Accessing The Media: Crafting A Narrative

"Whitis Residents Present Grievances"

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Living conditions at Whitis Dormitory, University residence for Negro co-eds at Whitis and Twenty-sixth streets, have been improved only slightly since newspaper publicity began October 13. Dorm residents, feeling that their living quarters are wholly unfit, presented this testimony to the Grievance Committee of the Students' Association Tuesday night. Fire extinguishers and a new sofa, they said, are the only innovations in the two-story frame house. In addition to Whitis residents, the committee in open meeting also heard a complaint of unfavorable living conditions from a co-ed who rooms in a private girls boarding house. After the open meeting, committee members began formulating a report on the negro housing situation, including specific recommendations.

"Loss of Whitis Puts Negroes Back In Bind"

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Once again on the University campus, the plague of discriminatory housing faces Negroes.

Last spring, the University erased one of the blackest marks against it by integrating all housing it owned.

LEFT SEGREGATED, however, was private-approved housing.

No provision was made in the rules and regulations that the integration ruling also applied to private residences.

Negro coeds moved into previously forbidden rooms and males took places in the men's dorms.

But most of the Negro females continued to live in Whitis, the only dormitory then open to them at the University.

RECENTLY, however, the University announced plans to turn Whitis into a co-op living unit. The dormitory had not been making operating expenses, and the University felt it could best be salvaged by changing It into a co-op.

Despite the University's effort and good intentions shown by converting the dorm into low-cost housing, a distinct problem was created.

University dormitories are already full for next year and have long waiting lists. The private approved housing is segregated.

THUS, NEGROES wanting approved housing may have a difficult time finding it.

Anitha Mitchell, a Negro co-ed, said she recently spoke at her high school in Dallas and one of the most frequent questions centered on housing.

"Many of the girls said they were concerned over finding a place to live," she said.

"Usually a girl could get room in Whitis, but there will be a shortage now with it gone," she said.

Grace Hall, a private dormitory for women; Kirby Hall, operated by the Methodist Church; and Halstead Co-op offer housing to Negro women, Miss Mitchell said.

"BUT I CHECKED last fall and units such as the Miss Texas, La Fountainbleu, Heflin Manor, and University Arms are not." she said.

Last fall, the Student Assembly passed a resolution asking the administration to "state and enforce a policy of granting 'University Approval' status to privately owned houses . .. only if they do not discriminate on the basis of race or color."

The resolution stated that "a great number of University privately owned housing units are approved to cater to all students of a certain sex and. . . In reality these units do not cater to all students, but in fact discriminate among students on the grounds of race. .. We do not feel that a University, especially a state university, should promote this type of discrimination."

THE ASSEMBLY resolution tactfully skirted any indication that such a regulation should apply to housing maintained by the Student Organizations Maintaining Housing Committee. Thus, the housing of special interest groups, such as fraternities and sororities, will not be considered under the regulation.

The resolution was sent, along with other student proposals, to the administration for forwarding to the Board of Regents.

And like other student proposals on housing, it has not been officially heard of since.

A University official recently commented that housing should be "open to all students." This included approved housing since the University sanctioned it with its approval stamp.

THE UNIVERSITY, however, as in all its dealings with private housing is in a paradoxical situation. While it guarantees a market it needs just as badly the product the private owners have available.

Because of an overflow of applications, lack of space, and its regulations requiring undergraduates to live in approved housing, the University must help find some place for these students.

Mrs. Ada Mae Pierson, owner of a men's rooming and boarding house, said she would not discuss integration of private housing until after a meeting of private owners on the subject. The meeting is scheduled for April, Mrs. Pierson said. Possibly, the University is waitIng until private owners have indicated what stand they are going to take, before making a policy statement.

THE MANAGER of the Bridgeway dorm for men said he saw "no reason to set up barricades and start shooting. Whatever way the law and the University says that's the way we'll do it."

"I don't think it would work, said Mrs. Bella Hodson, manager of the Bradfield House for women. "I don't think people would be happy that way."

"No I'm not interested in talking with anyone about integrating," said Mrs. T. C. Hargrove, owner of a men's rooming and boarding house on Wichita. "I'm full already next year; the whole nine months. I won't take a one of 'em."

"AS FAR AS I know, we are Integrated now," said Douglas Chilton, assistant manager of the Orange and White dorm for men. No Negro students reside in the dorm, however. The manager of Miss Texas approved apartments for women said she could not answer whether or not the unit was integrated. No Negro females live at the Miss Texas now.

"UT Dorms Integrated After Long Struggle"

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Demonstrations on the University campus are nothing new. Throughout the years different beliefs were fought for, different forms of demonstration were enacted and different methods of control were used by authorities; however, most of these demonstrations had one thing in common-students bucking the system. In 1961, a sidewalk parade-demonstration was staged outside Kinsolving and Whitis dormitories and many quiet, integrated groups visited the lobbies and restrooms of the dorms. Why? 

In the fall of 1961 coeds living in dormitories were advised that Negro guests would be obliged to go directly to the room of their hostess and close the door. They were not allowed the use of the dining room, drinking fountains or toilet facilities. Today, the attitudes of supervisors, upper-class advisors and residents have changed, but not without a long struggle. 

During a wing meeting Kinsolving in October, 1961, upper-class advisors told residents that it was ‘unadvisable to invite them (female Negro guests) up, and we will discourage it.’ The coeds at the meeting applauded. 

After a fall filled with demonstrations against segregation policies in University housing a suit was filed on Nov 8, 1961 against the University. 

In 1963 the racial bar to everything on campus except the housing facilities was lifted by the Board of Regents. They refused integration in housing because they felt residence halls were “auxiliary enterprises which are operated primarily for service to students and do not constitute a part of the education process of the University.” 

It was not until May, 1964 that Judge W.W. Heath announced the Board of Regents’ complete integration of teaching and non-teaching personnel, housing and other facilities of the entire University system. The decision came after the dorm suit was withdrawn from federal court by the plaintiffs. 

TWO University-owned dormitories were integrated for the first time during the long session in the fall of 1964. Five black women were residents of Kinsolving and two black men moved Into Moore Hill Hall. However, in the fall of 1965, dormitories were still, in a sense, segregated. A Negro coed was living by herself in Blanton while 20 white women were living in Carothers' basement in temporary housing. At that time the only way a Negro and a white woman could live together was it the white coed specifically asked to have a Negro roommate. 

Another discriminating factor in 1965 was the question specifying race on housing contracts.

Today the question of race on the contracts has been removed. The contract now reads: "It is the policy of the University to assign roommates without regard to race, creed or nationality."

In Kinsolving this policy has been carried out. Of the dorm's six black residents, four have white roommates.

"UT Mourns Loss of Influential Woman"

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Everybody knew Mama Duren.

Almetris Marsh Duren, a surrogate mother to many students during her 25-year tenure at the University, is widely credited with helping minority students at the University weather the storm of racial integration. She died Friday, Oct. 13, at the age of 90 in Los Angeles.

"Almetris Marsh Duren was one of those treasures at the University of Texas who made a difference in campus life for all students," said Sharon Justice, UT dean of students, after learning of Duren's death.

A graduate of Tillotson College, Duren went on to be a housemother, advisor and student development specialist at the University from 1956 to 1981. She helped minority students find housing, financial assistance and a sense of inclusion when the University was racially integrating its student body.

She has been credited with encouraging minority students to graduate in the face of what some would call an often hostile campus environment.

"Everything about her was significant," said Brenda Burt, director of UT's Multicultural Information Center. "She was the person who just gave her all, and all so that African Americans could succeed on campus. It wasn't through the easiest of times.

Duren's efforts to open up the University to minority students included helping establish a choir and Project Info, UT's first recruitment program for minority students.

Margaret Berry, a UT historian and former dean of women who knew Duren well, said she thought the choir would be a good outlet for African-American students to showcase their talents and be involved in a campus activity. The choir, which is still a rallying point for AfricanAmericans, had its first CD release party Saturday night and had planned to send her a copy. 

A book Duren authored, Overcoming: A History of Black Integration at the University of Texas at Austin, is required reading for all orientation advisers and students in Burt's Minority Student Leadership Issues class.

"It's important that we never forget all that she did so that students could feel welcome on this campus," Burt said. Calishea Woods, an applied learning and development senior and former orientation adviser, called Duren's book an important part of orientation training. 

"We're telling freshmen about our school and how great it is, but we also need to know our school's history - not just in the good times but the times that were tough too," Woods said.

James Duncan, an educational development professor who worked with Duren, said he doesn't think students today can fully appreciate what Duren means to the University without having lived through integration themselves.

Duren continued to mentor students at the University after she retired by serving as a dorm mother at Moore-Hill Dormitory for teen-agers enrolled in a youth outreach program in the 1980s.

In addition to receiving numerous awards, including UT's Presidential Citation for' "providing the one continuous link in the history of integration at UT," the University also named one of its Women's Co-ops and several scholarships in her honor.

Her granddaughter, Andrea Canyon, said she dedicated the rest of her life to caring for family and neighborhood children well into the 1980s. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s to be close to family.

Tany Norwood, an assistant to Justice, said members of the University, along with alumni and former staff, are planning an Austin memorial service in November. A service is also being held in Los Angeles.

"Those people who knew Mama Duren's lives are enriched because they knew her," Justice said. "Her legacy continues."