The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1948-04-08
Higher Education And Segregation

Pcayune friends send US a letter commenting favorably on
several recent editorials we have carried on education for Negroes
together with a clipping from the Picayune Item published in tnat
city on Higher Education For Negroes"
The following interesting comment is from the Picayune
The Negroes in this country were freed from slavery by
the neck of the South.
Yes, the Negroes were freed, and it might have been
thought that they would Immediately move to those regions oc-
cupied by the people who brought it about, but we know now that
they were destined to remain in the South. The TACT that tne e
were already located in the South, of course, had a lot to 40 with
ii. The climate undoubtedly had its influence. But not the least OF
the reasons was the fact that the Negroes were better understood
by the Southern people and treated more sympathetlcany IN inc
South than elsewhere.
This third reason may seem out of line to some folks, but
it is unquestionably true. The South practced segregation and
in other ways differentiated between races, but it was open ana
aboveboard treatment; it was not the hypocrltlcal treatment u
That the North is hypocritical in it's attitude toward dis
elimination could be shown in many ways, but one simple ilustra-
of Michigan in general, where the white and coored go to school
together, there are no Negro teachers. This is even true in a school
Negroes who prepare themselves for the teaching profession can
not find jobs in the North. They must go South and teach in
Negro schools, where they are mlsfltted by training ana by oem-
permanent to do a good job.
As a matter of fact, of course, segregation is not discrimi-
of geese. It is best for both races. 1t should always be remembered
that whenever man starts to tamper with laws OF nature, ne usual
ly gets himself into trouble.
treated alike, that Negroes in the South must either be allowed
learning must be provided. Since the South does not propose to
give up segregation, and need not be asked to do so, this means
cine, engineering, law, etc, fer Negro students. This, of course, i'm
mediately raises the economic problem of how to finance them.
That is why reference was made to the yoke at the be-
ginning of this article. The war left the South impoverished, but
it also left the South with the necessity of providing a duel sys-
tenn of education. That the South has done so to the extent it has
is to the eternal credit of the generosity of the Southern people
and ample evidence of their sympathetic attitude toward the
Negro race.
The expense of providing institutions of higher learning
for Negroes. however, is simply beyond the financial ability of the
Southern states. This accounts for the current movement among
fifteen of these states to set up regional schools, toward the sup
port of which each of these states shall contribute, and to which
they can send their students who are qualified for entrance.
This seems to be by far the wisest and most sensible
solution thus far proposed. We might wonder, though, if the Sup
RENE Court some of these days will not "rar up on it's hind legs"
and say this also is unconstitutional, that a student cannot be
forced to cross the state line for his education. That would be an
anomalous situation, though, for the Supreme Court to pay any
attention to state lines!