Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-12-19

Moreover, aimee the quota sys
tenn is never applied 10 all group,
in the Nations population, but only
to certain ones, we are forced r.
conclude that the arguments nd
Vanced TO justify Il are nothinS
more than rationali1ations TO eovel
either convenience or the disposi
ton to discriminate. The quotI
system cannot be justified on any
grounds compatible with demo,
cratic principles.
Consequence Of Inequalities Of
Opportunity
These various barriers 70 edu.
catiOnal 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 70 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 q democratic So
eisty.
1T Ia 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.
telligenee we can assemble. The
present state Of affairs Is resulting
in far too great q loss Of talent
our most precious natural resource
in a democracy.
"ln q country as vast as the
United States, with all its regional
course. Is the disadvantages suf-
fered by our Negro citizens. The
low educational attachments Of Ne
gro adults reflect the cumulative
effects Of n long period Of unequal
opportunity. In 1910 the schooling
Of the Negro was significantly he
low that Of whites at every level
from the first grade through col
lege. q
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
] year Of college and almost 8 per
rent had finished I years; whereas
FOR the non-whites Tower 9b per
cent Of whom are NsRroes) only Q
little more than 3 per cent had
at least I year Of college
md less than IN per cent had
q full course.
Gains have been made. Note
worthy advances have been made
oward eliminating the racial In.
qualities which in large measure
ire responsible for this low level
4 educational achievement by the
Negroes. Between 1900 and 1910
he percentage Of Negroes 8 n 20
ears Of age attending school rose
rom $40 per cent 10 GA per cent.
md the percentage Of Negro youth
s TO 20 years old attending school
from IT'S In 1900 TO 33B
d 1910.
Statistics on enrolment Of col
red students In schools which &C.
ept both white and eolorsd students
Tere not available, but data on resi-
ent enrolment from the United
tates Office Of Education on
chools which accept only eolored
tndents. mostly in the South,
bowed that their enrolment had
early tripIed from 1880 In 1882
, $500 In Ia47. while institutions
Or white students or which are
only about doubled
heirs from I.I32.23T In 1892 70
200 500 in i9l7.
Finding that Inequalities remain.
ie report states:
"But the numbers enrolled In
.hool do not tell the whole story.
Iarked - has been the progress
Negro education in recent years.
cannot obscure the very great
Herenees which still persist In
iueational opportunities afforded
u Negro and the non Negro.
an II states and the District Of
olumbia, segregation Of the Ne
-oss In education 10 established by
~. In the Gaines decision, the
d: s. Supreme Court ruled that IF
State furnishes higher education
white residents, Il 10 hound 20
Irnish within the statsI sebastian
lily equal advantages 10 Negro
Bdents."
Although segregation may not
rally mean Discrimination 90 10
. differences IN cultural patterns
d economic resources. absolute
uAlity Of educational opportunity
rhsps may not BE- reasonably en-
cted. But today the differences
nj do exist are 20 great ~ 10
rnpel immediate action"
The report declares that ~Ths
he has come 20 make pnhlic sdB-
lion al all levels eqpaIiy seess-
'Is To aII, uithout regard 10 rAcs.
- aew M national nrfgfn