Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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IslEt D To Deb The announcement by Dr. stead that he was dismirsed school of education followii which he called for an end I segregation was a hard and i the University. In a statement to The Travelstead said he was un< sion "that the Executive Cor board of trustees) was of tl persons employed by the Ur not engage in discussions c issue." If the board of trustees opinion, we may as well all home, for Webster calls a un stitution for teaching and stui branches of learning," and let includes examination and to and thoughts. If University upon themselves to squelch pi not coinciding with their ow place for students with intell( However, the board of tru we can determine, has nevei statement, but it is evident t is one subject which should r by a University employee. And why not? It was per cuss the question of admittin Letters to the Edi Texan Drinking Dear Sir: Regarding Associated Press bulletin frQm Columbia, South Carolina, dated Nov. 24 1955, (published in the Houston Chron icle, this date), titled as follows: "College Dean Loses Job Over Racial Views." A round of applause to the board of trustees at the Univer sity for their decision to apply sufficient pressure so as to bring about the resignation of Dr. Travelstead, dean of the school of education, for having sug gested the abolishment of public school segregation, now or ever. In the recent speech which led up to the fatal dispute, Dr. Travelstead unwittingly said: "It is my firm conviction that enforced segregation of the races in our public schools can no longer be justified on any basisand should, therefore, be abolished as soon as practic able. "Even though, as a white Southerner, I have, since my early childhood, taken for granted the practice of segre gation on the assumption that it is right and just, does not make it right or just." It is quite evident that those concepts of Freedom, which Dr. Travelstead possesses, are of the utmost DANGER to the princi ples and traditions of the South. As head of the department of education, it is his responsibility to prepare the teachers of to morrow. His influences on these future educators might have re CROWING FO UNIVERSITY OF Member of Associi Founded January 30, 1908, wli editor, "TheGCamecock" is pubil University of South Carolina we year except on holidays and duri The opinions expressed by com sarily those of "The Gamecock. endorsement. The right to editi EDITOR . MANAGING EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER. ASSISTANT MANAGING I NEWS EDITOR. CAMPUS EDITOR. SPORTS EDITOR. SOCIETY EDITOR. FEATURE EDITOR CIRCULATION MANAGER ASSISTANT BUSINESS M2 CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER. ASSISTANT SPORTS EDI'I STAFF Il Timmie Timmons, Roy Williai Alex Lancaster, Pat Palm, thorn.e, Jim Brandon, Mare Marian Updhurch, Phil King, COLU Billy Mellette, Pat Treac: BUSINE; Jimmy Turner, Windy Mi Buliuck. Bill Ear lot Perni mte Conti Chester Travel- the United Nat: as dean of the a national deba ig a speech in missible to spE o public school president next ; lefinite blow to cuss any numb fairs, some of Gamecock, Dr. Carolina. All f ler the impres- is desegregatioi amittee (of the settled without he opinion that Dr. Travelstt tiversity should my firm convici if controversial of the races ii longer be justif is of such an therefore, be a pack up and go able." He did i iversity "an in- say tomorrow. ly in the higher able" which is, Lrning certainly way. He said ?sting of ideas praise of Supre officials take it made a great di ople with ideas Because of tl n, then it is no missing Dr. '] ctual curiosity. pressed a view! stees, as far as any controvers: issued such a dents and facul hat integration opinion on any Lot be discussed outcome of the And will the U rnissible to dis- coming a great g Red China to demic assembly tor Applauds Tr Opposition sulted in their recognition of equality of rights and the free dom of opinion as the keys to both progress and world peace. Such opinion is reality, there fore, in the interest of the past and for the preservation of those so-related practices, the board of "little white gods" could have made no other choice than that decision which 'they so proudly rendered. With sincere regrets, Richard L. Roberts White American Ex-GI University of Houston Dear Editor: Several people, including my self, feel that a letter of explana tion is necessary in- regard to the misunderstanding brought about by a recent article in the Game cock. You published an article con cerning the student council's mo tion to go on record as opposing the University's "drinking regu lation" as it is so stated now. As I understand it, the council is not opposed to the entire regulation. The only part which they don't approve is the "or any gathering of University stu dents." It is common opinion that the University should not have the power or authority to regulate the exact conduct of students off campus or in- other parts of the state unless they are on school business. I have talked with several members of the faculty and, as I see it, it seems the main rea son nothing should be done about the regulation is that the pu blicity will be bad, and give the wrong impression of Carolina R A GREATER SOUTH CAROLINA ted Collegiate Press Robert Elliott Conzales as the first abed by and for the students of the ekly, on Fridays, during the college a g examinations. aists and letter writers are not neces 'Publishing does not constitute an a reserved. .....CAROLYN McCLUNG .PATSY PENNEY KAT ANTHONY DITOR . Dew James Herbert Bryant Pat Treacy Walter Johnson Linda Cauthen Kay Oxner .Billy Bruce LNAGER Carol Shockey Bob Kelsey OR .... Sid Badger EPORTERS na, Tom Walker, Lewis Cromer, Jimmie Gasque, Barbara Haw ha Wiseheart, Carol Watson, Marcia Fisher, Pat Lott MNISTS r, Dew James, Herb Bryant SS STAFF illinax, Marion Singley, Edith issible roversy? ions - the topic was used as te subject last year. It is per culate on who will run for year. It is permissible to dis er of world and national af which directly affect South Lre controversial subjects, as i. Few controversies are ever open discussion. ,ad said in his speech, "It is ;ion that enforced segregation i our public schools can no ied on any basis-and. should, bolished as soon as practic iot say today and he did not He said "as soon as practic what is going to happen any a lot of other things in his me Court's decision and they ?al of sense. ie University's action in dis 'ravelstead because he ex >oint, will open discussion on i go underground with stu ty alike afraid to express an thing more serious than the soybean situation in China? niversity in the midst of be university turn into an aca line? Perhaps.-C.M. ustees; Clarified students to the people of South Carolina. Is it wrong for the parents of this state to know that their sons and daughters are standing on their own two feet and try ing to accomplish what the stu dents feel is right by telling the faculty and board of trustees they think the "drinking regula tion" should be more clearly stated ? Another factor which seems to enter the picture in- a big way is that at present the University isn't enforcing the regulation to its exact technical meaning. What good is a regu lation if it's not going to be enforced ? Thank you for your coopera tion and I hope that not only the students, faculty and board of trustees, but also the people of South Carolina understand that the student council does not think the entire "drinking regulation" should be abolished. They simply feel that the true meaning should be more clearly stated. Thank you, Gordon McBride Collegiate Clippings Every newvspaper office is sup posed to have a mascot, but the staff of the Wheaton College Record is saddled wvith one that's p)roving to be quite a nuisance. The mascot is a wvhite mouse namedi Minnie who took up resi dence in the Record office some time ago. That in itself wasn't so bad, but Minnie chose as her abode one of the staff's best Royal typewvriters, which meant that the Record wvas out one machine, temporarily at least. They got the machine back wvhen Minnie temporarily aban dloned it in p)reference for the inner workings of an office radio. That was almost as bad, since the staff couldn't use the radlio for fear of electrocuting Minnie. That was solvedi when Minnie moved for a second time. But the mouse wvent right back to the typewvriter and, so far, has resisted all efforts to evict her. In fact, she wvas even mean en-ough to nil) one staffer who tried to feed her. As a result, the Record is still out a type wvriter. At the moment, they're looking for some boy moase who might be able to lure Minnie from her ink-andl-metal abode. Columnist Billy D. Moore lists this one in his column In the Hiardin-Simmons University Brand: Note in each pay envelope from a certain firm: Your pay is your p)ersonal business and should be disclosed to no one. Answer from new employee: Don't worry. I am just as nahamed of it as yoar e. I'I HERBERT BRYANT Thought, Freedoms The University's escutcheon now bears a deep scar. A strong body has taken a strong tool and has lacerated a smooth surface with what appears to be a ban on freedom of academic thought and expression at the University. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees informed Dr. Chester C. Travelstead that it was "of the opinion that it is not in the best interest of the University to renew your appoint ment as Dean of the School of Education." The letter, dated Au gust 19, 1955, went on to say that Dr. Travelstead's service would end at the conclusion of the fiscal year 1955-56. The letter followed a speech de livered by Dr. Travelstead at Drayton Hall before summer ses sion students on August 2 of this past summer. Earlier, on May 2, Dr. Travelstead had written a letter to Governor Timmerman stating that he disagrees with several of the Governor's views, one of them concerning integra tion, on matters referring to a speech thu; the Governor had de livered before the South Carolina Education Association. But after this Dr. Travelstead's contract was renewed. And it was not until after the speech he made on August 2 that he received the letter from the Executive Com mittee of the Board of Trustees. It has not been made clear in writing why Dr. Travelstead was fired, and this column will not state the reason why because this column doesn't know the reason. But, nevertheless, the implica tions are strongly slanted toward the idea that he was fired merely because he exp)ressed his opinion THE OTHER SIDE Academic The issue of academic freedom wvhich Dr. C. D. Travelstead has raised following his dismissal as dean- of the University's school of education has twvo sides. One is the freedom of a professor to speak his mind, which The News and Courier upholds. The other is freedom of a university to choose the lines of education it wishes to follow. Dr. Travelstead, in opposing segregation of the races in p)ublic schools, is out of line both with the University and with the desires of the people of South Carolina as represented by their elected government. His useful ness as a teacher of education is, therefore, over. But his theories are pop)ular in other regions and he can easily exercise his PATSY PENNEY .Past RI Records1 The annual Religious Em phasis Week activities begin Sun dlay and the usual convocations and seminars are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday andl Thursday. How many stu dents will turn out this time? In the past, for conferring of honorary degrees, honor em phasis wee1k, and othe such ac Expression Important when he saw no further "justifi cation" for segregation in view of the Supreme Court's decision handed down in May of 1954 against segregation. This column is mainly dealing with freedom of thought and ex pression. It is not trying to say that segregation is bad and un democratic or whether it is good and democratic. The question that comes to mind concerns whether or not a member of the faculty is going to be allowed to say what he thinks on education. If there are going to be restrictions then the very foundation of this country's ways of thoughts and beliefs will have been shaken. What if a member of the United States Senate could iiot speak his mind? And furthermore, what are other professors going to do when they decide to express themselves concerning contro versial issues? There has never been a prob lem concerning a group of people that was worked out in silence. Discussion is the only way to solve the problem. And there can be no objective discussions unless freedom of expresson is allowed. The University of New Mexico is gaining a man who has brought the issue concerning academic freedom out in the open. He started something when he took his stand. It should not end with his dismissal. Nor should his dis missal put fear into the hearts of those who wvant to express them selves on controversial issues. They should speak out if they so desire, and there should be no sword of Damocles hanging over their heads hindering their ex pression. Freedom acadlem ic freedom elsewvhere. This fact wvas demonstrated by his immediate app>intment to a similar post at the University of Newv Mexico, a state in which the non-wvhite population is ap p)roximately 7.3 compared wvith South Carolina's 40 per cent Negro pop)ulation. Anyone in the South who speaks for integration will have little dlifficulty finding sympathy and honor in the regions where mingling of the races is a rela tively minor problem. Academic freedom does not exist in these same regions to favor segrega tion for the southern states wvhere segregation is essential for peace, harmony andl progress for hoth races. - News and Courier. E Week lisgraceful tivities, the numb)er of students attending has been almost dis gracefuIl. It's about time the studients were improving that past record. Speakers will hold dormitory .essions, special afternoon semi nars and morning convocations. What they have to say will be worthwhile for all Carolina stn DEW JAMES Trustees Consider THE DISMISSAL of Dr. Chester C. Traveistead from the deanship of the University's School of Education, apparently because he held certain views not shared by the board of trustees, has drawn caustic comment from numerous Southern newspapers as well as the Northern press. It is the opinion of this writer that the administration acted hastily . . . not in the best in terest of the people of South Carolinq and certainly not in the. best interest of the State Uni versity. State universities are tradi tionally liberal in their views. Are these self-styled curbs on individual thought liberal? Is it in keeping with our democratic ideals to suppress open discussion on controversial issues? IT IS NOT . . . Neither the thinking members of the student body nor the people of this state can afford to sit idly by and allow those in command of their State University to rid it of the ablest members of its faculty simply because they exercise their' right to freedom of expres sion. An educational institution is no better than its faculty. With out academic freedom, the pro gress of an educational institu tion is concentrated in the hands of those few in command who can act without fear of reprisal. Academic freedom encourages personal initiative and the results of that personal initiative con tributes to the overall advance JACK BASS Travelstea Found In I have just finished reading the speech that resulted in the firing of Dean Chester C. Travelstead of the school of education. The first thing that comes to mind is this question. Did the ex ecutive committee of the board of trustees, who decided on Dean Travelstead's dismissal, actually read the speech? I found it very appropriate and an extremely fine analysis of the segregation problem facing South Carolina's public schools. Dean TraveJ.stead did criticize attempts at circumvention of the Supreme Court's decision which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. He also stated his conviction "that en forced segregation of the races in our public schools can no longer be justified on any basis -- and should, therefore, be abolished as soon as practicable." The whole speech was nothing more than an intelligent ap proach, using reason rather than emotional outbursts, to the most serious social problem of our time. lie stated in detail the alterna tives open to South Carolina and the future of its public educa tional system and questioned the wisdom and possible consequences of several - especially the pro posed adoption of a system of state-supported private schools. Perhaps D e a n Travelstead foresaw the result of his speech when he stated that the silence by the professional education organi zations in South Carolina might indicate "a great reluctance to speak one's views - reluctance because of fear of embarrass ment, ridicule, or reprisal." Yet he spoke, and It was an admirable display of courage and moral integrity. Probably at least 90 per cent of the faculty of the University agree basically with Dean Travel stead's views. And yet he was fired, not for having this opinion, but for ex pressing it openly. Not only was this rash and dlents to hear. Bulletins listing the time, place and topic of each speaker have been placed in stu (lent mailboxes. There really is no reason why each student shouldn't be able to work In at Action ed Rash ment of the educational institu tion. Apparently, the doctrine of in tegration does not have the popular support of the people of this state at the present timJ. However, this is not the issue. The issue is whether or not the State University gives more than lip service to the concept of academic freedom. No problem that affects a. democratic society is satisfac torily solved without permitting it to be open to free discussion. The segregation issue should have been included properly in any comprehensive discussion of current educational problems, as Dr. Travelstead saw fit to do in his speech before some 400 faculty members and students last summer. It was not only his right, but his responsibility as a leading educator to express his views in regard to such problems as long as he does not express these views as official University policy. This writer feels that the board of trustees has deprived this state of a valuable citizen and an outstanding educator by its dismissal of Dr. Travelstead. Any support that this rash act may get now will be unmasked in the very near future for the backward step that it is. Such acts are obviously con trary to the fundamental free doms on which this country was founded and will not go long unnoticed. d Speech telligent short-sighted act of the board of trustees a blow to academic free dom and freedom of discussion, it was a damaging blast at the very basis of the foundation of this or any other university - intellec tual integrity. In an editorial entitled "Bring Segregation Talk Into The Open," The Gamecock last spring stated, "Morally, segregation canfiot be defended." Although this quotation does not express the general modera tion of that editorial es a whole, I certainly feel it says basically the same thing that Dean Travel stead said when he stated his con viction. And as editor of last semester's Gamecock, the only comments on that particular editorial were complimentary, as I recall. All this proves nothing except the extreme rashness of action the board of trustees showed. The harm done to the Univer sity cannot be measured. What will be the effect in try ing to obtain additional outstand iiig faculty as long as the stigma of a stifled intellectual atmos phere remains attached to the University? Carolina will continue to get( plenty of students and the en rollment will continue to increase, but the cream of the high school crop, the bright boys and girls who are looking for intellectual stilnulation as part of their col lege experience, will think twice before they come here. Beautiful buildings are not enouwh. Toler ance of ideas is an absolute necessity. The situation Is paradoxical in that the opinions of a Southerner -by birth, ancestry, schooling and residence, and who has do voted his entire life to the im provement of education in the South--are considered "OUt of place." This is a problem of the utmost importance in education in the South. Perhaps it would be too much to expect our beard of trustees to sacrifice politics for principles since the board is itself politically elected and several memt?ers cur rently hold political office. The Charlotte Observer banged the nail on the head when it stated editorially, " . . . free thought and free speech, the only atmosphere in which any univer sity can help young people to think for themselves and to form independent judgments after , hearing both sides of contro versial issues. Anything else is indontrinatin, nedaio-n