Title
Page 2 of Faculty Council Meeting Minutes: October 10, 1952
Subject
Universities and colleges-- United States-- Faculty; College integration; Central Methodist University (Fayette, Mo.)
United States
Description
Page 2 of the Minutes of the Faculty Council Meeting on Friday, October 10, 1952. Signed by Marie C. Wilhauer, secretary to the President of the college. 3p., on 8.5" wide by 11" high paper, typed, single spaced, one-sided. Pages 2-3 addresses the "Board of Curators Report on the Negro Question".
Creator
Faculty Council, Central College
Source
Central Methodist University Archives
Date
10/10/1952
1952
1952
Rights
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License
Relation
Student petitions to the Board of Curators and the President
Language
English
Type
Minutes
Manuscripts and Manuscript Illuminations
Identifier
ARC150302_FacultyCouncilMinutes19521010_p2
Coverage
Central Methodist University
Text
Council Meeting - October 10, 1952 - page 2
The committee recommendation was that the faculty and staff meetings be held on the first Wednesday, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., of each month. Time did not permit a complete reading of the report, but President Woodward re- viewed it and commented briefly on it, after which
Board of Curators Report on the Negro Question
Referring to the petition circulated last year by members of SCO and addressed to the Board of Curators and to the President of the college, Dr. Woodward told Council members that he had recently received from the Board a report on what action had been taken to date on this question. He said he would deliver the Board's report to the students of SCO in the near future and that he was bringing it to the attention of the Council at this time for two reasons: (1) For the infonnation of Council members, so that they may know what has been done so far, and (2) because of the nature of the problem, more will be heard of it in the days ahead; and he continued: "Whatever action is finally taken by the Board, I want you to feel that we have been in on the process of what has happened."
According to the report, the Board has been studying the problem carefully and is continuing to study it. It was pointed out that the College is not restricted by its
charter or bylaws from admitting Negro students; and the trend toward non-segregation was recognised. Recognised also was the fact that it will eventually be necessary to admit Negroes, but that, with Central's being located in a border state, there will be several problems involved in making the transition. The report indicated that the Board did not wish in any way to retard progress toward admitting them as the way is cleared. The feeling was expressed that the attitude of the students and faculty members, as set forth in the petition, should help in solving the problems involved.
President Woodward then declared that the Council was in executive session and that what he was about to say should not he communicated to anyone outside the group. He then went ahead to express some of his own views concerning the matter of admitting Negro students. He pointed out that Central College has never so far had a Negro actually apply for admission; but he confided to the group that within the next two weeks the College will have to not on a definite application that a Negro is making. It will be the responsibility of the Board to act upon this application, he said. He commented further: "The Board may or may not vote to accept the application; but I feel strongly that the College should not ever go on record as refusing to admit a colored student, as that would be about the worst thing we could do. At the same time, the effect of admitting Negroes immediately might also be disastrous. The problem is not just a local one; we are a state and a national institution, and the problem will have to be settled by the Board and the Church.“
The committee recommendation was that the faculty and staff meetings be held on the first Wednesday, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., of each month. Time did not permit a complete reading of the report, but President Woodward re- viewed it and commented briefly on it, after which
Dr. Schaff moved adoption of the report. The motion was seconded by Professor Abernathy and was carried.
Board of Curators Report on the Negro Question
Referring to the petition circulated last year by members of SCO and addressed to the Board of Curators and to the President of the college, Dr. Woodward told Council members that he had recently received from the Board a report on what action had been taken to date on this question. He said he would deliver the Board's report to the students of SCO in the near future and that he was bringing it to the attention of the Council at this time for two reasons: (1) For the infonnation of Council members, so that they may know what has been done so far, and (2) because of the nature of the problem, more will be heard of it in the days ahead; and he continued: "Whatever action is finally taken by the Board, I want you to feel that we have been in on the process of what has happened."
According to the report, the Board has been studying the problem carefully and is continuing to study it. It was pointed out that the College is not restricted by its
charter or bylaws from admitting Negro students; and the trend toward non-segregation was recognised. Recognised also was the fact that it will eventually be necessary to admit Negroes, but that, with Central's being located in a border state, there will be several problems involved in making the transition. The report indicated that the Board did not wish in any way to retard progress toward admitting them as the way is cleared. The feeling was expressed that the attitude of the students and faculty members, as set forth in the petition, should help in solving the problems involved.
President Woodward then declared that the Council was in executive session and that what he was about to say should not he communicated to anyone outside the group. He then went ahead to express some of his own views concerning the matter of admitting Negro students. He pointed out that Central College has never so far had a Negro actually apply for admission; but he confided to the group that within the next two weeks the College will have to not on a definite application that a Negro is making. It will be the responsibility of the Board to act upon this application, he said. He commented further: "The Board may or may not vote to accept the application; but I feel strongly that the College should not ever go on record as refusing to admit a colored student, as that would be about the worst thing we could do. At the same time, the effect of admitting Negroes immediately might also be disastrous. The problem is not just a local one; we are a state and a national institution, and the problem will have to be settled by the Board and the Church.“
Original Format
Paper
Comments