The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-03-03

The New Boston Independent
School Distiic! applied So he Fed
srsl Works Agency - eatly 1914
for s66 500 20 construct and equip
a. elementary school Tor Ne
GROES The lanham ACi under
which the FWA operates provides
that The FUNDS must be cQuItably
administered where separate
schools are maintained
THE FWA previously had re-
fused - make grant for COY
siruc'Ion u an additional SCHOOL
building for whites they had
,uriclcn, - but IL did give them
5000 for additional facilities So
me New Boston Independent
School District justified this re-
CUES, for $50, 500 on the basis OF
NEGRO NEED
After pointing out the made
auacy Of present buildings and ia
eilities for Negroes, the school Of
fciAls told FWA: The FPHA is
now constructing a Z0O-fAmii!
dwelling unit project east Of and
almost adjacent TO New Boston
from which II Is anticipated that
there will come some lao students
Upon the construction Of this
project, the applicant plans to
leave the high school and the up
per elementary grades At the SHADY
Grove school. thereby utilizing all
existing space. This would leave
the new school. which IL adjacent
10 the housing project. for enroll
ees In the lower elementary grades.
and since the employment Of Ne
gro mothers in the Lone Star Ord
nance Plant Is quite possible. this
pIan seems TO be most advan-
tageous. The approval OF tins
project Is. therefore. recommended
In order that adequate educational
opportunities may be afforded NJ
GRO children whose parents are
employed In the direct war effort.
On the basis Of this justification,
the FWA turned loose 500 800 OF
YOUR money and mine, and the
school was built-for NEGROES.
NOW. however, with Bland
ford's decision to turn over the
project, originally programmed,
built and advertised for Negroes,
TO whites. the school which the
whites wanted but don't need, VIII
70 10 whites too. II was so planned
that il is part and parcel OF the
project. To reach IL, one must
pass through the project.
L. p. STURGEON. white super
Intendent OF schools in New Bos-
ton. was one OF the ringleaders in
cahoots with Congressman Wright
Paiman ID. Of Tex who brought
pressure on Blandford 10 make the
project change from Negroes to-
whites. Sturgeon wired Blandford
on Dec. q, 1914. as follows:
New Boston II in dire need al
200 housing units in Red River
Courts for white defense workers.
500 applications now on file for
white housing. No demand for Ne
gro housing. We would appreciate
your investigation Of housing needs
before committing to Negro hous-
ing"
STURGEON probably was right
IN saying no demands for Negro
housing Negroes in New Boston
dare not demand" anything. But
the Army and the War Manpower
Commission had certified TO the
NEED for Negro housing Other
wise. Blsndford never could have
programmed this war housing for
them.
BY giving in TO the pressure
brought by Patman and the school
superintendent. despite his clear
eut duty otherwise. Blandford is
guilty Of aiding and abetting the
fraud perpetrated by the New Bos-
ton Independent School District
upon the treasury OF the United
States
?. The second indictment OF
Blandford has TO do with his disrc-
gard Of the war production ehort
ne Is duty bound TO promote.
That's a serious charge, too. But
here again are the facts.
On January s. l9i5. Col Murchi-
son. commanding officer of the
Lone Star Ordnance Plant AZ New
Boston and Wa Department en-
ployment officer for Fast Texas.
told Joseph p. Tufts, MIA regional
manager in Texas that he certain
" would not say that il would be
advantageous 10 his plant or the
Red River Ordnance plant nearby
n change the project 70 white oc-
eupancy.
COL. MURCHISON pointed out
that the plants can get adequate
white labor but has considerable
difficulty getting common labor -
which is all the Negroes are hired
10 do
Negroes have 20 travel from s
10 20 miles To work every day be-
cause Of no housing facilities FOR
them in and around New Boston.
The turnover Of Negro labor has
been double that Of the whites
One Of the important jobs left to
Negroes Is loading and unloading
sreiehts, = hattleneck oi the pro-
duction lines.
Both Col Murchison and Col
Bodine. the commanding officer az
the Red River plant. expressed the
view that the denials Of these
houses TO Negroes at this time
would be serious blow To the
production urgency drive" which
has been aimed primarily at get
ting Negroes 10 stay on the job
BUT. Blsndiord has decided
with the urgency Of pressure from
Rep. Wright Patmsn on his neck
that the more important war job
IL 70 all up the 200-unit project
IMMEDIATELY hell with the
production Of war materials II
may take 8 months u fll UP he
project with Negro families He
believes IL can be filled with whites
in 50 days-he has the word ~
u c. Dunlap for that Dunlap Is
the same fellow who tried N keep
Negroes from getting = l24-pni'
project in Texsrkana = wear ago
:. The third Indictment hsS m
a. with Plandfords poor admins.
txA,srs judgement in MIA.