Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-07-29

uate m0rttcA0n. He has been Of
fered positions IN his profession
In the South, but has preferred
to stay I'm the community where
he was reared.
Their five children and the vii
son girl are all grandchildren o.
the pioneer Crystal family. Thu
Wilson girls mother "a wrigh
girl) is the assistant head Of thu
mathematics department at Saw
annah university. Her father is q
dentist in the city. The family re,
sides in one of the larger home:
in Savannah that would be com.
parable to those in the higher
bracket price in this area
Following the incident severa.
of the neighbors of the Wrights
gave these statements to The Post
Mr.. and Mrs. Don Marquette
4649 Maryland Av. N, said:
I'VE have lived q few doors
from one Of the incest families
we have ever known for four
years. They are the kind Of peO-
pie anyone would be proud TO
know and have as friends.
They are first class people
They are colored.
Their color is a detail we have
never concerned ourselves about
1t is something that cannot bt
changed nor indeed should bt
changed. Peaceful co-existence il
not an theological myth in oul
neighborhood. 1t is a reality. And
we are justly proud of this. But
on July 20, the Mason-Dixon line
moved north to Crystal, or at Least
as far as Fish Lake beach!
with the temperature at "a
degrees, a car full of eager kids
and their mothers drove eight
miles for a swim at Fish Lake
and were turned away at the
gate because half of them were
not of the right color. The eight
! miles back home seemed like 800
miles to those Kids who had
been denied the chance to cool
off in the water.
Neither, we nor our NegrC
neighbors, care to force our way
into a place where we are no
welcome. The Little Rock beacl
need not fear any future request!
from us to use their facilities
There are other beaches wher,
prejudice does not overrule com
mon sense.
Our son was made to feel hk,
a second class citizen. We hat
some explaining to do. The FISH
Lake beach has some explaining
to do. America, the Land of tn,
Free?' has some explaining to do
I'VE are no longer thousand
of miles from the racial probleml
of the world. They have becom,
our own personal problem as {
community"
Mr.. and Mrs. John A. Goodwin
1857 Louisiana Av., two othel
neighbors, had this to say:
"A respected member Of oul
neighborhood was the victim o.
racial prejudice this week and II
was a shock to US this could hap
pen here.
THE indignity, which Mrs
Wright and her children suffered
at Fish Lake beach, reflects upor
US all. 1t proves the hypocrisy Of
many northerners who claim u
deplore discrimination in the south
but do not practice what they
preach when put to the test them
selves.
I'VE are ashamed that such ar
incident could take place in oul
community. Where does brother
hood begin? 1t begins in our owr
back yards"
Mrs. Dan Pendzimas had thi!
to say:
"a very disturbing thing hap
pened to me this week that
think should be brought to tn,
attention Of the community.
my neighbOr, Mrs. Boyd
Wright and I decided latter
much urging from eager, hot
children) to pile the nine Of
them into the Wright car and
take them swimming at Fish
Lake beach. Neither Mrs. Wright
nor 1 had been there before, but
the boys insisted It was an aw-
fully nice beach and not far.
when we arrived the woma1
at the entrance informed US tn
beach was full and there was no
room for any more people. w
said there didn't seem to be man,
cars and she answered they ha'
more reservations, too.
I'VE turned around and as W,
were leaving another packed ca
pulled up. The woman Wake,
around to the other side of thei
car and they drove in.
1