Twin-City herald., 1940-02-24
TWIN CITY HERALD

practices was emphasized this week
when Us white girl students of Ste
phen College Justify cheered Negro
girl seeking entrance to the University
of Missouri's School of Journalism.
The white girls were ordered from
the courtroom of Judge w. M. Din
widdie when their cheers punctuated
the questioning of Lucille Bluford, %,
managing editor of Kansas City Ne
gro paper.
The girls were attending the hearing
as class project in their course in So
cial problems.
Miss Bluford was being grilled by
William S. Hogsett, attorney for S. w.
Canada, University of Missouri regis
trar. Her attorney, Charles Houston,
of the NAA.C.P. legal staff, had Is
of 19 letters she had written him re-
garding the case and Hogsett wanted
her to reveal the contents of the other
six.
81 refuse to answer because they
were personal" she retorted. The
cheers rang through the courtroom.
Miss Bluford is seeking admittance
TO the University of Missouri on the
grounds that equal education, regard
less of race, is required by the consti-
t~tion. She said the journalism courses
offered at the university were not avail
able at Lincoln University, state Negro
college Missouri University officials
contend that Miss Bluford's suit
should be directed against Lincoln
University to force it to establish a
journalism school,
for four years had brayed the Winter
ice and snow and Spring floods in his
makeshift shanty in the desolate flats
of the Clinton River, heard Louis had
purchased Spring Hill," last Fall, he
and his vile moved their few belong
ings from the lean-to.
The shack was on the fringe of
Louis new farm. The previous own
er had permitted Lerich to squat on
the farm because Peter Lerich had
owned it.
Peter Lerich was a humanitarian
and could see no moral justification in
slavery During the Civil War. Spring
Hill'' served as one of the last outposts
of the famed underground railroad"
And after the war was over Peter
Lerich and his wife, Sarah, still were
hosts to Negro families migrating to
anada in search of relatives who had
previously fled across the northern
border.
Gave Him A Job
This, briefly, was the background
of Lerich service to the Negro, as in
lerited by Wig Lerich as he pulled up
stakes and left his shanty-the last tfe
binding him to his old homestead.
Somehow, Zoe Louis heard of the in
cident. His farm manager was in
structed to offer Wig Lerich and his
wife, Pear, housing in one of the ten
ant dwellings on his farm. The Le-
riches were likewise offered employ
ment. In addition to actual cash and
shelter, fuel was supplied
So they left their shack, tar-paper
covered affair about Is feet square.
No road led to the shelter-only a
beaten path along the lonely Clinton
River.
100 -Year-Old House
Today Lerich pointed proudly to his
new home. Warm, attractively furn-
ished and spotlessly clean was the
dwelling.
"Joe Louis" Lerich said, "has made
it possible for me to live on the land
which l consider my home"
He eyed the 100-year-old farm house
built by his grandfather which is. but
a stones throw from the tenant house.
This farmhouse, which Louis is now
remodeling, was the birthplace of Wig
Lerich.
Fed Travellers
Lerich recalled tales of his grand
mother, how she and her husband
threw open their home to fleeing
slaves.
II can remember myself" Lerich
said, "the large groups of Negroes who
came here after the war. / heard they
we're on their way to Canada to join
their relatives.
Grandmother used to bake hot
cakes and cookies by the barrel so the
travellers might have food on their
journey.
Grandfather supplied food and
shelter for the horses of the travellers
IN that very barn."
Lerich motioned to the barn which
today shelters the prize saddle horses
Of Joe Louis.
eyes, sir" Lerich unused trudging
through the snow in the apple orchard.
1T certainly seems like old times
here"
DON'T pREACH SAFETY To