wen
beyond its province in trying TO bint
the citizens Of the District Of Col
umbia never to make similar re
quest in the future. The presen
Board Of Education can state It
own policy, bat cannot bind th
citizens or even the action Of futur
Boards of Education.
With this statement of funda
mental principles the Citizens Com
mILECG recommends LS SitS Aiof0i
University School of Music that
accept the permission of the Boar
of Education to give the Maria
Anderson Concert April 3, 1889, q
Central High School, stating in i
acceptance these fundamental prlf
ciples which the Citizens Committe
feels must be made clear to all cor
cerned
Respectfully submitted,
The Marian Anderson Citizer
Committee
tsignedl
Charles H. Houston, Chairma
tSigned)
John Lowell, Jr., Secretary
Organizations
Brotherhood Of Sleeping Car Porte
Dunbar Parent~Teacher Associate
Howard Chapter, American Studen
Union
Zeta Phi Beta
National Association for Relief
Destitute Women and Childrs
XII Omega, Alpha Kappa Alpha
National Council Of Jewish Junior
Georgia State Club
American League for Peace al