Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-11-14

N1N3
1ENEvIE sTEEFEL
I don't like people who loot their
own harnu,"
When We agreed 20 limit the Arti.
Gle 10 some Of the things MTa, Stse.
fsl has learned about intsrraciAl
problems from other people," she
agreed
make Il clear" she insisted,
that no one should say he works
for the Negroes or for other mi.
noFitiVa. For me 10 say that ! do
would be not only prpaumptuous.
but unwiss.
- kAVeH't the phyHlcal. In.
tslleetaal or spiritual expert.
fence Of . Negro and neither
has any other white person.
We work with Negroes. And
We work against unconscious
patterns Of escape. IRdlHeE.
sRes and aggression In the ma.
ioFIty groUpa,
These patterns are tha sources
Of the problem. and they can't bs
met without getting 10 know the
hurt the other follow fesln."
Mrs, steafel nrat learned some.
thing about the way Negroes fesl
whsn she was seven years old. and
living In Cambridge, Mass, Her
father died. and she moved with
her family Into = nsighborhood
WHARF thsrs were . good many Ne.
EToea. She went 70 q public school
With Negro children.
"childrsM tend 20 eeaeeaI .
lSt less thaA thsiF paFsaln Do"
Mrs. Stsefsl said. Their hart
tends 20 cone 10 the surface
more often and more Vlalbly.
They dsa't have . sense u 70.
Cial dIHsEsRee--they'Fs Too
y0uRg--aRd they show 70
contemporary IN Inner blttsT,
discouraged feeling that their
paTsnts express 70 each other
IL home.
"Chlldrsn don't know II a. q race
problem. but they do know pain,
humiliation and fear when they see
H.
"A svsn-ysar.old tells another
seven ysaT.old about this hurt In
words just 90 clear and lucid 40
sunlight. You don't hays 10 60 70
q book 10 get that Kind Of knowl.
edge"
Later, when Mrs. Btssfsi worked
in Boston with the ChlldTsn's Ald
society, she saw SnOthsT aspect u
the problem. There she said, II
saw some of the sociological Inn
plIcAtions u what II costs 70 repair
some Of this stupid blindness.
- learned some u what Mr..
William BsabE0n u the Min.
RsaPells Urban League tssSkss
20 bsaBtIfully With his charts
end lectures. That is--ths VI
el0as siTels--thst when y0u
keep Q mah, skilled o. not. from
BslRE his high Ekill In employ.
meat, he and his entire family
IL hurt and the community too
IL deprived, because nsithsT he
nor his shlldFsa can make thsiT
fulIest contribution.
80 that ct 10. doing social work
10 work my way through college,
I learned arguments for fair en-
poignant practices just ~ At seven
! learned what II doss 10 people 70
have the cards stacked against
thSm.S
When Ghs came 10 Minneapolis.
Mrs. stssfsI said, she bseams aware
u The general problem 81 the Uni.
ysrHIty Whsrs her husband Il . pro-
fess0r Of history,
II saw the segregation Of Jew
iGh Stadsnts socially. and even from
the faculty and student leaders ]
heard th01Ghtisss anti. Semitic talk.
! am glad 20 say that there 10 far
lees Of that here now than there
vas 70 years ago.
"IasidsHtsIly. ny hsabsSd b
JswiaA--aot ia gsIIEIsa bot Sth'
Ieally and By tIsdItiea. We and
cur skIlASsn are very prOud u
that heritage We hays always
taught eur shiAFSn The value
u beth slAss u thsir JBdnlStie-
ChTistian InhsTitanea.
"AiOng With that has gone ths
burden for them and for ourselves
Of adjusting 10 the eommunity's
prsjBdIess and tendencies toward
segregation. We have all tried "a
feel that this has been another op-
poEtunIty 70 learn skilIs In dealing
with Tie probism." Mrs.. Stssfsl h