St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-12-19

| SSSSA'cS AOE contributing 10
the common life.
Moreover, since the quota sys.
tenn is never applied to all groups
in the Nations population, but only
to certain ones, we are forced to
conclude that the arguments ad,
vanced to justify it are nothing
more than rationalizations to cover
either convenience or the DISPOSE.
ton to discriminate. The quota
system cannot be justified on any
grounds compatible with demo
cratic principles.
Consequences Of Inequalities Of
Opportunity
These various barriers to edu-
catonal opportunity involve grave
consequences both for the indi.
vidual and for society.
Prom the viewpoint Of the indi.
vidual they are denying to millions
Of young people that the demo-
cratic creed assumes TO be their
birth-right: an equal chance with
all others to make the most Of
their native abilities. From the
viewpoint of society the barriers
mean that far too few Of our young
people are getting enough prepare
ton for assuming the personal, So
ciAl, and civic responsibilities Of
adults living in a democratic So
ciety.
at is especially serious that not
more Of our most talented young
people continue their schooling be-
yond high school in this day when
the complexity of life and of our
social problems means that we need
desperately every bit of trained in
telligence we can assemble. The
present state Of affairs is resulting
in far too great a loss Of talent
our most precious natural resource
in a democracy.
an a country as vast as the
United States, with all its regional
course, is the disadvantages suf-
fered by our Negro citizens. The
low educational attainments of Ne
gro adults reflect the cumulative
effects of a long period of unequal
opportunity. In 1910 the schooling
Of the Negro was significantly be-
low that Of whites at every level
from the first grade through col
lege.
"At the college level, the differ
ence is marked; II per cent of the
white population 20 years of age
and over had completed at least
l year Of college and almost 5 per
cent had finished 4 years; whereas
for the non-whites lover 95 per
cent Of whom are Negroes) only a
little more than 8 per cent had
completed at least l year of college
and less than IN per cent had
a full course.
"Gains have been made. Note
worthy advances have been made
toward eliminating the racial in
equalities which in large measure
are responsible for this low level
If educational achievement by the
Negroes. Between 1900 and 1910
he percentage of Negroes to 20
Years of age attending school rose
rom 80 per cent to 64.4 per cent.
And the percentage of Negro youth
Is to 20 years old attending school
increased from IT'S in 1900 to 1913 |
n 1910.
Statistics on enrolment Of COL
,red students in schools which ac-
ept both white and colored students |
we're not available, but data on resi-
lent enrolment from the United
states Office of Education on
Schools which accept only colored
tudents, mostly in the South,
bowed that their enrolment had
early tripled from 1850 in 1882
o &c. 500 in 1947, while institutions
or white students or which are
Insegregated only about doubled
heirs from 1,132,237 in 1882 to
,29O, 800 in 1947.
Finding that inequalities remain,
he report states:
But the numbers enrolled in
chool do not tell the whole story.
iarked as has been the progress
I Negro education in recent years,
cannot obscure the very great
which still persist in
EDUCATIONAL opportunities afforded
he Negro and the nOn-Negro.
an II states and the District Of
segregation Of the Ne
roes in education is established by
Nv. In the Gaines decision, the
I. S. Supreme Court ruled that "if
State furnishes higher education
} white residents, it is bound to
lrnish within the State) substan-
ally equal advantages to Negro
.udents."
although segregation may not
gally mean discrimination as TO
lie differences in cultural patterns
nd economic resources. absolute
luality of educational opportunity
erhaps may not be reasonably ex-
ected. But today the differences
lat do exist are so great as to ,
,mpel immediate action"
The report declares that 1.-THE
me has come to make public edu-
Ition at all levels equally acces- :
bic to all, without regard TO race, .
eed, sex OF national origin.
"If education is TO make the at
inment Of a more perfect de-
ocracy one of its major goals, it