Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-03-23
Highlander Folk
School Inquiry
Starts Dispute
(From st. Louis Post-Dispatch)

NEEOm Sts AsOuN NOSt-DhspatChl
Monteagle. Tenn. -- Friends Of
the Highlander Folk school at
Monteagle. Tenn, are protesting
against the disturbance of peace
full racial relations at the school
which has been caused by an FIJI
investigation into Negro attend
ancc.
Myles Horton, director of High
lander. said FBI agents have been
askikng neighbors about Negroes
attending or visiting Highlander.
with the Implication that the
schools policy of non-discrimina-
ton Is "Communistic and inn
moral"
While we do not know the
reason for the FBI investigation,
we do know the results" Horton
said, "A community that has &C
copied the presence of Negroes at
Highlander for the past 10 years
without a protest land longer
with protestsl is again question
ing the right Of Negroes TO come
TO the school, Years OF community
education are being undermined
by an appeal to race prejudice"
News Release Questioned
Horton said the FBI agents
wanted to know where people
sleep and what goes on after the
conferences are over"
He said that when he showed
an FBI agent a Highlander news
release advocating equal rights
for all minority groups, including
Negroes, the agent told him he
thought II would be considered
Communistic by a majority Of
Southern people"
Hugh II. Clegg, assistant direc-
tor OF the FBI. at Washington,
was asked by Horton whether this
was the position taken by the
FBI. Horton quoted Clegg's state
ment at the New York Herald
Tribune forum that the success
Of Communism could be measured
by the weaknesses OF democracy.
The FBI assistant director re-
piled;
1T has long been the establish
ed procedure of this bureau 10 re-
frain from commenting on the
statement Of aims and purposes
Of any organization, and therefore
we cannot comment on the poll
cies OF your school.
with regard TO the statement
that you attributed 10 a special
agent Of this bureau, this will ad-
wise that ] have checked with the
two special agents who contacted
you on Dec. 7. 1850. They emphat-
lcally deny that you showed them
the news release or that they
made any statements TO you re-
motely approaching your allega-
ton"
Council Discusses Issue
At a meeting Of the Highlander
Executive Council. Miss Lucy
Randolph Mason, CIo public re-
lations representative for the
south( suggested that henceforth
the FBI should be asked to put
all its questions 10 the school In
writing and that the director Of
the school should answer In writ
ing. IL Highlander legal counsel
advised that course.
Attorney Jordan Stokes III ad-
vised the school:
II see no reason why the FBI
should not BE- required TO put their
questions In writing. and frankly
! would insist on II for your pro-
lection and for the protection Of
the school"
Morton transmitted the schools
request TO Attorney General J.
Howard McGrath.
IF agents can deny what they
have said" Howard wrote the Al
torney General, they can likewise
report things they have not been
told. since they 90 in pairs, the
person Interviewed In at a dis
advantage"
10th Anniversary Celebration
A twentieth anniversary cele.
bration for Highlander school has
been authorized by the Executive
Council, and the 1851 program
includes four sessions for CIO or
ganiZations this spring.
One IL the CIO School for the
South. May 9 10 II.
A ons-week institute for the
ALL International Ladies Gar
ment Workers Union win start
July l and win be followed by q
Farmers Union School A work
camp. sponsored by the Unitarian
Service Committee. win run
through Aug 70.
John Hope III, Industrial rsla-
tons consuitAnt Of Fisk Univers-
ity. served - temporary chair