Show a I. 1 High School Student Talk S LEON WELCH Superintendent Nelson Principal Madsen Board Members Member Members Mem Mem- bers ber parents friends and fellow fel fellow fellow fel- fel low graduates At the time of the Civil War our beloved and honored President Abr Abraham ham Lincoln led the American people in inequality inequality equality and justice for the Negro race During his years in office and the regretful years of the Civil War he persuaded congress congress congress con con- gress and the nations nation's people to amend the Constitution and grant the Negro his racial equality His llis dreams measure and ambitions were fulfilled as the Amendments to the Constitution of the United States freed the Negro from slavery and endowed him With liberties of American citizen citizen- ship But what has happened to dreams and desires and the Amendments which were made at that time Today the Negro of the South still possess pos possess pos sess the slave status or a status very like unto it The Negros of the North have been forced and led by many means to slums and the life which is associated with these living areas These people of the North and South still feel that the Negro should remain in these sickening disease filled standards standards standards stand stand- ards due to the problems and criticisms wh which i c h have been creat created d over the past hundred years The whites' whites inability to accept ac accept ac- ac the Negro has increased and enlarged because of the and disgrace that thatis thatis thatis is dealt to the Negro people Many of us say verbally that we grant the Negro his equality but when he is to associate or orI or I begin to live lire in the areas near nearlie soon turn attitudes ue lie we soon our harshly against him We fear that he will take our our jobs deprive us of our economic adjustments such as commodities space for housing housing housing hous hous- ing or to use the same markets markets markets mar mar- schools and recreational areas that we desire The far distant chance that your daughter or son c co could o u I 1 d intermarry with the Negro is perhaps the most frighten frightening g inability it to a accept c c e pt the Negro you personally face today The Negros Negro's position is not entirely due to how whites have accepted him but must include the Negros Negro's abilities to keep pace and c compete o m p e t e with t the e whites The educational have been available for forthe forthe the Negro people some opportunities opportunities op op- better than others some schools providing excellent excellent excellent excel excel- lent educational media but the majority of the Negro people have gained the little education they know in poorly equipped institutions The lack of schooling schooling schooling school school- ing combined with the Negros Negro's lack or desire to learn and improve has weakened his ability to c compete o m p e t e with the American people Itt It is a 3 known fact that the Negro people have lower levels of social standards and morals due to to his lack of interest t and desire to improve himself The crime rates among Negros as compared to other races in proportion proportion proportion pro pro- portion to their population number number num num- ber is far greater The causes of such crime can can be based upon their indifference to white law and the educational and s so social o c cia i a l 1 status which they I have attained The economic background of the Negro has primarily been comprised of a welfare pro pro- gram It is known that generation generation generation genera genera- tion after alter generation of these people have remained idle and have let the laborers of America clothe feed and shelter them Many just want to be fed and left along and thus they live from our pockets they are willing to let us provide welfare as a way of life The cultural standards of the Negro people are are- poorly re re- re fined Many agencies have tried hard to help and educate the Negro people only to have their efforts wa wasted ted when the Negros turn the new hou housing ing are areas into more slums and never never make the slightest effort to utilize the capabilities and capacities s they now haveThe have The picture of racial equality equality equal equal- ity is gradually and ve very y slowly coming into focus only to be blurred by the Americans American's in indifference indifference indifference in- in difference to the Negros Negro's s in inabilities inabilities in- in abilities to compete with the rest of the world Too many times the Amen Ameri American can people dont don't re recognize the seriousness of the racial problems problems problems pro pro- and just let it flow now the thern course and never attempt to change the banks of such sueh unjust waters These people feel and have havethe havethe the attitude that the poor have always been with us that they are with us today and that they shall ever be with witt us tomorrow These supposedly good Ameri Amen Citizens can are of a nature that thatis thatis thatis is worse in many opinions than the ide ideas s that provoke them This This' attitude of I dont don't care they're with us now and forever forever forever for for- ever ever ever- or orIll Ill I'll let George do doit doit doit it it it- will bring this nation to its knees more humbly and suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly than any protest march could ever doThe doThe doThe do The result of such attitudes of the American people tow towards the Negro and the feelings of the Negro towards America are the cause to our national riots that are subverted by both black and white white radicals These attitudes and feelings are the greatest opportunity doors for hoodlums and criminals crimin crimin- als such as Rap Brown Stokley Stokley Stokley Stok- Stok ley Carmichael and Timothy Learie These men have in the past and shall in the future been b brought r o 0 u ugh gh t to justice for forthe forthe forthe the grief the violence and the corruption they have stimulated in our country The Fhe problems of racial un- un equality and d disorder i s o r d e r are greatly encouraged and anden en en- enflamed enflamed flamed by our news media of today The various new outlets always search out and publish violence but very seldom do they ever publish or broadcast broadcast- peaceful measures as quickly and accurately as as they do viol viol- ence The results of the racial troubles have created very I ide ideas d e a s s- s sand and opinions about the pea peaceful c e r u I protests such as the poor peoples people's march to Washington the peaceful measures of the Martin Luther Kings King's funeral procession the NAACP National Association for Acceptance of Colored People and tunny other such or organizations organizations organizations or- or are uniting and c combining o m b i n j n g to re-piece re the American nation In In the future does peaceful friendly and meaningful progress progress progress pro pro- gress have to be activated activate by a funeral procession of a great world known leader To the Graduating Class and to you our parents friends and relatives the solution of the racial burdens rests partly upon our shoulders We accept the chal challenges lenges and the vast difficulties which we shall encounter in the future We must then t turn rn to our local governments and have them appeal to the he state governments governments governments govern govern- ments and in turn propose new and more effective solutions to our national governments so that once again America can truly stand as a united America instead of ol a divided America I 1 feel that there is an old aphorism t th that h a t sums up the domestic position or America today today- United we stand but divided we fall |