Evening star., 1944-02-14
Letters to The Star
Our Dual School System
Discussed by Critic.
70 the Editor Of The Star:

true" Similarly your editorials impress
me as being the result of honest con-
victions and intentions which are both
constructive and good. On few occa-
sions, however, it appears to me that
your honest convictions and good inten-
t1ons are misplaced. A case in point Is
your recent editorial on "Our Dual
School System" (Friday, February A..
You question the wisdom of "a Negro
resident Of the Brookland area" for
seeking to enroll his child in the school
which Is most readily available to his
home because it is white school. In
support Of your point Of view, you give
several reasons, among them Cd the
fact that our School Board has "at-
tempted to fill the need for a new Ne
gro school building in this particular
community; CD your statement to the
effect that adequate schools exist, easily
available to the Negro residents Of this
area; CD your doubt that "Washington's
Negro citizens will look with favor upon
an attempt to challenge" our dual school
system. and "a your opinion that the
timing OF the complainants action is
ill-advised.
Like you, am not particularly con-
cerned at this writing with the legal
merits OF the complainant's claims, but
l am concerned with your allegations as
listed above because in my opinion, they
are not entirely accurate and because
they strike at the very foundations of
our Nation and at the peace in which
our Nation is to share in the years to
come.
have resided in Brookland for six
ana one-haif years, and during four and
one-half of these years I have been
obliged to take my children to school
long distance from my home. What
ever the efforts of our School Board NAV
have been, have not found to date a
school easily available" to Negroes of
the Brookland area, if by this term you
mean school within walking distance
Tor children below 10 years of age. I am
inclined to doubt that you have sufficient
reason to infer or to believe that WASH
ington's Negro citizens look with favor
upon the present dual school system.
except as means Of getting something
I'm this instance jobs out of the dual
standard Of citizenship which the Con-
gress OF the United States allows to be
imposed upon Negro citizens in the Dis
trict of Columbia
The dual school system which YOU
uphold has a much wider harmful sig
nlhcance than that which we may give
to it locally. Consider it, If you will,
In relation to the answers to the fol-
lowing questions:
l. Is it not true that democracy is
considered to be the best form of gov
eminent which man has evolved, not
merely because 1t is government of, by
and for the people, but because it Is
the form OF government which is most
likely to guarantee to its citizens the
widest range of freedom with equal
rights, privileges and responsibilities
Tor all, before the law and in public in
stitutions and Offices?
2. Is 1t not true that in true de-
mocracy there cannot be varying levels
of citizenship?
s. Is 1t not true that in a large mea-
sure the original Colonies were founded
on this continent and the War of Inde-
pendence was fought as revolt against
varying levels of citizenship based upon
birth and priyilegea *. -, =.
4. Is 1t not true that the founders Of
this Nation gave expression to their
Ideals about democracy in the docu-
ments which are the foundation of our
Government without defining in them
varying levels of citizenship?
.. Is 1t not true that, since the love
OF and appreciation for democracy are
not instructive, if democracy is to sur
vlve 1t has to depend upon the educa-
ton OF succeeding generations Of its
cltlzens In the principles OF democratic
government?
6. Is it not true that the most i'm
presslonable years of a persons life arc
the years Of childhood and that, there
lore, these are the very years when
the principles of democratic govern
ment should be taught to all?
7. Is 1t not true that the dual school
system with which we are encountered
In the District of Columbia is but one
expression of dual level Of citizenship
based upon race prejudice?
q. Is 1t not true that race prejudices
are not Unborn, but are transmitted by
precept and example?
8. Is 1t not true that when children
VINO are still enjoying the democracy
OF youth" inquire as to the reasons for
a dual school system, the only answers
possible are on the basis of the concert
OF racial superiority or infer1ority?
10. Is it possible for a people ever to
attain true democracy as long as thew
cling to dual system Of education based
upon dual standards or levels of citi.
zenship?
II. Is it not true that a people who
leno themselves through their govern
ment to determinations on racial and
other grounds in dealing with domestic
issues, are likely to allow these dis
examinations to carry over into their
dealings with other nations and ma
tionals?
IL. what value can non-white peoples
tne world over place upon our protesta-
lions OF democracy and love of freedom.
as long as we maintain dual level Of
citizenship based upon the concept Of
racial superiority?
Is. Is 1t not true that the preiudices
and determinations of which we are
guilty as Nation have already paid
dividends to the enemy?
"a. Is 1t not true that these same
preJudices and Determinations. per-
petuated. in part, through our dual
school system, may serve to undermine
the very peace for which we profess
to be fighting?
American Negroes are not the on1v
ones who realize the far-reachinp i'm.
pilcat1ons which American race preir.
olces nave both in the war and in the
peace to come. A recent issue of Time
(February 7, p. 16) summarizes the
results OF scholarly study of this
problem by Gunnar Myrdal, a Svede.
Whom Hitler would certainly call Nor
dlc and Aryan. can do no better than
10 close with quotation from this
article: When in this crucial time the
international leadership passes to