Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1962-03-31
and its final effective date that
the latter was anticlimactic.

city, so the deadline had no
real meaning.
AS a matter of fact, it might
well have passed unnoticed
had it not been for last-min-
ute display of what Birming-
ham News editorial called "un-
usual judicial leniency."
This came from United
States District Judge H. H
Grooms, who had already
stayed his desegregation order
for 60 days apparently in hope
that the city would work out q
solution to it's dilemma short
of closing its parks.
Judge Grooms's econ
amendment of the order ex.
copied Little League baseball
facilities located on city park
property. The boys can play
baseball as before, on segre.
| gated basis-even though the
remainder of the parks in which
they play are officially closed
at least until a decision
comes from the Fifth Circuit
Court of Appeals in New Or.
leans and an appeal of Judge
Grooms's ruling.
Since the order was based al
least in part on previous de-
Fifth Circuit Court, there is
small likelihood that it will be
overturned.
M e n while, Birmingham's
parks are covered with over
growth-not all of it vcgata.
ton.
With the passage of the de.
segregation deadline it would
seem logical that the city would
have either a desegregateC
park system, or no parks at all
they having been closed to
avoid compliance with the de.
segregation order.
What actually exists is 8
strange mixture of both.
Four golf courses, including
one foz Negroes, are closed
So are municipal swimming
pools and community houses
for both races. So are some
parks, or parts of some parks
But the stadium, Legion
Field, has five Southeastern
Conference football games anc
more than a score of high
school games-both white anc
Negro-scheduled for the fall
Legion Field is operated or
a lease basis and individual
schools sell tickets to theil
games.
Municipal Auditorium is nov
reserved for "walk-around'
events (such as displays, where
visitors to the auditorium car
circulate about with no prob
lem about segregated seating
facilities) or use by private
groups.
The zoo, a botanical garder
still under construction, the
park atop Red Mountain from
which the towering figure Of
Vulcan looks out across the
city, and a park downtown
(from which benches have
been removed) are also still
open.
Everything else, theoreti
cally, is closed. Some golfers
continued to use the courses
for a time after they were or.
dered shut down (even though
tht city had filled the cup:
with sod) but Public Safety
Commissioner Eugene Bull
Connor has lately ordered pc.
lice to keep all posted property
clear of "trespassers.
Mayor Arthur ]. Hanes
however, has limited that spe.
cial permits might be granted
to private groups for outings
on park property. Also, some
parks adjacent to public
schools are still used as play.
grounds during school hours
and closed community houses
apparently can be used under
certain conditions.
There has been some loca
interest in buying park facili.
ties for private recreationa
use. One group formed fol-
such purpose has raised some
$4,000 of 100000 it estimates
will be needed to buy the Roe.
buck golf course and commu.
nifty center. Other citizens
they will fight in the courts
any attempt by the city to dis.
pose of public property.
Perhaps the most significant
development in the parks con
troversy has been the out.
Snokonnesc with which con,