1955: Set Integration For Fall Term, First in Texas

June 22, 1955

El Paso School Board Tuesday night abolished segregation in the public schools.

The board is the first in Texas to vote unconditionally in favor of carrying out desegregation.

Board member Ted Andress made the motion. He said: “The School Board members have taken notice of the recent Supreme Court decision on compulsory segregation. I think it is time that this board makes the prompt and reasonable start toward integration that should be made. I move that we comply with all rulings of the Supreme Court and that segregation on a compulsory of involuntary basis shall not be enforced in the El Paso Public Schools.”

Since summer school is already under way, the motion will go into effect with the opening of school in September.

The only dissenting vote was cast by J.F. Hulse.

The desegregation motion came during the first five minutes of the board meeting.

A delegation from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was present. Their petition requesting desegregation had been presented to the board earlier. However, the board carried out its desegregation action before the petition came up for discussion. Board President C.M Irvin read into the minutes the fact that the petition had been received.

THANKS BOARD – Dr. Vernon Collins, president of the local NAACP, thanked the board at the end of the meeting for its “able consideration and acceptance of the decision of the United States Supreme Court.

“I feel that this is an historic event,” Dr. Collins said, “I suppose that the signing of the Declaration of Independence took place at a meeting much like this, where routine business was carried out along with the historic.

“I feel that we can have trust in a board of this nature that has the destiny of our children in its hands. In our community, we have always received the support of our school board,” Dr. Collins said.

The board did not announce any immediate plans for carrying out desegregation. Under its motion, compulsory segregation is ruled out immediately.

El Paso’s only Negro school is Douglass School, 101 Eucalyptus St., which has grades one through 12. This year’s record enrollment was 712. E.W. Mangram is the principal.

Dr. Mortimer Brown, superintendent, said Tuesday that Douglass will probably be assigned a district.

Under customary practice of the public schools, a student who moves to another district or who lives in a newly-created district can continue to attend his former school if he desires. Thus, a student who has been attending Douglass could choose to continue there, although he might live in another school district. A student living in the new Douglas district might elect to continue at his old school.

ONE RESTRICTION – The only restriction in the rule is that such a student may be rejected if his attendance means overcrowding in his former school.

The same policy is in effect with the newly-created Burges High School district. Students now attending Austin and Jefferson High schools have the option of attending either their former school or Burges when the new school opens this fall.

“We anticipate no changes in faculties as a result of this decision,” Dr. Brown said. “The faculties have already been elected for the coming year.”

Only other school board in Texas to speak out in favor of desegregation so far is in San Antonio. Its announcement last week was that segregation will probably be abolished in September, pending an opinion on integration by the school board attorney.

Mangram, Douglass School principal, said Tuesday, “I will carry out whatever policy the board decides on. We have a forward-looking school board.”

Colored students have been attending local parochial schools for several years.

Comments

[Brad]

You should do a story on the assasination of Ted Andress.