St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1948-06-25

AoAiASI Aall III CiiAHlOyllCAlb III az
tees.
Liabilities: Four Negro police
men on a seventy force. No
Negro firemen. Little opportunity
for private employment other
than manual labor. Certain other
groups, including Jews, excluded
from some commercial and cleri-
cal jobs.
Housing
Assets: In state temporary
housing project for veterans allo-
cation is solely on basis of need.
Liabilities: Real estate prices
and rents in predominantly white
areas higher for Negroes. Real
estate operators have tacit agree
ment to bar certain races and
religions from better" neighbor-
hoods.
Recreation
Assets: Public recreation facil-
tiles open to all. Scout groups
mix in summer camps. One bowl
ing alley does not discriminate.
Liabilities: Private roller skat-
ing rink bars Negroes. Pattern
of segregation followed in some
bowling alleys. Y.M.C.A. has sep
arate branches for whites and
Negroes.
Education
Assets: In elementary, junior,
and senior high schools students
work and play together without
discrimination. Some school per-
sonnet participate in human rela-
tions studies at universities.
Liabilities: Schools have only
one regular full-time Negro
teacher, one full-time Negro sub
Stitute and six part-time Negro
substitutes among 257 classroom
teachers.
Public Facilities
Assets: Seven of eight restau-
rants surveyed served everybody.
Liabilities: One of the eight
restaurants refused to serve Ne
groes; four gave over-rapid serv-
ice and restaurant employees
showed annoyance.
Public Health
Assets: No apparent discrimina-
ton in unsupported public
health program or in clinics. All
hospitals employ Negro nurses.
Liabilities: Negro physicians
must turn patients over to white
doctors in the towns three hospi-
tails.
When the final report was de-
posted in the town library a
few weeks ago the beneficial eff
fects in Montclair already were
visible. The Audit, first of all.
had unusual results among the
participating members. Some
members originally in opposition
were converted to the idea of an
annual civil rights check-up. All
the Audit organizations received
applications from outsiders who
wanted to sign up in civic better
ment programs. No miracles were
accomplished overnight. One
prominent Negro in Montclair
candidly said: There is still dis
elimination in the better restau-
rants, and many of the hat and
dress shops will not serve pros
pective Negro customers"
Yet there were some changes.
Probably some were due to take
place anyway, which is fine. For
our part we're glad whether i'm
provement followed normally or
as a result of the survey" says
WI. SdIIlpdlBLe'
One Negro policeman has been
added to the staff and the head of
the Fire Department says that his
department does not discriminate.
Negro doctors have received
courtesy privileges at Mountain
side Hospital, the biggest in town.
A court judgment has been OBJ
tanned against the rollerskating
rink under the New Jersey Civil
Rights Law and action has been
taken by the town to suspend
the skating Kinks license. The
State commission against disCrim-
ination in Newark has been called
to the attention of employers and
employees Montclairs school COM
mittee on human relations has
initiated negotiations with New
York University and Rutgers for
a fifteen-week intergroup course
for teachers.
The hard task - making the
American ideal of equality work
on the community LEVELS still
ahead. Knowing that at best it is
slow process, the Montclair
groups nevertheless feel that they
have made a start by assembling
the facts. The total cash expendi-
ture for the Montclair Audit was
$27.35, all spent for meals in res
taurants while testing willingness
to serve Negroes. Around Mont
clair Center, in the heart of town,
they figure the Audit was a bar
gain at that price.
Editors Note: Minneapolis has Just
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