The Omaha guide., 1946-07-13
OUR
| GUEST
Column
Edited by Verna p. Harris
DIRECT ACTION
BY Layle Lane, former vice.
president American FEEDER
alton of Teachers, AFL


One is almost overwhelmed by
the present number of commit
ees, commissions and councils for
better human relations. If words
could solve our problems of mans
inhumanity to man, the amount
of literature put out by these
groups would make a Utopia of
the entire world. including Miss
issippi, USA.
But words unfortunately have
no meaning or social force unless
translated into action. A success
full action, therefore, in improving
human relations is worth far more
than 10000 words.
Local 762 of the American Fed
Grafton Of Teachers, Wilmington,
Delamare, sponsored an interra-
cial conference which will do far
o to bring about equality of
educational opportunity than all
of the better segregated schools
Mr.. Du Pont erects.
For years the Delaware State
Education Association has been
organized for white teachers only.
For years too the schools have
been closed during the two days
of the Associations annual meet
ing. The white teachers attend
the convention; the colored teach
ers visit other schools. Several
years ago Local 762 started a
movement to eliminate from the
constitution of the DSEA the word
white, but the movement met
with defeat at each annual meet
ing.
In 1915. however, Local 1872
started "a campaign of direct act
ion which, for initiative, planning
and results, has been tremendous.
Miss Levy of the local writes of
the activity as follows:
"And now Gust before the an
nual meeting Of DSEA) the Will
mington Federation of Teachers,
Local 762, decided to move more
1ecisively.A t a meeting of the
executive board, a resolution vas
drawn up denouncing the discri-
minatory clause in the constitu-
ton of the DSEA. One copy was
sent to the president of the Asso-
citation; another to the superin-
tendent of the Wilmington public
schools to inform him of our stand
a third went to the local press,
which gave it wide publicity. But
still we were fighting with mere
words. Action was needed; but
what kind of action?
THE answer was offered by the
) president of the board at another
meeting of the executive board.
EWhy not run an educational con-
ference Of w and invite ALL
teachers and interested citizens
to attend? We still have a week
before schools are closed for the
convention Why not? we agreed.
Within a few days Local 762
secured a school building for use
of its meeting, planned a program
secured outstanding speakers, ar
ranged for music, ordered a lun-
cheon. sent out 1000 invitations to
community organizations and in
dividuals, and secured the cooper
alton of the Wilmington Joint
Labor Committee on Education,
of the printers Union and of labor
officials in Wilmington, Philadel-
phia, Washington, New York and
Chicago.
The theme of the conference, to
Continue a part of Mss Levy's &C
count, was Education for a Free
SOCIETY,". DR.. Ernest Melby of New
York University spoke on A Free
SOCIETY," Through Education; DR..
Roma Cans of Columbia Univer-
sity discussed Curriculum Adjust
ments for a Free Society. Miss
Charlotte Carr of the New York
Citizens Committee or Children
talked on Child Labor. The Role
of the Government in Public Edu-
cation was explained by Rep.
Charles LaFollette of Indiana and
Mrs. Anna Arnold Hedgeman of
the National Council for a Perm
anent FEPC discussed The Teach
er's Responsibility for Participa-
ton in Government.
Sessions were held for two days.
For the first time in Delaware's
history, white and Negro teachers
supported by representatives from
a number of organizations IN the
community sat side by side at an
educational conference and later
ate lunch together.
Local 1925 action is not only an
inspiring example to all other com
missions on unity, i%nterracial har-
many and what have you; put
what is more important, its ach-
ievement is evidence Of the power
Of organized labor and Of the dy-
name force of positive direct act
ion.