The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1939-01-27


(By Albert G. Barnett for ANP) )-
A remarkable report detailing the
many social and economic impedi-
ments that beset youth and retard
his physical, mental and cultural de-
velopment, was presented at last
Saturdays closing session of the
Second National Conference on
Problems of the Negro and Negro
Youth, meeting in the Department
of Labor building and presided over
by Mrs. Mary Mcleod Bethune as
general chairman.
The report, with recommendations
for alleviation of the ills mentioned,
was submitted by Mrs. Jaunita Jack
son Mitchell, st. Paul, Mimi, chair
man of the Conferences Special
Youth Problems committee, of which
Miss Pauline Redmond, Chicago,
and J. Percy Bond, Durham, N. c.,
were the associate chairmen.
Highlights of the committees re-
port were: rapid social and techno-
logical advances and changing eco
nomic conditions have resulted in
an overwhelming period between the
time young persons leave school or
college to the day they find employ
ment ... While the problems Of the
lack of opportunity to complete an
education, inadequate vocational
guidance and vocational training,
iob-seeking handicapped by lack of
work experience and increased
leisure unmet by proportionate
increase of recreational opportuni-
ties are common to all youth, they
are a thousand times more complex
and difficult for Negro youth.
For approximately two and a
half millions of Negro youth be-
tween 16 and 25 years of age these
specific youth problems are intensi-
fed by inequality of opportunity
occasioned by racial discrimination
49,. We, therefore, commend this
conference for its recognition of
these special problems of Negro
youth and for its inclusion this year
of a committee to evaluate them and
to make recommendation for their
alienation.
Reaching Youth In Need: We
recommend that the NYA be con
yerted into permanent Federal
youth service agency and that the
laws of eligibility governing it be
modified to include youth Of nom
relief status on the basis of need.
.sIntegration of Negro Youth in
NYA: We reaffirm the vital neccs-
sity of thorough integration of
Negro youth into the program Of
the National Youth administration.
We urge the continuance of the ef-
fort to provide for the appointment
of Negro administrative assistants
in all states where there is an ap-
preciable Negro population, to as
sure this integration.
Guidance and Placement: /. We
recommend the Negro youth be
given opportunity to fully partici-
pate III the existing vocational
guidance and junior placement ser
vices Of the NYA. We further re-
commend that this program be ex-
tended to adequately provide for the
vocational guidance and placement
needs of youth in those localities
where they do not now exist.
-. We urge that the Federal Gov
ernment control the NYA and the
Junior Placement Service of the u.
s. Employment Service, to the ex-
tent that the equal benefits of this
service bill will be received by Negro
youth throughout the country !.
We recommend that nationally re-
preventative committee be appoint
ed by the Division of Negro Affairs
of the NYA to investigate occupa-
tional trends and employment oppor-
tunities.
Expanded Programs of NYA: We
recommend that the national office
of NYA give particular considera-
tion to the inclusion Of Negro
youth in development of the expand
ed programs now operating on a
regional and national basis We
wish to make the following recon-
mendations regarding them:
Il. That provisions be made for
the full participation of Negro youth
in NYA regional training projects
for metal arts and crafts, auto me-
chanics and aeronautical mechanics
at Charleston, w. Va, and Algiers,
La.
q. That while Negro youth are
included in the resident training
projects at Quoddy, Maine, larger