Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1958-05-03

Feltice N. Schwartz, and the Rev.
erend James H. Robinson studied
the results of two separate re-
search surveys made by Mrs.
Schwartz.
The first revealed that although
Negroes made up about ten per-
cent of the nations total popula-
ton, they accounted for less than
one percent of the interracial col
lege enrolment.
The second study indicated that
hundreds of colleges and universe
ties in the North would welcome
applications from qualified Ne
groes and offered millions of dol
lars in scholarship aid for deserv-
ing students for which Negroes
were equally eligible with all other
applicants. Shortly after the in
corporation of NSSFNS, the agen-
cy was placed under the direction
of Richard L. Plaut who has been
responsible for the conduct of it's
program from that time to the
present.
Starting slowly, NSSFNS began
seeking out Negro high school stu
dents of college caliber who could
not afford to continue their educa-
ton. With the cooperation of nom
segregated colleges and universe
ties (185 college presidents now
serve on the NSSFNS Advisory
Board of College Presidents), the
organization started matching able
students with available college ad-
mission opportunities and scholar
ships. Where necessary and pos
sible, NSSFNS made supplement-
airy awards. 81
Steadily the number of students
helped has grown until now about
1900 Negro candidates are given
counseling each year. Of these 600
to TOO start college annually with
financial and secured through
NSSFNS services. Whenever pos
sible, NSSFNS also awards sup
Elementary scholarships in am
cunts up to $4O0 a year drawn
from the agency's own funds. Since
it's inception, the organization has
secured approximately $1,600,000
for students from colleges and
other sources in scholarship grants,
including 100000 in supplement-
airy help.
But as time went on, NSSFNS
officials realized that their pro-
gram of helping exceptional Negro
high school seniors go on to col
lege was not solving the basic prob
lem of fully developing the huge
manpower potential to be found in
all the nations deprived groups.
A first step towards the earlier
Identification of potential college
students took the form of limited
preparatory school program that
through the years has resulted in
the enrolment of several hundred
students in 40 of the nations lead
ing Independent schools with
thousands of dollars worth of
scholarship aid, mostly from the
schools. Highlights of this pro-
gram have been the outstanding
college records Of these prepare
tory school graduates as well as
the placement of the first Negro
students in number of the schools.
The Scholarship Services i'm
pressive record and decade Of SER
vice will be reviewed, at its ami
versary dinner on April 20. Dean
Carman will express the feelings
of all who have had hand in
NSSFNS' growth when he says:
"Ten years ago NSSFNS was
conceived in the minds of a few
of US who felt that far too many
promising young Americans were
being deprived of the education to
which they were entitled. Now we
find ourselves at the forefront of
great national awakening. More
and more people have come to
realize that human resources are
the nations most precious posses
sion and that the NSSFNS goal of
developing the full human poten-
tial is needed not only for survival
but to provide the better world that
the age Of atomic energy brings
within reach"