Tuesday, April 23, 1963 University Daily Kansan
Page 3
Once Active CRC Appears Doomed
(This is the second in a four-
By. Jackie. Helstrom
part series on local and civil rights groups.)
Three years ago a group of KU students founded an organization through which they could fight racial discrimination. Since the beginning the Civil Rights Council (CRC) has been involved in one controversy after another.
Its existence has been characterized by sit-ins and other demonstrations, charges and counter charges, threatened law suits, and some agreements that have brought its goal of non-discrimination a little closer.
THERE ARE FOUR areas in which most of the work of the CRC has been centered. The original issue around which it began to function was the elimination of discrimination in housing for students. Within the first year work also was begun on discrimination in Lawrence barbershops and taverns and on discriminatory practices of fraternity and sorority houses.
The CRC began to urge the University to stop listing the addresses of discriminatory landlords on the University housing list in the fall of 1960.
The CRC claimed no separate list was being maintained for Negroes and the University was making no effort to check with renters to see if they would accept a student regardless of race, color, or nationality.
As a result, Negro and foreign students had trouble finding housing. They were being turned away from many of the houses listed as available to students on the University housing list.
AFTER A YEAR of urging, and two meetings with Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe and four other members of the administration, the policy was changed.
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DERBY, England—(UPI)—David Stocker and Gerry Smith, a pair of 4-year-old modern artists, have received apologies from the adults who hung two of their paintings upside down in a current exhibition.
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Chancellor Wescow issued a statement in November, 1961 announcing that discriminating landlords could not use the housing list if a student, acting in good faith, was refused housing.
At the first of this semester, members of the CRC, co-operating with Negro students looking for off-campus housing, tested several houses on the list.
Many cases of alleged discriminatory practices were discovered. From these, one complaint was made to the housing committee. A hearing was held to investigate the complaint, but before any action could be taken the landlord voluntarily removed his name from the list.
ACTION ON THE barbershop discrimination was concerted in a few months, but the progress made was substantial, according to the CRC.
A survey taken in the Spring of 1961 revealed that no Lawrence barber would cut a Negro's hair. Most of them said they did not have the proper equipment or training.
However, after personal discussions with CRC members, a few barbers opened their shops to Negroes. These few did not solve the problem, but Negro students no longer are forced to go to Kansas City or Topeka to get their hair cut.
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On the question of discriminatory practices by Greek houses, most of the work of the CRC has been focused on finding the extent of discrimination by Greeks and on determining the probable scope of action that a group like the CRC could take in the area.
It has been around the tavern issue that much of the controversial action of the CRC has been centered. In 1961 there was a student sit-in, and several of the local taverns were boycotted.
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THE MAJOR ACTION taken has been an attack on the discriminatory clauses that exist in some Greek national constitutions. The CRC believes that if these clauses were eliminated, the idea of integrating Greek houses would be more within the realm of probability.
Now, over two years later, most of the taverns in Lawrence are serving Negroes.
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The major change in the situation came this spring, after a meeting of tavern owners with the county attorney, which the CRC co-operated with the Lawrence Human Rights Commission to bring about.
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THE FUTURE CRC may not be quite as active as it has in the past.
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But he also mentioned other factors he thought might account for the decline of student interest in the CRC.
Warner said that since it was founded, the nature of the organization has changed. It has turned from the role of a passive moderator to that of an action group willing to take the initiative to get things accomplished.
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"WHEN THE GROUP was founded it had a nice written purpose. Many people felt it was a worthy cause and were interested in supporting it until they were confronted with actually doing something. When it
Warner feels that the lack of Negro participation may have some effect on the total lack of interest in the group because, he said, the white students tend to lose interest if they feel the Negroes don't even care.
This semester, activity of the group almost has come to a stop because of lack of participation. Chairman Don Warner, Topeka senior, has said that unless things change he is not sure the CRC will be functioning as an active group next year.
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No Negroes have been attending the meetings and only four whites have attended regularly.
meant taking a stand and getting involved in controversy they were no longer willing to help." Warner said.
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He also said another cause for the lack of attendance at the meetings was that the people who were originally interested in the group have been graduating faster than their places are filled by new members.
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