Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-01-10
Read It-ond Weep


Ing Day riot at D. c. Stadium, the
Right Rev, John S. Spence, director of
education for the Archdiocese Of Wash
ington, suspended further participation
by Catholic high schools In the annual
playoff games. Now, a reading of the
report of the Shane MacCarthy commit
tee leaves little doubt that he was right.
For while the committee members left
open the question Of future games, there
safeguards can be established in the
near future under conditions which pre-
vail in Washington today.
AS for the 1862 EaStern-St. Johns
game, and. when 1t was over the savage,
unprovoked attacks by Negroes on both
whites and Negroes who tried to help the
whites, the special citizens investigating
committee has set forth the full story in
stark and factual detail. 1t is shock
ing, almost unbelievable, story. The de-
cent people Of Washington, white and
Negro alike, should read 1t and weep.
What took place was, in the words of the
report, "a serious racial conflict, pitting
angry Negroes against whites"-a mob
action foStered by "hoodlumS" who rep
resented "a very small minority of the
city's Negro population" This Is an
ugly fact and the committee agreed
that 1t must be acknowledged.
The major thrust of the report, how
ever, and the uglieSt fact which must be
faced, is that the riot and its immediate
causes cannot be dealt with in simple
decision as to whether these games
should or should not be played in the
future. More Importantly, the commit
tee said, the riot was "a serious symp-
tom of larger problem"-a reflection
Of, among other things, frightening
lack of individual discipline and re-
SponSibility, particularly within our
public schools, which can no longer be
ignored. Consider this typical excerpt:
Testimony before the committee devel-
oped an awareness of administrative lack Of
control over hoodlum elements in the school
system. . Violence. assaults, disrespect of
teachers are acts Of an undesirable element
Of students. An atmosphere of "permissive-
ness" has discouraged the personnel Of many
schools and caused a city-wide lesSening Of
discipline standards. Fear RACES through
many school buildings which Lalsol have be-
come tramping grounds for outside influences.
including thugs, hoodlums, and persons Of the
lowest character. -. The morale OF many
teachers has suffered and the percentage of
designations and transfers has increased.
Nevertheless school officials fail to CO.
operate with police and report violations of
law. nor do they maintain city-wide report
ing system Of incidents of misconduct. With
such climate in the school system, students
receive little discipline. little guidance and
little incentive to develop strong citizenship
qualities in far too many cases. and the result
has been a steadily worsening misconduct
problem. . Alarming we're the reports that
many public school children and officials
decided not to attend the game because of
the fear of violence. Staggering was the testi-
mony of various individuals and police as to
the stockpilng of weaponry-umbrellas with
sharp points. broken bottles rocks, knives,
and chains-which are used in public schools
and which in some instances were displayed
at the stadium.
All OF this, surely, must fall with a
stunning impact on those who have
believed that the Districts public school
system, promptly integrated after the
Supreme Courts 1854 decision, has been
something of a model for the Nation.
Apparently 1t is not a model for
anyone. But we do not think the finger
OF blame can be put upon indignation as
such. What has happened, If this report
Is to be trusted, is that the public schools
have become a haven for a minority
element which is virtually non-educable
under the existing system, and that the
facts have been covered up or hushed up.
Superintendent of Schools Hansen
is Withholding comment until he has had
opportunity to study the report. We do
not blame him. For II this report is
even substantially accurate, its salient
features must have been known TO the
school authorities for some time.
Meanwhile, it should be said that
Washington owes debt of gratitude to
the members Of the MacCarthy commit
tee-six white and four Negro-who
have unanimously subscribed to the body
Of this fortnight report. II their find
ings and those OF their recommendations
which are sound can evoke the neces-
sary popular response, the diSgraceful
affair Of November % may yet prove to
be blessing in disguise. II not, there
is ample reason to fear for the future
OF public education in this National
Capital