Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1947-04-19
ON THE LOCATION OF THE NEGRO
VOCATIONAL COLLEGE

One of the most trogIc happenings respecting tne
equalization of educational opportunities in Mississippi
where under the state constitution existing state laws
and supported by the recent decision OF the United States
Supreme Court the educational opportunities TOR white
and coIored citizens while separate, must be equo was
the action lost week of citizens OF Carroll County IN pro-
testing against the Location of Negro Vocational College
at the Greenwood Army Air Bose. The provisions and
appropriations for the establishment of the college, which
will be the first and only such institution in the stoe oI
Negroes having been made by the last regular session OF
the state legislature
Stripped of the emotions which appear so evident in
this cotton the objections stated in the protest the
light of the experience of cher communities in the state
where Negro colleges looted appear wholly without
foundation.
Referring to the objection thot the proposed location
would create police problem in Carroll County we have
The example here Jackson where students from Jackson
College, CompbeII College and TougoIoo College spend
most of their time off the compus, but who through the
years have contributed almost nothing to the rate of crime
committed by Negroes and to the resulting problem OF
low enforcement in the city.
The some is true of the students of the colleges at
Holly Springs OkoIono Pney Woods, Prentiss, Utco Not
chez and Alcorn
There is no evidence of criminal tendencies and dis
respect for law and order the part of Negro college STU
dents.
On the objection that the proposed Location would add
additional numbers of educobIe children to the schools of
Carroll County there no evidence in support of the i'm
picoton that the foiIes of Neqroe college professors
are unusually prolific the number of educobe children
found omonq the staff of the colleges would be absorbed
unnotced by the existing facilities for school
education in Greenwood.
Assuming that the of the entire 33 acres COM
psnq the Greenwood Army Air Base for the college wouI
remove the property from the roll Of the county, this
loss in tax to the county would result in far
greater saving to the through acquiring the property
and it's oreody existing buildings and other facilities at
minimum of cost from the Federal Government
Without going through the other objections raised,
which equally susceptible we come to the last and
reeettobe in which is stated that the location of
betwee. the white and coored Seeing that it so
the college as proposed would Increase good feeling
widely held that education alone and only lead to bet
Ter interocio understanding and goodwill, bewIderment
and Illustration among the Negro citizens Of the state will
be increased and heightened by this threot Of feo and
intimidation regarding the matter of locating nstitu-
ton for Negro education.
EorIy this week the protest had evoked further
octon or comment from the State Boord for Institutions
of Higher Learning.
The great tragedy in the octon Of the Carroll Coun
y citizens lies in the foct that it at time when
there existed growing universally Of opinion and confid
ence omong the Negro citizens that all intelligent white
people in Mississippi favorable to the need of mprov
ent of educational opportunities for Negro citizens Of
the state in all oreos and that steps would be taken i'm
medotey and from time to time to ommend the vast in
equoitie existing between Negro and white education
with the approval everywhere of intelligent citizens
throughout the state