Response to Rev. Wesley Pruden's Segregationist Demands

Letter from Virgil Blossom to Baptist minister and segregationist leader Wesley Pruden answering several questions arising from integration of students at Central High School.- 2 - Rev. Wesley Pruden July 26, 1957 Question 4: "Will the negro boys and girls be allowed to join the school sponsored clubs that the children belong to? When out-of-town trips are taken by these clubs children will the negro boys and girls be permitted to go along? Will they stay in the same motels, hotels, or private homes with the white children? Or will discrimination be permitted here? Answer: The Board of Education authorizes from time to time, on an individual basis, grade-level social clubs, formed and supervised by parents in co-operation with the school faculty. Mixing of the races need not take place in these organizations as they are not a required part of the school program. On school trips, particular care has always been taken for the welfare of each child. The selection of the pupils making the trip, choice of chaperones, housing arrangements, and the conduct of the pupils have always been subject to the best judgement of the school authorities. The selections have been in harmony with social customs acceptable to our patrons and in the community to be visited. (These policies will be continued.) Question 5: "Because of the high venereal disease among negroes, the Public is wondering if the white children will be forced to use the same rest rooms and toilet facilities with negroes? Or will discrimination will be permitted here? Ánswer: School facilities will be used by all pupils in the regular school program. Board of Education policy requires the immediate exclusion from school of any pupil having an infectious or contagious disease. Readmission to school is based on a doctor's certificate stating that the pupil is free from infectious or contagious disease. Question 6: "Integration will throw white and negro children together in the dramatic classes. When the script calls for an enacment of tender love scenes, will these parts be assigned to negro boys and and white girls without respect to race or color? Or will discrimination be permitted here? Since the integrationists so stoutly maintain there is no basic difference in the races, it is only natural that the Public is wondering about these things." Answer: Board of Education policy is such that the situation pictured in this question cannot arise. (Teachers can, and will, avoid any such problem.