Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-04-06

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and farmers in community liv-
ing and action.
FBI Agents Under Fire
The school has been accepting
Negro students for several years
despite Tennessee laws against at
tendance Of Negroes and whites.
All students are adults and no
complaint has been lodged until
recently when the FIJI repeatedly
went into the town and quizzed
residents about Negro students
at the school. Such questioning.
Mr.. Horton said, tended TO create
suspicion that the loyalty Of the
institution was under suspicion or
that It was Communistic or i'm
moral.
Mr.. Horton protested to the u.
s. Encouragement about FIJI
methods which he felt were I'M
fair to the school. Correspondence
with the Attorney General and
the FBI was aired in the st.
Louis Post Dispatch.
Later citizens OF MOnteagle
rallied in behalf Of the school at
a meeting Of so persons.
According to the st. Louis Post
Dispatch, when Horton found that
people of the neighborhOod were
disturbed by the agents in
uuiries, he sent a letter to each
family inviting them to come TO
a meeting so they could be in
formed Of what was going on.
The letter expressed the hope that
the school would continue to have
their confidence.
Harnased Schools NeagrbOrs
What strategy prompted the
FBI agents." Horton wrote. ito
watch the school by night, to
harass neighbors with questions
linking Negroes with Communism
Is not clear. II has long been
matter Of public record that they
could catch us red handed prac-
ticing racial democracy by a visit
TO the school"
II " clear, though, he wrote.
what the results had been. A
community that had for 10 years
accepted the presence of Negroes
ut Highlander without a protest
had been instigated to question
because they had been led by the
agents questions to infer that at
tendance Of Negroes meant the
presence Of Communism. Years
of community education, he de-
cIared, were being undermined by
an appeal to race prejudice.
we cannot treat democracy"
ne wrote, like a hot potato that
can't be handled until 1t cools off
To US, democracy Is an alive con-
cept that must grow or die, and IT
can't be a little dead either"
NeIRhbors Out In Force
The letter brought the schools
neighbors in force TO the meeting.
Horton told the people that the
meeting had been called to clear
up possible misunderstanding
about the program Of the school
I'VE want to know" he said,
IF there Is anything wrong with
running a nursery school, taking
people TO the hospital. helping
with the community hot lunch
program, or with educating union
people to demand their rights.
We believe that the rights guar
anteed by the Constitution should
apply TO people Of all races and
religions. We believe in and prac-
tee democracy and brotherhood.
We have people Of all races come
TO the school, Negroes, whites,
Mexicans. and people from Europe
and Asia And we appreciate the
fine way In which you have helped
make them welcome In our COM
munity."
He also told them about ex.
periments with year-round pas
ture for cattle In an effort 70
demonstrate what can be done on
the mountain In the way Of farm
ing.
IF this kind OF program" he
said. and supporting the iva
and similar organizations h sub
versive, then Highlander II sub
versive. but we are not secret
about Il. We are proud Of what
We are doing and want everybody
10 know about r."
The red charges. Horton said
n4o Deeu uuTtLul anu hoa resa1N1u
In the loss Of contributions. II had
been necessary to close the nur.
Sery school He appealed 70 the
neighbors 10 help stop these ru-
mors by refusing 70 Be . party "a
the spreading Of them
FBI C1afusod
May Justus Of Tracy city. Ten
nessee. one Of the sponsors Of the
school. wrote 10 Horton:
WHEN racial democracy can b
confused with Communism IN the
minds Of the FBI agents, ther,
n cause for alarm. u seems d