DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 2 of 2) | 1950-02-14 Burlington Hawkeye Gazette Article: "Self Survey Is Explained"

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Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 2 of 2)

1950-02-14 Burlington Hawkeye Gazette Article: "Self Survey Is Explained"

Self Survey Is Explained

   Those interested in a Community Self-Survey for Burlington learned considerable about the practical details of such a survey from Frank Fager, executive secretary of the Minneapolis Mayor's Council on Human Relations, at a meeting held at First Evangelical & Reformed church Monday night. Despite the inclement weather, a fair-sized crowd turned out to hear the young man, a nephew of Rev. J. F. McAnally, 714 South Fourth street.
   Fager told how Minneapolis woke up to the desirability of improving human relations after several ugly incidents involving minority groups had earned the city considerable unfavorable publicity. He said the self-survey technique was employed to "open the eyes of people who thought they knew what was going on around town, but didn't."
   The speaker said that whenever such a survey is proposed, there are those who advocate letting sleeping dogs lie; who argue that it will stir things up. Such people are in a minority, he declared, and, if the survey is successful, are often willing to recognize its value. He pointed out that whenever a minority group, however small in relation to the rest of the population of the city, is denied any of its rights as citizens and human beings, Communist propagandists see to it that the story is well publicized. He specifically mentioned Negroes, asserting that Red agitators use examples of ill-treatment of Negroes in America "to appeal to colored peoples all over the world". 
   Fager said that for those who prided themselves on being "hard-headed" and who weren't swayed by moral considerations, there were plenty of practical reasons for abolishing discrimination.
   "If we do not use all the manpower resources of the community to the fullest extent", he told his audience, "we lower the community's standard of living". To illustrate, he told how, since the Minneapolis survey, more and more desirable jobs have been opened to Negroes.
   The speaker warned that improvements resulting from a self-survey are "gradual and steady" rather than "sweeping."
   In the question - and - answer period, Fager said the "self-imposed segregation" of minority groups was something that had to be overcome, as well as the tendency of the young people of these groups to aspire to nothing higher than the menial tasks that were for a long time the only ones open to their forbears. It is a matter of education, he delcared. 
   Asked if the survey would name names in the matter of unfair employers, etc., Fager said nothing is to be gained by "pointing the accusing finger". Rather, he said, the information is kept confidential and efforts are made to change these attitudes through education. He said laws on statute books are not enough to accomplish anything by themselves; the cooperation of the people is required.
   Rev. Robert H. Hamill presided the meeting, and at the end of the question - and - answer period Rev. R. G. Beck spoke briefly and extended an invitation to all interested persons to come to First Evangelical & Reformed church at 7:30 p.m. Monday for a work meeting. He also expressed thanks to those who have donated their time and energy to the project there.

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Self Survey Is Explained Those interested in a Community Self-Survey for Burlington learned considerable about the practical details of such a survey from Frank Fager, executive secretary of the Minneapolis Mayor's Council on Human Relations, at a meeting held at First Evangelical & Reformed church Monday night. Despite the inclement weather, a fair-sized crowd turned out to hear the young man, a nephew of Rev. J. F. McAnally, 714 South Fourth street. Fager told how Minneapolis woke up to the desirability of improving human relations after several ugly incidents involving minority groups had earned the city considerable unfavorable publicity. He said the self-survey technique was employed to "open the eyes of people who thought they knew what was going on around town, but didn't." The speaker said that whenever such a survey is proposed, there are those who advocate letting sleeping dogs lie; who argue that it will stir things up. Such people are in a minority, he declared, and, if the survey is successful, are often willing to recognize its value. He pointed out that whenever a minority group, however small in relation to the rest of the population of the city, is denied any of its rights as citizens and human beings, Communist propagandists see to it that the story is well publicized. He specifically mentioned Negroes, asserting that Red agitators use examples of ill-treatment of Negroes in America "to appeal to colored peoples all over the world". Fager said that for those who prided themselves on being "hard-headed" and who weren't swayed by moral considerations, there were plenty of practical reasons for abolishing discrimination. "If we do not use all the manpower resources of the community to the fullest extent", he told his audience, "we lower the community's standard of living". To illustrate, he told how, since the Minneapolis survey, more and more desirable jobs have been opened to Negroes. The speaker warned that improvements resulting from a self-survey are "gradual and steady" rather than "sweeping." In the question - and - answer period, Fager said the "self-imposed segregation" of minority groups was something that had to be overcome, as well as the tendency of the young people of these groups to aspire to nothing higher than the menial tasks that were for a long time the only ones open to their forbears. It is a matter of education, he delcared. Asked if the survey would name names in the matter of unfair employers, etc., Fager said nothing is to be gained by "pointing the accusing finger". Rather, he said, the information is kept confidential and efforts are made to change these attitudes through education. He said laws on statute books are not enough to accomplish anything by themselves; the cooperation of the people is required. Rev. Robert H. Hamill presided the meeting, and at the end of the question - and - answer period Rev. R. G. Beck spoke briefly and extended an invitation to all interested persons to come to First Evangelical & Reformed church at 7:30 p.m. Monday for a work meeting. He also expressed thanks to those who have donated their time and energy to the project there.