davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
BY LIBBY BENEDICT
(asPrirtsd frsm the Saturday Review of
Liisraturs)

WHENEVER someone with prejudices speaks
w up against group, attacking Jews Ital-
ians, or Negroes, there is usually someone else
who comes up with classic line of defense
Look at Einstein!" Look at Carver" Look
at Toscanin!" "Of course Jews Tor Italians or
Negroes) must be all right"
They mean well, these defenders. But their
approach is wrong Their approach is even bad
What minority group wants is not the right
to have geniuses among them but the right 10
have fools and scoundrels-without being con-
demned as group. Every group has about the
same proportion Of wrengdeers. But when
wrongdoers belong to minority their number
Is magniied in the minds of other people Each
individual wrongdoer is multiplied by the num-
Der of his whole group Minori,ies would gladly
give up the reflected glory of their great men,
If only the world didn't burden them with the
ignominy Of their scoundrels Both types belong
20 mankind as whole, and mankind as whole
may share the sorrow as we'll as the honor
Moreover, the presence of great men who rep
resent minority group does not prove that per-
feet equality prevails. Great men will out, over
and above the handicap of discrimination. even
Of oppression Such hsndicaps are just another
hurdle, and geniuses become accustomed
to high hurdles. The average member of mi
nority, with only moderate talents. may not do
10 well under unfair conditions as the genius.
He may have TO give up his ambition to be
doctor because he can't get into a medical
school which keeps out-except for a few ex-
ceptions-students of certain religious origins
Or he may find scientific laboratories closed TO
him II his color is not right But if his ambition
Is all-consuming il he knows beyond all argu-
ment that his destiny lies in certain direction
then It is likely that he will find his way in that
direction. Unbreakabe resolution is one of the
characteristics OF genius.
That dossn't make the lot Of the man OF av.
srsgs talents any better And when the man
OF average talents Is . member OF q minority
he 10 doubly unfortunate. He doesn't benefit
In any practical way from the gsniusss who
happen 10 be his brothers. in. blood. Yet, at
the same time. he is harmed by those of his
brothsrs-in blood who happen to be seoun.
drsls.
What minorities need therefore is the right
TO have natural number of low-down rotters
among them. The law Of averages allows anv
group certain percentage Of anti-socal char
aeters. Heritage and environment are strong
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20

seems clear abridSenent az I've
privileges o. citizens Of the United
States
Constitution Violated
One Of the greatest privileges.
and a fundamental one. Of every
citizen Of the United States is the
right To vote II he is deprived
Of this right. he is denied the right
To participate in governmental AZ
fairs.
Such citizen becomes an out
cast. He is subject 10 all the laws
Of the state His citizenship is adj
mitted and the burdens which rest
upon him are the same as rest
upon ell other citizens He can be
drafted into the army and be COM
PEELED to face the foe and give up
his life Ia protect the lives Of his
fellow citizens. Yet he is deprived
Of the most sacred privilege Of all
the right Ia vote.
1T is quite evident that all these
poll-tsx laws are in direct viola
ton OF section ] Of the fourteenth
amendment to the constitution as
we'll as being in violation Of other
constitutional and Federal laws"
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
The New York School Strike

strong trend has been toward the
general course.
Unfortunately the industrial arts
classes tend 10 be too superficial
to interest boys whs respect q
teachers know-how. Industrial
arts teachers are not licensed to
teach special subjects. and the boys
at Benjamin Franklin have yet to
be offered teacher in machine
shop work or aviation with a real
knowledge Of this subject.
This year. happily. the services
OF professional photographer and
a herticulturist have been secured,
but the later lacks material and
equipment
While the intercultural program
at Benjamin Franklin could be i'm
proved. il has positive value" in
the epinien Of Miss Layle Lane,
Negro teacher Of social studies.
Several other teachers we're less
sanguine. The program" one said,
may have sublimated tensions in
the classroom. but prejudices is
nurtured in many Italo-American
homes"
This teacher teld OF a hurried
call he had made the day before
TO the home Of boy, TO verify q
parents signature on an excuse.
II was better than average. we'll
kept home. but the mother dis
played the type of prejudice which
Is based on Ignorance and fear.
After asking whether her son
would from now on be safe at
school. she said. in front Of her
son, that she had great fear OF
the people from Harlem. Her son,
the teacher told me. is one OF the
most aggressive boys in the school.
Negro bsys Were Fearful
With such a feeling as this in the
neighborhood. Or Ccvello and
the teachers saw did not blame
the Negro boys for coming armed
on that Friday morning While the
flare-up was sporadic occur
renee. II Is true that Lexington
avenue has been considered for
years the dividing line between
white and Negro territory. The
1talo-Americans In the east OF the
line have resented the invasion"
as they look upon IL. Of the Negro
hish-sehool students from Harlem.
DR. Cevelle regretted that Ben
jamin franklin has not really been
made into community school
SzHr the parents in any NUMBER
have not come 10 the Parent
Teachers meetings and other
school activities. The Negro par
ents for the most part live too far
away and the white parents who
come are generally the parents Of
the good boys The Italo-Ameri-
can PARENTS who have never Gained
concept Of any larger loyalty
than the family have still 10 Be
educated in American values. They
have still 10 De convinced they
have no reason 10 fear their Eel.
low citizens, the Negroes
No public school can be expect
ed 10 do a difficult job OF conn
munity education sinsis-hsndsd.
Yet Benjamin Franklin could DO
more IL its school program were
adequate 10 the needs OF the stu
dents and " II had q larger staff Of
well selected teachers capable OF
WORKING with the boys snd their
fanillss On a. inAiyiAnal saSAA
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20

one kind or another The police
were notified and appeared just as
the Negro boys broke ranks 10
chase a white boy Five a. the
Negro boys were arrested and two
who were over is were held for
court hearing
Following these incidents Or.
Covel,o and other teachers talked
with both the white and Negro
BOYS involved and gained from
them al least verbal ADM Ssion
that they were sorry for the bad
name they have given their school
! That there are still strained rels.
tons IN some quarters may be as
sUned from the remark one white
boy made 10 a teacher that 1t
might clear the air II white and
Negro boy fousht II out
Last week the student body as
whole seemed quiet and ashamed
The seventy-sor-e elected mem
bers az the student organization.
white and Negro bows. who met on
Wednesday. listened 10 srceches
by their leadSr that could not
have been more liberal i0 Charac-
ter. But the purpose ~ me meet
ing seemed bit blurred
Parade Proposed
\ Negro bow CrCCNSei a eres0'u-
iion that all the bows - 80 school.
Ia demonstrate thc,~ unity ~ TIE
entire city. march e. ~'asse ~ ne
ciiy's Columbus Dav parade This
| project. the idea ~ which had
emanated gathered. from Dr.
Covello. was endorsed
The emphasis or getting good
! publicity for the sChCo, seemed 20
me Understandable bat - have
relatively little therapeutic value
under the circumstances \ Sec-
ond proposal for school parade
in the mel shborhood. VHlcr the
principsl hopes 10 sec carried out,
seemed ~ more fundamental, value
The views expressed a. the stu
deH,S' weetiag were proof hat
intellectursl teaching ~ the Eng
lish and social studies classes,
stresSins the contributions wade
! by every minority group ~ this
country. Rad borne good fruit At
least smong the cream 81 the
schools students
Al the same time the question
NAV be raised whether inter-cul-
tural values NAV be taught sue
cessfully on an intellectual level
to large classes Of bows who are
not book or idea minded.
10 means lot more emotion
/ ally 10 boy wise teacher ~
an academic subject said 20 me.
TO have another boy " 70 mat
ter what colored skin put his
arm around him audwsaN That
was swell play YOU ND on the
team than 10 participate in a dis
. cuSSlon about race equality
Mr. SpieGel, the basketball coach,
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
PIun A 250-Bed>
Hospital For NY.

NEW YORK-"These doors are
ever open TO the afflicted Of all
classes without distinction Of creed,
country or color" will be the motto
carved in stone over the main en-
trance OF the new HISTORY. 250-bcd
addition 10 ST Vincents hospital
soon 10 be constructed in Manhat-
tsn's lower west side dock and
market district.
The new addition. 10 cost $780,
100000 when completed has been
projected as a memorial To the
late Alfred f. Smith. prominent
Catholic layman and outstanding
humanitarian, for many years gov
ernor OF New York State.
The dedication plaque when in
stalled in a hall OF memory of the
entrance lobby. will read: "Dcdi-
Gated to the memory Of Alfred y.
Smith by Americans Of all races,
eolors, and creedS"
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
Freedom Houses Guiding Spirit


marked TO his friends, Herbert
Bayard Swope and Frank Kingdom,
that Americans were beginning TO
get worried about what was going
on in Europe and that nobody was
doing anything about H.
The men decided there should be
a committee. A luncheon meeting
was called at Town Hall and, with
the active participation OF Clark
NJ. Eichelberger. director OF the
League OF Nations Association. The
National Committee 10 Defend
America BY Aiding the Allies was
formed. with William A. White as
president Field was secretary and
director of the New York Commit
tee, working II hours day for
months.
George Field. whose accent In
English has been identified various
ly as Boston. North Carolina and
several other American states. was
born In New York City in Decem.
Der. 1904. and never lived any
where else FOR any sppreciable
time. His father. born in Austria.
worked as an operator in the dress
industry When he was rs. George
left the High School OF Commerce
and took a job at the reception
desk OF an insurance company. al
which he spent most OF his time
doing homework for his courses
al Harlem Evening high school.
Enters Advertising Field
And OPENS Own ASencv
Then wholly on account OF
his teacher. he says. and against his
nature, Cor il is unnatural for him
TO do anything so exact-he won
the New York City high school
shorthand championship. The in
ventor of the system. he used tried
TO make a professional champ out
OF him. but that didn't work out
and Field took a shorthand Job in
an export house.
After four years In a "drapery
and silk" house. he landed In q
big advertising company and
the course OF his life changed
abruptly His boss. having seen .
piece ne wrote in his new job.
made copywriter out Of him.
BY the time the depression hit
the country he was blithelv run
ming his own agency. In 1892, not
being able 10 stick II out any
Ion ger. he accepted the position OF
proTra director for Station
WEVD. He still serves in that ca
pacity, concentrating on the sta
tons educational programs.
WEEDS Interpretive Dancer
And Moves TO Larchmont
In 1928. Field married Molly
Mass, an interpretive dancer. They
live in Larchmont and have two
children. Paul IS. and Ellen. II.
Before the war Field used TO play
lot OF tennis. but he has to leave
all that to Paul now.
II like active things. not passive
things" said Field. That's why
I don't like statues Of great men:
they lose their significance. think
OF this building as a living thing.
II represents action. In a sense.
II carries on where Willkie left
on
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
HORSES, HORSES, HORSES

4 psychiatrist was treating a pa
tient who had had the delusion
he was a horse. The doctor consid-
cred the case to be coming along
OK and was hoping for a COM
plete cure. At last the day arrived
when he felt he could release the
patient.
Yes sir" said the patient. Il feel
perfect. As matter of fact have
never felt better in my life-I ex-
pect TO have a swell season at
Santa Anita this year" - The Bea-
liner.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
ClINCHER

In Les Angeles, Mrs. william
I. Caldwell. ii, testified that her
husband had such a temper that
he had smashed several bottles Of
bourbon. Full bettles:" asked the
judge. Told that they were. the
judge unhesitatingly said: "Di-
vorCe granted" - Time.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
RELIGION

The Comeback Inn. Phoenix
Arizona, states in q brochure. eli
entele is rigidly restricted to 125
Gentiles. Priding itself on the
quality Of its patrons. the inns 100
per cent restricted policy has met
with wide approval from old
guests" The Nation.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20

cation.
Az a meeting last Tuesday SUI
perintendent OF Schools John E.
Wade and the Board % Superin-
tendents are reported 70 have dis
cuSsed the conflicts between Ne
groes and whites which took place
outside the school building az
Pleasant Avenue and ll6th street
September - and rs They agreed
that the New FORK schools should
put renewed emphasis on the in
tercultural program, and they con-
slider the accessibility Of releasing
more teachers 10 act as intercul-
tursl advisers
IN the main" Or Wade claimed
"eur children arc responding well
10 our Institutional program in
living according 10 the American
way"
NV talks with teachers at Rem
jamin franklin and observation
OF the students themselves con-
WINGED me that the intercultural
program at the school has made
somewhat more progress In the
last eleven years than the first
sensational news stories would
have indicated. Bnt II was also
evident from the teachers frank
disclosures that underestimate
tension does exist. II is largely
aScribable. they believe. to strong
anti-Segro prejudice felt In this
ltalo- American community. a
prejudice which the principal.
Dr. Leonard Covello, has not
been able to break down. fer all
his valiant struggle 10 build n
community school"
Trouble Started In Gym
Thc incident which set off the
disturbance on Thursday. Sept. 81.
was IN Itself not unusual. the
basketball coach. William Spiegel.
who has been in the school since
1894. told ne a few white boys
who were rrsc'icing with = basket
ball threw i off the court and one
Of q small croup Of Negro BOYS on
the other side Of the gym picked
1t 10 and. instead 81 returning IL
- The players. threw il in another
direction. The coach explained
that boys often act this way out
Of devi,try. but this particular in
cidert started a fight. which he
promptly stopped. Still riled. the
white boys and small group oi
their friends secretly laid plans 10
get" the Negro boys outside the
building after school was dis
missed Hsnsers-on in the neigh
borhond Joined the FRAY. but IL vas
broken up by the principal
BY this time the alarm had
spread among the Negro high
school students The next morning.
Friday. some seventy Negro boys.
instead of coming nv bus from
Harlem marched ~ the school in
formation, some bearing arms OF
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20

made the same point Benjamin
Franklin. he said. badly needs
more organized athletics. At pres
ent il mas only basketball team.
This team. which one year had
four Negro boys and one white
boy on it. has hung up one Of the
best records in the city. No more
than twenty-five boys play on the
senior or junior varsity as regu-
lars or substitutes. II the school
had football. soccer. baseball and
track teams. many more boys.
Negro and white. could be drawn
into the athletics program.
The school has two regular
health education teachers and two
substitute teachers. Down 10 now
the two regular teachers have
worked overtime after school
hours, without remuneration,
coaching.
Boys Of different eolsred
skins will learn to like each
other" the basketball coach
reasoned. III they meet On q COM
men ground" BENJAMIN Frank
lin has its orchestra. band and
Elee club and SEINE dramatics,
hut II could have far more after
scheel clubs than Il has.
Teachers are needed 10 lead such
clubs At Benjamin Franklin. as
IN other schools in tension areas,
the teachers carry heavy class
~
had more than 40 students and 50
classes had more than IS. This year
the classes will average tive or
three more students each.
More Teachers Needed
Y would seem a4iomstic that
the board II Education il il is sim
cere in its desire To promote an
intercultural program. should as
sign higher ratio Of teachers TO
schools in tension areas. So far
this has not been done.
I; would seem sxiomstic, too.
that there should be assigned 10
such schools teachers especially
gi'ted and eager to work in an in
'ercultursl program. Two Of the
teachers who have been in the
school a long time and who are
genurely interested in the BOYS
told me that teachers are some
times sent 10 Benjsm.a Franklin
as punishment" OF the A.
teachers. these two said they could
coun; on their fingers those who
are genuinely interested in the
bows
An occasional younger teacher
comes 10 Benjamin Franklin with
an eager interest but before long
feels frustrated. II he or she is sca-
demically minded The new teach
CT soon discovers there is no i'm
petus toward learning in most of
the homes and that a boy who be-
comes Interested in books is
Scorned by his gang The Negro
boys. several Of the teachers said,
are more eager TO learn than the
white.
General Course Favored
The high school now offers
both the eollege-prepsratory
course. for which regents exsmi-
nations are taken. and the general
course. which permits a boy 10 de-
vote one or two periods q day 10
shop work in the industrial arts
program. OF recent years the
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
(Reprinted From The n. Y. Herald)
BY DOROTHY DUNBAR BROMLEY

Any observer who spent full day at Benjamin Franklin
high school, did last "wednesday. would be convinced
that the city schools much advertised program of ntercu
ura education known the New York Plan needs strong
err and more sympathetic backing from the Board of Edu
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
Rally He Ran at Garden
Broke Attendance Records

But ne almost never makes
speeches. He's too busy running
the works For him. the Willkie
Memorial ceremonies will be SIM
pie work compared. for instance,
TO the National Committee 10 De-
fend America by Aiding the Allies
rally which he ran May 7. l94l.
al Madison Square Garden and
which broke the Gardens record
FOR attendance
In George Field. Freedom House
has an administrator who is that
rare combination. an idea man, a
follow-through or organizing man.
and a quiet man.
II guess I'm just an amateur pro-
moter OF good causes" is FIELDS
description, accompanied by grin.
o. himself
Field is credited not only with
promoting the Willkie Memorial
idea but OF thinking il up too
Housed in the building. besides
Freedom House. will be the Public
Education Assn. World Students
Service Fund. National Assn. for
the Advancement OF Colored Peo-
pie. Citizens Housing Committee OF
New York, Common Council for
American Unity. and the Anti-De-
famation League and Metropolitan
Council Of B'nsi Birth.
And therein lies the crux OF
deep-seated theory Of Fields.
IT'S always seemed to me that
organizations with the same ideals
are in a much better position to
be useful TO each other II they're
housed under one roof" he said.
We hope to be . ce-eYdinating
agency between the organizations
in the new building. You can see
how IL will work. Any one esming
in about housing. for instance. can't
help learning about the NAACP.
And SO on"
In a way. Freedom House itself
came into being through this theory
OF Fields. Early in 1910 he re-
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
Committee Majority Vote
FavOrs Anti-POll Tax Bill

WASHINGTON. D. C.-(NNPA)
Majority and minority views in
the report Of the senate judiciary
committee on the anti-poll tax bill
differ on the question Of censtitu-
tonality Of the proposed measure.
A majority Of the committee. ac-
eording to report filed last Fri
day, reached the conclusion that
the proposed legislation is consti-
tutionsl and should be enacted into
law.
The minority report holds that
the legislation is not constitutional
and urges that the proposed con-
stitutional amendment by Senator
Joseph c. O'Mshoney. Democrat, Of
Wyoming. be adopted and that the
whole vexstious problem be SUBJ
nnitted TO the states.
Senators Carl A. Hatch Of New
Mexico. O'Mshoney. Charles o.
Andrews Of Florida. Democrats.
and Chapman Revereomb. Repub-
loan. Of West Virginis, signed the
minority report.
Minority Report
In q SersTste memorandum, Sem
ator RevsrcoInb said he is opposed
90 the exaction Of poll tax or any
other tax ass prerequisite to vot-
ing, but he 10 opposed 10 the Mar
Santonio bill because he believes
II is unconstitutional.
IF the congress can by statute
deal with or wipe out . quslifica-
ton 10 vote" he said, 1T may i'm
pose qualifications upon voters by
statute. I think that q dangerous
course because, by enactment of
law through passage OF bill.
qualifications msy be changed,
taken away, or imposed from time
20 time At the whlm OF q majority"
The majority report, submitted
by Senator Pat MeCsrrsn, Demo-
crat, Of Nevada. said:
Majority Report
at is quite clear that the So
called poll-tax laws do abridge the
privileges and immunities OF
citizens Of the United States. II any
citizen OF the United States is de-
prived OF the privilege Of voting
by any Of these poll-tax laws. II
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
Reprinted From the ". Y. POST
Ry MARY BRAGGIOTTI

At high noon on Oct B, there
were solemn. significant. inspirs-
tonal doings on W. 40th street.
The occasion was the dedication
OF the Willkie Memorial building
Of Freedom House, 20 w. 40th
street. Just one year TO the day,
after Wilkes death.
The street was roped Off the
facade OF the nine-story building
will flutter with all the flags OF
the United Nations and the hour
was embellished by the speeches
Of the Hon. Sumner Welles. Helen
Hayes. Walter White and other
noted liberals.
Visible. too. on the center BAL
cony-but silent. from the audi
ence's point of view-was George
Field, executive secretary OF Free
dom House Field. a dark, wavy-
haired man with black-lashed blue
eyes and strong features. is a IA
millar figure on speakers plat
forms or behind the scenes at small.
medium or mammoth gatherings TO
-o,r,Atso oa,,cAe
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-20
General Course Favored

The high school now offers
b 9th the eollese-prepsrstory
course. for which regents exsmi-
nations are taken. and the general
course, which permits a boy 10 de-
vote one or two periods q day TO
shop work in the industrial arts
program. OF recent years the
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-07-06

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