Evening star., 1960-04-03
Sit-Ins Begin to Fade,
exos Tension Eases
By the Assoei.ted Pres,

A. By the Associated Press
Lunch counter sit-ins and
demonstrations by Negro stu
dents - which have kept the
East Texas city Of Marshall
tense for a week - last night
appeared nearing an end.
Presidents Of two colleges urged
a halt.
The on = again. of again
strike by students at Negro
Southern University in Baton
Rouge. La. was on again. how
ever.
At Marshall all participation
In the sit-ins by Bishop COL
lege students stopped. Wiley
College students late in the
day were reported meeting to
decide their course.
Six pickets. all from Wiley
College, were arrested yester-
day when they started carrying
signs in front of two stores
which refused lunch counter
service to Negroes. This was
the only incident Of the day.
Meanwhile, posting of bonds
started for SIS students held in
the two-Story Harrison County
jail. First to be released were
the girls. who accounted for
nearly half those charged after
slt-ins last Wednesday.
Tension Danger Stressed
The presidents of the two
Negro colleges told their stu
dents that the demonstrations
have served their purpose and
the students should concen-
trate on building good relations
with the city.
Il don't think these demon
strations can be written of as
a fad since the studtnts actual
ly feel they are fighting for a
just cause" said DR.. NJ. K.
Curry. Jr., Bishop president.
But I do think they realize
they have made their point and
can do nothing except create
additional tension between the
races by continuing the demon
strations."
Il have told the student
leaders that I can see nothing
to be gained by additional
demonstration" said DR.. T. w.
Cole. president at Wiley.
DR.. Cole said the Negro law
yers representing student also
had advised them to discon-
tinue the demonstrations.
While some of the out-of-
town law officers remained in
Marshall, many on duty for
several days had gone back to
regular stations.
Late Wednesday, when ten
sion was highest. more than
100 state and local officers
from neighboring counties hur-
ried to Marshall.
The greatest concern of Off
GERS was that some single Incl
dent could set of race violence.
Smith in Baton Rouge
In Baton Rouge. about 1000
students at Southern University
changed their minds and de-
cided to snub classes to show
their diSpleasure over segre-
gated lunch counters. Earlier
they had decided to return to
classes.
The new walkout was sig
nailed by two ousted student
leaders, who Friday begged
students to return to classes.
Marvin Robinson. IS, Gary
Ind. ousted president of the
student body. and Major Johns.
said that university officials
had backed down on an agree
ment that they would not re-
taliate against lunch counter
sit-in demonstrations.
In contrast, a short distance
away at Southern Methodist
University in Dallas, Tex. $50
students-white and Negro -
got together to discuss race
problems. They represented 20
institutions. segregated and
integrated. in Louisiana, Okla
homa and Texas.
Frankfort. capital of Ken
lucky, experienced its first
Negro sit-in Saturday. About
so Negroes sought service in
20 businesses. Three served
them. No arrests were made
and no disturbances were re-
ported.
Elsewhere:
White persons picketed in
downtown Norfolk, Va. pro-
testing Negro sit-in demonstra-
tions and expressing support
of merchants who operate seq
regated eating facilities.
Negro pickets patrolled
downtown Hampton, Va, in
protest against segregated IA
cilities.
Two hundred Negroes met on