St. Paul recorder., 1961-08-11

listed by the University of MINI
Miss Jenkins Of Henderson
rich east Texas, recently gradu
in Pittsburgh, Pa. She plans to
enroll as a student in law at the
University of Minnesota in Sep
tember.
Shortly after arriving in Mime
apolis, Miss Jenkins contacted
Fidehs N. Umeh, %, an engineer
ing student at the University who
had secured addresses of apart
ments listed through the Univer-
sitys Student Housing Bureau.
Mr.. Umeh is a Nigerian student.
After contracting various land
lords and rental agencies, Miss
Jenkins made an appointment to
visit an unoccupied apartment at
PIP Walnut st. According to H.
Halstrom, Sc, caretaker employed
by the Noble Realty Co., the
apartment 2O3 was available for
rent He instructed Christine to go
to the rental office, 31S Harvard
St., Monday morning to complete
arrangements,
Monday for Miss Jenkins and
Umeh was a day of boredom and
disillusionment. The morning was
spent waiting, checking, and re-
checking at the Mobiles rental Of
flee. Finally, at 1:12 pm. Miss
Jenkins and Umeh talked to Mrs.
Gertrude Gray, "a, Noble Realty
employee in charge of rental apart
ments. At this point Christine had
expected to make the necessary
financial transaction for the $685.
a-month apartment which would
almost complete her before prep
aration for school.
The couple was told that there
were no apartments available and
that apartment 203 had been rent
ed Monday morning-only a few
hours before. my suspicion was
aroused" said Umeh, But we
walked out of the office and met
a white couple entering"
Standing a few feet from the
office doorway, Umeh began dis
cussing with Christine, where
shall we go now" While they
meditated over their next ''move," "
Umeh could hear Mrs. Gertrude
Gray talking on the telephone.
What do you have in mind" were
Mrs. Gray's words according to
Umeh. Suddenly, she told the
couple who entered as we were
leaving, wait a moment" and
come to the door, but quickly re-
turned to her desk"
Puzzled from the information
that they had received, Umeh just
couldn't believe what he had been
told. The two then left the build
ing, but Umeh returned to the
rental office at 3 pm.
IT just want to know If the
apartment we asked about was
rented to someone this morning as
you said" Umeh asked Mrs. Gray.
THE maids were cleaning it and
it was rented by an out Of town
phone CALL" replied Mrs. Gray.
Mrs. Gray became more fid-
getty as I talked to her and what
she said became more inconsis-
tent" said Umeh." We have to re-
ceive a 80 day notice before there's
a vacant apartment, she said and
began checking the apartment
roster. Come back about Aug. 10
and there may be a vacancy.
hope you understand, I hope you
understand" she repeatedly told
Umeh.
Mrs. Gray exhibited a state OF
fright when I went back to the
office for the second time which Is
usually indicative of guilt" said
Umeh. He continued:
1T goes to point out that how.
ever much we deny the fact, that
element Of segregation does exist
and it pops its head out from time
to time. It's not a wonderful i'm.
preston to leave in the minds OF
foreign students on which the
United States foreign service may
depend on in the future" conclud.
ed Umeh.
Still a few weeks before school
starts, Miss Jenkins plans to visit
friends in several states. She's
Just about ready for the opening
school year-except for a place tc
nve-and plans to stay in Mime
apolis at least until housing Il
secured before leaving to return
in September.
Choosing not to live in a dormi'
tory, Miss Jenkins has confronted
what the University's Student
Housing Bureau personnel has
spent endless never firing hours tc
correct while many Minnesotani
continue to add spontaneous fue
to human hatred.