Evening star., 1949-06-15
Recreation Board Won't End Segregation
AT Fairgrounds Now, May Act in Future

lII " UIUIc
y. rne racial pattern hegxse-
fore existing u aaf rr<swAtsan
xysseEn Is . pAss q a much large
pattern which has psrTaaa@. II
much Of the urssica sss;rs .rs
genegaiacns under argal sxgs~
psalSiea iE eshes AreAs the szi-
tern continues dessatar legal It.
sirtciaoas 10 teas esaitaEr fts
roots are primarily emotional
rather than rational and erao-
items have Toe ofgen ee~a as b vAc.
lent and explosive nature ssstsg
rise 10 Iagse consequences
a To avoid a repetitton at
such consequences, tlse ealnlna.
tien oi Segregation must always
so hand IN hand with slss pro-
gsessise education Of the public
mind Wise and liberal Admin
lSiTation OF municipal facilities
can accelerate this process 10 =
certain extent. but not entsFwls
Public opinion. which can he led
or educated. but In America can.
not be eoerced. must moi De
ignored.
=. There can be little doubt
that public opinion In Washington
has changed materially in recent
years and that q substantial por-
ton Of our eitsxns do now inter
mingle and are anxious to abolish
every kind of racial Segregation
an extremely large
portion Of cur citizenry do not se-
cept this liberal view.
We must recognize that elements
are TO be found anong extremists
in both directions who are motor
iously seeking 70 exploit, racial
differences for the sole purpose
Of dirapting national unity.
Won't Respond 10 Pressure.
=. The board must not respond
TO pressure or criticism from ex.
regardless OF their socd
who will wish II TO move
more rapidly or less rapidly than II
should. The legal responsibility for
progressively tmplementing this
policy. destined 10 abolish segrega-
ton In public recreation. Is one
which the board did not seek but
must accept as a burden and as
part Of It's duty.
IS. The board foresees three
specific difiiculties 10 be overcome
First. the potentialities Of racial
friction vary In different parts Of
the city. and vary also according
TO the nature Of interraeial
gatherings. This fact must and
win be q major determinant In
efYec.uating the boards policies.
Second. II must be borne in
mind that the boards activities
consist. not simply Of making
available certain areas and ia
cili.ies. but also and most i'm.
portant Of organizing recreation
including competitive sports. fret
play. social. creative. and cultural
programs and the like. under thu
guidance OF its stAn. =f
IT is far more dttiicuit 10 con
duct such organized enterprises o.
an interracial basis than merel.
to make an area available 10 tn
public TO do whatever IL wishes
This vital fact IA often overiooket
In comparing the boards polio,
with the recently adopted inter
racial policy Of the Interior De.
partment on local park lands. Ir
this connection. II must be re.
membered that the Interior De.
partment has spent q number o.
years In the gradual process oi
eliminating segregation In The
park system.
Selection Of Personnel.
Third. supervisors and In
structors who viii conduct organ
lied inter-raeial recreation pro-
grams must necessarily be selected
regardless OF race. They must
know how to deal with both races
In such q way as TO eliminate fric-
ton. prevent any undesirable
incident and establish q repata-
tion for complete impartiality.
such personnel require careful
selection and training. Few OF
the boards persmnei-competeni
and carefully selected - they are
have had such training. since
they have hahituaily worked only
with members Of their own race.
An essential element In the
boards program must be the
training OF its personnel along
these lines. This win require time
and patience.
g. The interraciai playground
experiments with the American
Friends Service Committee viii be
conducted through the voluntary
assistance of an organization
which has had long experience
with the problems involved here.
1t provides an opportunity for the
training OF selected stat members
In the approach and techniuues
required for such work.
1T IL heartsnins 10 learn that
We have already received Offers
from sufncient qualified and ex-
perienced personnel nov IN the de-
partment who have expressed q
willingness 10 assist In this proJect.