69 - 22,129
FRAZIER, Severne Allen, 1910- A HISTORY AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1969 Education, physical
University Microfilms, A XEROX Company , Ann Arbor, Michigan
© r?,A7i f ? i 1 7 '
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This dias*rt*tion has b« « a 6 9 -2 2 ,1 2 9 microfilmed exactly u received
FRAZIER, Severn Allen, 1910- A HISTORY AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1969 Education, physical
University Microfilms. Inc.. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Copyri gh t by
Severne Allen Frazier
1 C | 7 Q A HISTORY AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
DISSERTATION
Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements ifor the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University
By
Severne Allen Frazier, B.S., A.M.
* * * it *
The Ohid State University 1969
Approved By
Adviser Department of Physical Educatio ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The writer wished to express his deepest and sincere appreciation to Dr. Bruce L. Bennett for his guidance, counseling, and helpful criticisms in the preparation of this study. Special words of thanks are also offered to Dr. Mand and Dr, Ersing for contributions as members of the examining committee, as well as readers for the study. To those athletic association officials, principals, and coaches who contributed much of their time toward making this study possible, I offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation.
I would like to dedicate this study to my wife, Constance, and our three children: Severne Jr., Olivia, and Stephen. It was their confidence and devotion to the cause that inspired me to finish this phase of my education.
ii VITA
February 18, 1910 Born-Montgomery, Alabama
1933 B.S., Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama
1947 M.A., Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
1933-1945 Teacher in Public Schools of Alabama
1946-1956 Instructor at Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama
1957-1959 Graduate Study at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
1960-1965 Associate Professor of Physical Education, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama
1965-1969 Graduate Study at The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
FIELDS OF STUDY
Major Field: Physical Education
Minor Field: Sociology
iii CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... ii
VITA...... iii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION...... 1
Statement of the P r o b l e m ...... 3 Significance of the Problem...... 4 Hypotheses ...... 5 Scope and Limitations of the S t u d y ...... 6 Definition of Terms...... 7 Procedures of the Study...... 9
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE...... 15
CHAPTER III ATHLETICS IN NEGRO HIGH SCHOOLS PRIOR TO 1947. .... 24
Athletics in the Local Districts ...... 29 Fund Raising Projects for Athletics...... 40
CHAPTER IV THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. . . 43
The Establishment of the Association...... 43 Membership Fees of the Association...... 48 Publication of Newsletters ...... 51
CHAPTER V A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION...... 59
State Basketball Champion Established...... 67 Membership Fees of the Association...... 74
CHAPTER VI THE MERGER OF THE STATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS .... 96
Procedural History of the C a s e ...... 97 The Montgomery County School Board and the Federal Court...... 99 The Athletic Associations and the Federal Court...... 103 The Merger Plan...... 124 Some Reactions Concerning the M e r g e r ...... 129
iv Page
CHAPTER VII THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION .... 135
The Tournament Moved to Montgomery, Alabama. . . 147 The Aid of Business Establishments...... 151 The Association is Dissolved...... 152 The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations...... 154
CHAPTER VIII SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS...... 161
Conclusions...... 173 Some Significant Dates and Events Associated With This Study...... 175
APPENDIX A QUESTIONNAIRE TO FORMER OFFICERS OF THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION ...... 179
APPENDIX B QUESTIONNAIRE TO PRINCIPALS AND COACHES OF SCHOOLS SPONSORING INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS PRIOR TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION...... 183
APPENDIX C QUESTIONNAIRE TO THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION...... 186
APPENDIX D CONSTITUTION OF THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION...... 190
APPENDIX E CONSTITUTION OF THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION...... 199
BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 206
v CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Athletics has played a very important part in the growth and spread of education throughout the United States. One of the unique
features of athletics is that it was first conceived of and introduced into the schools by students. Due to the widespread interest and'
support given to athletics by students and other citizens of the various communities, its popularity increased at a tremendous pace.
As athletics continued to flourish in the various schools,
it became necessary for certain kinds of controls to be inaugurated
in order to improve standards and to see that the program would be conducted on a wholesome basis. With this idea in mind, school administrators began to accept athletics as a vital part of the
students1 school experience and organized state athletic associations
to implement the athletic program.
State athletic associations are classified into three types:
(1) The voluntary, independent association, (2) The association
affiliated with state departments of education, and (3) Those affiliated with certain state universities. Most of the associations are of the voluntary type. In the associations affiliated with state department
of education the control resides with the department of education.^-
1 • : -... Edward F. Voltmer and Arthur A. Esslinger, The Organization and Administration of Physical Education (New York: Appleton Century Crofts, Inc., 1958), p. 220. 2
There are many varied functions of state .high school athletic associations. Some of the functions may be listed as follows:
1. Establishing standards of eligibility and the number
of games to be played in each sport during any given
season.
2. Conducting basketball tournaments and track meets.
3. Registering and certifying game officials.
4. Conducting coaching clinics.
5. Publishing bulletins, newsletters and handbooks.
6. Sponsoring "All Star Games,"
7. Arbitrating disputes among its member schools.
8. Establishing rules of conduct for game officials.
9. Interpreting playing rules for various athletic contests.
10. Classifying schools in order to equalize competition.
Most of the schools in the southern part of the United States operated on a segregated basis prior to the United States Supreme
Court's Decision on School Desegregation in 1954. Many of the benefits that were afforded the white schools by state athletic associations were not available to the Negro schools. Not only were the athletic programs found in these Negro schools inferior, but the whole educational program afforded the Negro schools was generally below accepted standards.
In order to combat these discriminatory practices, Negro principals, athletic directors, coaches and teachers organized their own local and state athletic associations. Even though the odds were against them they were determined to raise the standards of athletic 3 participation among the Negro boys and girls in their respective cities and states. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the
National High School Athletic Association were two of the most potent
Negro athletic associations and are thus deemed worthy of this study.
Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama; Tuskegee Institute,
Tuskegee, Alabama; Alabama A. & M. College, Normal, Alabama; and
Tennessee State College, Nashville, Tennessee have contributed significantly toward the development of wholesome athletic participation among the predominately Negro high schools throughout the United States.
This is especially true in those areas where dual systems of education were sanctioned by various state laws.
Statement of the Problem
State high school athletic associations have made significant contributions toward raising the standards of the athletic programs among various high schools throughout the United States. Many of the
Negro schools in the South were struggling with athletic programs that were decidedly inferior to the athletic programs that were conducted
in the predominately white schools.
It is the purpose of this study to reveal some of the conditions
and problems that these Negro schools were subjected to prior to the
establishment of Negro athletic associations and also to present their historical background. With the establishment of these associations,
an effort will be made to compare their functions to those of the white associations of the same design. 4
The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the
National High School Athletic Association are the two associations that are primarily involved in this study. These two Negro athletic associations played significant roles in raising the standards of athletic participation among the Negro schools on both the state and national level.
In addition to these two associations, the Alabama High School
Athletic Association, which was an "All White" athletic association, and the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations are likewise included in the study. The Alabama High School Athletic V • Association restricted its membership to the accredited white high schools in Alabama. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association's membership was composed of the Negro high schools of Alabama. Any
Negro high school that was recognized by the Alabama State Department of Education whether accredited or not was eligible for membership in the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Significance of the Problem
The average layman, who reads about the athletic programs that are conducted among the various schools, experiences a feeling of gratification over such accomplishments. However, many of these individuals are unaware of the fact that much of the information that they read does not tell the whole story. Since so many people are lacking in knowledge concerning Negroes and their involvement in many progressive movements, it is one of the major objectives of this study 5 to reveal some significant and tangible contributions made by Negroes toward raising the standards of athletic participation in various high schools in the southern part of the United States.
Many Negro athletes have been widely acclaimed for their feats of skills on the football field, the basketball court, the baseball diamond and in the area of track and field. Very little information is written about Negro athletic associations and the part that they have played in promoting wholesome athletic participation. It is hoped that this study will not only reveal factual information that is unknown to many people but will also improve the image of the Negro as a worthy contributor to our American heritage of sports. This study should also provide a source of authentic information that can be used for future references involving studies of this nature.
The writer of this study received his high school and early college training in Alabama. He also served as a teacher, coach, principal, game official, and the Executive Secretary of the Alabama
Interscholastic Athletic Association for four years. On the basis of these experiences within the State of Alabama, the following hypotheses are herewith presented:
Hypotheses
1. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and
the National High School Athletic Association were
established as an outgrowth of the dual system of
education practiced in the Southern states. 6
2. Many of the athletic programs that were conducted among
the Negro high schools of Alabama were greatly Inferior
to similar programs that were conducted among the white
high schools of Alabama.
3. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the
National High School Athletic Association have contributed
significantly toward providing wholesome athletic
participation for Negro high school athletes and improving
athletic participation in general.
4. Failure of the National Federation of*9«tate High School
Athletic Associations to recognize more than one athletic
association in the State of Alabama deprived many Negro
athletes from earning recognition in sport performances.
5. The merger of the Alabama High School Athletic Association
and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association has
provided wider avenues of athletic participation for
athletes in predominately Negro high schools.
Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study is concerned primarily with the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association and the National High School Athletic Association.
These two associations were selected for this study because they represented two of the most recognized athletic associations organized
through the efforts of Negroes primarily for Negroes. Some of the organizers of these associations are deceased thereby limiting somewhat 7 the obtaining of much valuable information concerning some of the athletic associations mentioned in this study. This is especially true as it relates to the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the National High School Athletic Association.
The National High School Athletic Association did not have any national headquarters but rather it operated on the campus of
Tennessee State College, Nashville, Tennessee, and Booker T. Washington
High School, Montgomery, Alabama. This association operated for 23 years with volunteer help. Since neither of the above mentioned associations had salaried officers one would not expect to find adequate bookkeeping or any highly organized system for keeping records.
Much valuable data concerning these associations were either lost or destroyed because of the manner in which records were kept.
Many "Old Timers" are aware of the functioning of these associations but their memories are somewhat vague and questionable. Most of the data concerning these associations are found in their constitutions, athletic programs, newsletters, newspaper clippings-, form letters, annual reports of the executive secretaries, court orders and handbooks.
Definition of Terms
1. Interscholastic competition - This term signifies athletic
competition among various high schools.
2. Proselyting - This word is associated with unfair practices
that coaches often resort to in persuading an athlete to 8
leave a school that he is already attending; or having
indicated either verbally or in writing of his intentions
to attend a particular school.
3. National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations
This association is composed of a federation of state high
school athletic associations that have merged in order to
form rules and regulations that are uniform, and which apply
to all of the state associations that are members of the
organization.
4. Wholesome participation - This term refers to a state wherein
the person who is participating in the activity has the
physiological, psychological, and sociological capacity to
engage in the activity without any undue stress or strain
on any parts of his organic system.
5. Eligibility - This word has reference to an athlete meeting
all of the mechanical requirements for participation in
various interscholastic contests. This includes being
within a certain age limit, having passing grades in his
academic classes, and having certain residence requirements,
as well as certain standards of conduct.
6. Executive Secretary - This term as referred to in this study
represents the ranking officer (highest) in any given
athletic association.
7. State High School Athletic Association - An organization
formed to coordinate the efforts of the various athletic associations that are found in each individual state.
Membership in this organization is voluntary, but all of the rules of the association must be obeyed in order to retain membership in the organization.
Subsidization - The eivinK of financial aid in some
form to athletes in exchange for their enrollment in
a given school, and subsequent participation in some
forms of varsity sports.
Commissioner - This refers to the person whose duty it
is to arbitrate disputes that arise among various schools belonging to a designated athletic association. The
commissioner rules on such things as player eligibility,
disputed games, breach of contracts, playoffs, sites of
games, tie games, etc.
Central Board of Control - That body of officers that represents the controlling authority in most state
athletic associations. The Executive Secretary of the
local state high school athletic association is directly
responsible to the Central Board of Control. Usually
there is no appeal from the decisions of this board.
Procedures of the Study
Research into the files of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association, Montgomery, Alabama, was conducted
and much valuable information was obtained from newsletters, 10
athletic programs, minutes of meetings, form letters,
constitutions, and financial reports of the Executive
Secretaries.
2. Library research was made at the Ohio State University
Library, Alabama State College Library, and the Library
at Alabama A. & M. College, Normal, Alabama.
3. There were three different types of questionnaires used
in the study. One of the questionnaires was sent to two
former Executive Secretaries of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association, and to the last President of the
National High School Athletic Association. A different
form was sent to the Executive Secretary of the Alabama
High School Athletic Association. A third form was sent
to 129 coaches and principals of those schools that
sponsored interschool athletics prior to the establishment
of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association in
1947. From the 129 questionnaires that were sent to the
coaches and principals, 85 of the sheets were returned fully
answered. All former officers of the athletic associations
returned their questionnaire fully answered.
4. A special request was made of certain key persons who were
familiar with the development of interschool athletics in
the Negro high schools of Alabama prior to the establishment
of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association to write
letters concerning such programs. The former Executive 11
Secretaries of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association were also asked to write letters that would
reveal information concerning the association's history
and progress during the early years of its existence*
Letters were received from the following individuals:
a. Mr. George Bell, first President of the
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
b. Mr, J. D. Cooke, guidance counselor, Booker T.
Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama.
c. Mr. W. H. Coston, third-'Executive Secretary
of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
•Association.
d. Mr. 0. F. Frazier, second Executive Secretary
of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association.
e. Mr, Rueben Lewis, former principal of Evergreen
Elementary School, Evergreen, Alabama, also former
three letter athlete at Alabama State Teachers
College from 1923 to 1927.
f. Mr. A. J. Rowser, former principal, U.S. Jones
High School, Demopolis, Alabama.
5. Tape recorded interviews were obtained from the following
individuals:
a. Mr. C. T. Smiley, principal of Booker T. Washington
High School, Montgomery, Alabama, and former 12
President of the National High School Athletic
Association.
b. Mr. James Hall, Associate Executive Secretary,
Alabama High School Athletic Association and former
President of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association.
c. Mr. Willie Henderson, coach Hudson High School,
Selma, Alabama.
d. Mr. William Mills, former coach, Columbia High
School, Columbia, Alabama, and veteran official
for the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association,
e. Mr. W. H.Coston, second Executive Secretary,
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
f. Mr. Rueben Lewis, former principal, Evergreen
Elementary School, Evergreen, Alabama.
g. Mr. C. B. Crenshaw, Supervisor of Elmore County
Schools, Wetumpka, Alabama, also veteran game
official for the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association,
h. Mr. 0. F. Frazier, second Executive Secretary of
the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
i. Mr. A. J. Rowser, former principal, U.S. Jones
High School, Demopolis, Alabama.
Data used in this study were subject to external and internal criticisms. Since this is an historical study, one has to be extremely 13 careful as to the authenticity and reliability of the data that he proposes to include in his presentation.
Historians are always suspicious of the authenticity and reliability of the raw data they collect from primary and secondary source material. They realize that "in historical studies doubt is the beginning of wisdom". Research based on untrustworthy sources is labor lost. Consequently, scholars do not accept data as facts until after intensively subjecting them to external and internal criticism,2
The information that is presented in this study represents a bonifide effort on the part of the writer to relate it as it actually happened without any reservations or evasions. It is hoped that this study will serve as an incentive for others to probe into that vast area of uncovered knowledge that depicts and portrays the contributions of the Negro to our American sport heritage.
The available literature on Negro athletic associations seems to be very scarce, A few studies were located that gave some indication of the thinking of Negroes about the quality of the interscholastic athletic programs that operated among Negro high schools in segregated school systems. A brief analysis of these studies is given in Chapter II.
These studies were observed and conclusions drawn on the basis of the
findings.
The writer made use of his experience and training as a resource
for the study also. He received his elementary, high school and college
training in the public schools of Alabama. He served as principal and
coach of three small high schools in Alabama from 1939 to 1945. He
2 .... Research Council. Research Methods in Health, Physical Education. and Recreation. 2nd Edition. (Washington, D.C.: American Association For Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1959), p. 473. 14 also served in the capacity of game official in football and basketball over a period of twenty years. In addition to these experiences, he was the fourth Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association and served in that position for four years. 15
CHAPTER II '
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter is designed to present some of the literature that deals with the growth and development of athletics in Negro high schools that operated under a dual system of education. Special efforts were made to obtain literature that gave some indication of the origin and development of athletic associations by Negro school administrators, teachers and coaches.
Several studies were found that gave some information relative to the problems and issues that were associated with this study. The following studies were selected on the basis of their possible contribution toward revealing factual information relative to the purposes of this study. Four of the studies included in this presentation were written by teachers and coaches in the Alabama
Public Scho61 System. Another study was taken from a thesis written by James Montgomery at George Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee.
The other source of related literature included in this study was taken from Edwin Bancroft Henderson's book titled, The Negro In Sports.
One of the outstanding studies that came from the Alabama group of contributors was that of Charles Brown, principal of Brighton
High School, Birmingham, Alabama. The title of Brown's booklet or publication was "Administering and Financing Interscholastic Athletics in Seven Negro High Schools of Jefferson County, Alabama," 1956-57. 16
Jefferson County was the largest and most highly industrialized county in Alabama. In making his study, Brown presented a descriptive analysis of each Negro high school that sponsored interscholastic athletics; emphasizing such items as the location of the school, the nature of the community, the status of the school in relation to accreditation, school enrollment, faculty and the type of control under which the school operated. Brown stated that:
The athletic program was administered in the seven schools by a combination of personnel which varied from school to school without set pattern, except that in each case both the principal and coaches were mentioned. Among the administering personnel of the programs in the school listed were: the principal, the coach, the assistant coach, the assistant principal, the trainer, the business manager, and the athletic committee.
The problem of finance has always faced the Negro schools of
Alabama as they attempted to carry out their interschool athletic programs. In financing the athletic programs of the seven schools included in Brown’s study the following report was given.
A total of $8,288.07 was spent annually by all of the schools. The lowest expenditure of $200 was made by Praco High School and the highest was made by Brighton High School of $1,713.07. The per capita amount of money spent by the schools ranged from $ .58 at Praco tb $4.83 at Brighton. The average per capita expenditure was $2.03, The total receipts ranged from $100 at Praco to $1,600 at Wenonah. These receipts included money collected as physical education fees, as well as money raised by the schools in special drives and popularity contests.
James Hall in his thesis written for the M.Ed. degree at
Alabama State College in 1961, wrote on the subject, "A Study of
Charles Brown,'Administering and Financing Interscholastic Athletics in the Seven Negro High Schools of Jefferson County, Alabama.” 1956-57 p. 13. (Mimeographed.)
2Ibid., p. 23. 17
Eligibility Controls Relating to Interscholastic Athletics in the Negro 3 Schools of Alabama." Hall was a basketball coach at Carver High School,
Dothan, Alabama, and was very much interested in the problem of athletic eligibility of players participating in interschool athletics. Hall
in his study presented the following hypotheses;
1. That the existing eligibility controls relating to
interschool athletics are inadequate in the school
districts under consideration.
2. That eligibility controls do not conform to proposed
standards and the academic achievement and progress
of the students are affected by this lack of uniformity.
3. If standards as proposed by experts can serve as a basis
for the operation of interschool athletics, the academic
achievement and progress of students can be greatly improved.
On the basis of his findings, Hall presented the following
conclusions:
1. Generally, the controls relating to Lthe conditions of
eligibility as expressed in the Constitution, By-Laws
«r. and regulations of the Negro high schools of Alabama
and of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association
do not conform to the standards as recommended by
authorities concerned with the administration of
interschool athletics.
3 James Hall, Jr., "A Study of Eligibility Controls Relating to Interscholastic Athletics in the Negro High Schools of Alabama," Unpublished Master's Thesis, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, 1961. 18
2. Academic scholarship requirements vary too widely, and
in the main are too lax to support the claim that athletic
participation enhances academic achievement.
3. The schools holding membership in the athletic districts
in question are unduly exposing students to some of the
hazards of athletic participation by failing to make some
type of medical examination mandatory.
4. Finally, the complete absence of any reference in the
expressed controls to amateur status leads one to conclude
that the schools involved are not fully aware of the
inroads that professionalism is making into interscholastic 4 athletics.
Edwin B. Henderson, one of the leading authors of books on
Negro sports, in his book titled The Negro in Sports stated:
Until 1906, there were no organized Negro school or college associations for the promotion or control of athletics. Very few educational institutions sponsored athletics other than baseball and football. In 1906, there met in Washington, D.C. several educators who planned an association of colored schools for athletic purposes. It was called the Interscholastic Athletic Association of the Middle Atlantic States, and among its first members were Howard University, the M Street High School, and Armstrong Manual Training School of Washington, D.C., the Douglass High School of Baltimore and the Howard High School of Wilmington, Delaware.^
Henderson also stated that:
4 Ibid., pp. 38-39
^Edwin Bancroft Henderson, The Negro in Sports, (Washington, D.C.: Associated Publisher, Inc., 1939), p. 238. 19
The first activity sponsored was a track and field meet, May 30, 1906, at Howard University, Competition was afforded in open and closed events. Later this organization developed basketball and football leagues and conducted two mammoth indoor track meets in Washington, B.C. The Interscholastic Athletic Association fostered athletics in the Middle Atlantic region for many years being succeeded by various conference groups; the latest being the South Atlantic High School Athletic Association which includes many of the original schools of thegl.S.A.A. and others in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia,
In speaking about Negro high school athletes, Henderson
stated:
Negro athletes who are fortunate enough to display talents in the high schools of the truly democratic cities of the North, East or West have an advantage over many equally good or better school boy athletes who have to attend some of the good and not so good high schools of the South. One of the reasons Negro boys have been so successful lately in the hurdles, the pole vaults, high jump, and many special track or field events is because from junior high schools on through high school these youth have had the advantage of well made tracks, pits, good equipment, and expert teaching.^
Alphonsa Western presented a thesis for the M.Ed. degree at
Alabama State College in 1964 on the subject, "A Survey of Problems
of Coaches Attending Summer School at Three Alabama Colleges During
the Summer of 1964." According to Western, his study was motivated
by a desire to isolate and study the major problems experienced by
coaches attending summer school in 1964. He stated:
The general opinion of some physical education teachers in this locality is that coaches have to perform duties for which they are inadequately prepared
6Ibid.
7Ibid., p. 271. 20
and that they are often expected to perform these duties under the most adverse conditions, without adequate physical facilities and within a limited time allotted for the performance. There is often a lack of student or human resources that are sufficient to assist in the gerformance of these duties and in all the heavy work load.
From his study, Western made the following conclusions:
1. A large percentage of schools have not solved the
problems of supplies, physical facilities and
equipment in the area of physical education.
2. The teaching duties of coaches extend beyond the
teaching of physical education classes.
3. Salaries paid coaches are significant factors in
the coaches' return to school.
4. Large communities meet the needs of the physical 9 education program better than the small communities.
Wilson Sullivan presented a thesis for the M.Ed. degree at
Alabama State College in 1961. The title of the study was: 11 A
Study of Administrative Policies and Practices in Interschool 10 Athletics." The problem of concern in this study was to determine the nature of the administrative policies and practices relating to
g Alphonsa Western, "A Survey of Problems of Coaches Attending Summer School at Three Alabama Colleges During the Summer of 1964," Unpublished Master's Thesis, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, p.]
^Ibid., pp. 42-43.
^Wilson Sullivan, "A Study of Administrative Policies and Practices in Interschool Athletics," Unpublished Master's Thesis, Alabama State College, 1961. 21 the interschool athletic programs in a selected number of schools in Montgomery, Alabama. Sullivan was a graduate of Alabama State
College and one of its star athletes in football and basketball.
He was interested in seeing to it that qualified coaches were appointed to teaching and coaching positions. Sullivan stated:
The day has gone when a coach is selected only on the basis of him having played outstanding football, basketball or baseball at some college or university. In order to run an efficient educational athletic program one must be properly trained. Such a program calls for well-defined organization and public relations, understanding of the relation of the school to the state athletic association, understanding of eligibility rules and a keen sense of business management. Schools should continue to conduct their athletic programs as part of physical education under the direction of teachers with special preparation in the field of physical education. The administrative policy which allows one school to operate its interschool athletic program separately is completely different in the set-up of the school structure.^
The following proposals were also advanced by Sullivan:
1. That the Board of Education provide funds for the
interschool program in precisely the same manner as
it does for other academic areas.
2. That interschool athletics be governed by the same
authorities that control other parts of the school's
program at both local and state levels.
3. That every school should have a written policy regarding
the responsibility for injuries incurred in athletics and
this policy should be known to all participants, their 12 parents and other responsible adults.
11Ibid.
12Ibid. 22
James A. Montgomery in his thesis titled "The Development of the Interscholastic Athletic Movement in the United States, 1890-1940" indicated that:
. . . state high school athletic associations were the logical extension of the local high school associations that were organized and developed to check vicious and unsportsmanlike practices which were inimical to educational aims and ideals. Since most of these state high school athletic associations were in the experimental stage, there were many varied patterns of organization and controls. Constant revisions in the various state high school athletic associations constitutions brought about more efficient regulation and greater expansion of the athletic programs in the high schools.^
Montgomery further stated:
. . . that the state high school athletic associations afforded member schools the privilege of clean wholesome athletic participation; the guarantee of good faith in the matter of eligibility ‘and rules; and a means of redress for violations. It will be its duty to encourage recreational and game sports for all and to outline a flexible program that may be used as a standard in the development of them.
The related literature included in this study touch upon many of the problems and issues presented in this study. Such problems as financing the athletic program, player eligibility, making the proper selection of the coaching staff, inadequate facilities, and the role played by athletic associations in promoting wholesome athletic participation, are indeed pertinent to a study of this nature.
13 James A. Montgomery, "The Development of the Interscholastic Movement in the United States, 1890-1940," Unpublished Master's Thesis, George Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee, June, 1960, p. 78.
14Ibid.. p. 79. 23
The studies presented by Hall, Western, Sullivan, and Brown were all associated with the growth and development of the athletic program in the Negro high schools of Alabama. They were teachers and coaches in the Negro high schools of Alabama and should thus be
familiar with the operation of Negro athletics where a dual system of education existed.
The following conclusions may be drawn from this review of related literature:
1. Player eligibility represented one of the most serious
problems that was associated with interschool athletics.
2. There seemed to be general agreement that the athletic
coach should be qualified academically as well as being
proficient 'in the .various rsport skills.
3. Athletic associations hav. contributed significantly
toward raising the standards of athletic participation
on the high school level.
4. That Negro school administrators, teachers and coaches
were as greatly concerned about raising the standards
of athletic participation among the Negro schools as
the whites were concerning their schools. 24
CHAPTER III
■ATHT.F.TICS_m_NF.r!RO HTCH SCHOOLS PR TOR TO 1947
The period of study in this chapter extends from 1920 through
1946. This was the period that preceded the establishment of the
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association in 1947. There was very little athletic participation among the Negro high schools of Alabama prior to 1920. The whole educational program for Negroes in Alabama at this time was very meager. Cotton was king in Alabama and the agriculture industry flourished on cheap Negro labor. Most of the
Negroes who lived on the farms were sharecroppers and their economic conditions were very poor. The majority of the Negro high schools were below acceptable standards and had been created primarily to preserve a segregated school system. Mast of the Negro tax supported high schools were designated as training schools.
Most of these Negro high schools were not in session more than seven months a year. The little athletic participation that was carried on in these Negro training schools was in the form of baseball and basketball. Practically all of the basketball was played out doors since gymnasiums were unknown in the Negro schools. From 1920 through
1930 most of the high school athletic programs were sponsored by the various Negro colleges. The facilities of the colleges were not up to generally accepted standards, however, there were fairly adequate foot ball fields, baseball diamonds, and certain improvised areas that could be used to play basketball indoors. 25
Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama; Tuskegee Institute,
Tuskegee, Alabama; Talladega College, Talladega, Alabama; Miles Memorial
College, Birmingham, Alabama; Selma University, Selma, Alabama and
Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, Alabama were the colleges that took the
lead in sponsoring Negro high school athletics during this period.
Most of these institutions that were designated as colleges could not qualify as a good high school according to present day standards.
All of these colleges had laboratory high schools located on their campuses and under their control. It was necessary in most cases
to permit the high school students to play along with the college
students in order to have the necessary manpower. During this period,
the students were much more mature and larger in size than they are
today. There were a considerable number of seventh and eighth grade
students who were sixteen and seventeen years of age.
If there had been an athletic association during this period,
there would not have been enough schools engaged in Interschool athletics
to support it. In some instances colleges like Tuskegee Institute and
Alabama State College played a regular high school schedule with their varsity reserves which was composed of mostly high school students.
Prior to 1930, there were only two Negro colleges in Alabama that offered
a four year program leading to an A.B. or B.S. degree. These colleges were Talladega College and Tuskegee Institute, both private institutions.
Talladega College was under the sponsorship of the Congregational Church
and Tuskegee Institute, founded by Booker T. Washington, was supported
by private donations and students' tuition fees. The other colleges 26 mentioned in this study operated on the junior college level. Alabama
State College issued its first baccalaureate degree in 1931.
It is interesting to note that some of the most highly publicized
Negro athletes attending colleges in Alabama during the period between
1920 and 1930 were members of teams that were composed of both high school and college students. Among such athletes were Ben Stevenson, "All
American," Tuskegee Institute, E.B. Campbell, Alabama State College,
Frank Lewis, Alabama State College, Billy Moore, Alabama State College, and Paul Smith, Tuskegee Institute. Practically all of the regular established high schools or training schools during this period engaged in basketball. There were no regulation gymnasiums and most of the schools played basketball outdoors. There were at least 25 or 30 of these county training schools that played outdoor basketball. They were located in most of the 67 counties of Alabama,
Some of the county training schools were designed with a sliding door that could be opened for an auditorium. These sliding doors made available two classrooms with an area of approximately 40 x 60 feet.
The ceiling would measure not more than 15 feet from the floor. On many occasions these areas would be used to play indoor basketball.
In northern Alabama, where the winter seasons were extremely cold, basketball participation was very limited. The few schools that engaged in the sport played only a few games each season.
In 1928, Alabama State College sent its reserve football squad, known then as the "Baby Hornets" to Mobile, Alabama to engage in a football contest with an "All Star" group that was selected from several 27 high schools in the Mobile area. This was the first "All Star" contest that Alabama State College had engaged in with its reserve football squad. The promotion of this game was under the leadership of Rueben
"Chick" Lewis, an alumnus of Alabama State College and a teacher afc that time in the public school system of Mobile. Lewis had earned letters in football, basketball and track while attending college at
Alabama State.
This football contest was the first game to be played in Hart well Field by any Negro athletic group. This field was generally used for professional baseball among white professional teams. It was the general pattern not to allow Negroes to play in parks or playgrounds where the whites played. According to Lewis, the game was financed by
Negro business and professional men residing in the city of Mobile.
During this time, Alabama State was a junior college and Issued only a
Class D teaching certificate for the public schools of Alabama. All of its varsity athletic teams during this period were comprised of high school and college students. As previously stated, the college did not issue its first baccalaureate degree before the spring of 1931.
As an outgrowth of this game played in 1928, many athletes
from the Mobile area began to matriculate at the college. The game also
served to stimulate interest in the local school system. Since it was a financial success, some of the profit that resulted from the
game was used to organize an athletic association that began to look
after the needs and interests of the schools that were attempting to 28 carry on interschool athletics, within the city and other areas of
Mobile County.'*'
Tuskegee Institute, located at Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, began an annual relay carnival in 1927. Teams were invited from all of the southern states including Texas. This was an invitational track and field meet. The school had recently constructed a new regulation track and this was the beginning of a new era for Negroes in track.
In 1928, high school teams were invited to engage in the competition.
The only event that was opened to the high schools that first year was 2 the two mile relay. Within a few years, this relay carnival became one of the most publicized athletic events throughout the South and
Southwest.
In 1934, a national basketball tournament began at the same institution. Both boys and girls' teams played in the tournament. The
following account is given in a news bulletin concerning 1942 basket ball tournament:
Twenty-seven teams in the boys' division and twenty- one teams in the girls1 division participated in the Eighth Annual National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament sponsored by Tuskegee Institute, March 26, 27, 28, 1942. Whether or not "All Tournament" team selections were made prior to 1942 could not be determined. FirBt and second place teams were selected for^both boys and girls squads for the 1942 Tournament year.
^Letter to author from Reuben "Chick" Lewis, November 29, 1968. 2 Tuskegee Institute Relays, Official Program (May 5, 1928). 3 Tuskegee Institute, Newsletter, 1942. 29
In another section of the same news bulletin, the following information was given:
With ten boys' team champions in their respective states, taking part in the Eighth Annual National Inter scholastic Basketball Tournament sponsored by Tuskegee Institute, spectators witnessed some of the most brilliantly played basketball in the history of the tournament. By playing a sparkling brand of ball, the Booker T, Washington High School of TUlsa, Oklahoma, defeated the Southern Univer sity High School team of Scotlandville, Louisiana by the score of 42 to 19, Seymour Williams was the coach of the Booker T. Washington High School.
This tournament that started at Tuskegee Institute in 1934 had no direct connections with the national high school basketball tourna ment that began its operation at Tennessee State College, Nashville,
Tennessee in 1945. Information concerning the first seven years of the tournament at Tuskegee Institute was not available when this study was made.
Athletics in the Local Districts
The Negro high schools in Alabama began to increase their interests in competitive athletics to a great extent during the period between
1930-46. Si/eral local district athletic associations were organized in Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Dothan, Demopolis and Florence to regulate interschool athletics within their respective districts. Each district had its own peculiar problems and generally provided its own solution to the problems. Since there was not a state athletic associa tion, these local athletic associations exercised full power and authority over the athletic programs of the schools within their respective districts.
4 Ibid. 30
J.D. Cooke, one of the veteran coaches in the public high schools of Alabama, presented the following information to the writer in the form of a letter dated December 11, 1968:
Several efforts were made to form an athletic associa tion on a statewide basis during the latter part of the thirties. Dr. Baker, Principal of Central High School, Mobile in South Alabama was successful in bringing together all of the schools within a 100 mile radius of Mobile into an association which, at that time proved to be rather effective. Principals and coaches in Southeast Alabama spearheaded by the efforts of Arthur Walton and other sportsminded educators formed an athletic association in the Dothan area. Mr. W. H. Lewis, Principal of Burrell Slater High School in Florence, along with other representatives from North Alabama formed their athletic association. Major Brown, the second President of the Alabama Interscholastic Association, had some degree of success in forming the Birminghjim (Jefferson County) group into a local athletic association.
Cook also expressed the opinion that efforts to organize a statewide athletic association failed largely because the local athletic district leaders did not wish to relinquish their power and influence to a statewide athletic association.
In a letter received from A. J. Rowser, former Principal of
U.S. Jones High School, Demopolis, Alabama, and presently Coordinator of College Services, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, the following report is given:
I became principal of U.S. Jones High School, Demopolis during the 1939-40 school year, and served as principal of the school for twenty-six years. During my tenure as principal, I was very active in promoting interschool athletics in the Southwest District of Alabama, as well as lending support to the formation of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. The name of our local athletic organization was the Southwest Alabama Interscholastic Conference. This association was organized in 1941, and included eleven schools
^Letter to author from J.D. Cooke (December 11, 1968). 31
in its membership. A. J. Rowser served as the first presi dent, and B. R. Jowers served as vice president. Member schools of this organization included: Linden Academy of Linden; Marengo County Training School, Thomaston; U.S. Jones High School, Demopolis; Perry County Training School, Uniontown; Lincoln High School, Marion; Hale County Training School, Greensboro; Sumter County Training School, Livingston; Choctaw County Training School, Lisman; Carver High SchoojL, Eutaw; and Greene County Training School, Boligee.
Rowser further stated that they were faced with many problems at the beginning. The roads were poorly constructed, the playing areas were inadequate, and there were no indoor gymnasiums. There were only two indoor playing areas in the entire section, and they were improvised.
Many of the boys and girls who participated in the two main sports of football and basketball had to walk several miles daily to and from school.
Basketball games were often played outdoors in below freezing weather with the participants playing in regular basketball uniforms. If the visiting team was present, the game would be played irrespective of the weather.
The fee for these outdoor games was fifteen cents for adults and ten cents for students. Faculty members of the competing schools served as the officials. The students ate at home before the game and at home after the game regardless of the distance traveled or the time involved.
g Letter ..to author'from A. J. Rowser, Coordinator of College Services, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama (October 18, 1968). 32
Mobile, Hale, Morgan, Montgomery and Jefferson Counties were the leading counties that sponsored athletic programs for Negroes during the period between 1930-1945. Jefferson County led all the other counties in sponsoring athletics in the Negro high schools.
This county was the largest and the most highly productive county within the state as far as industry was concerned.
Charles Brown, Principal of Brighton High School, Birmingham,
Alabama, made a study concerning interscholastic athletics in the seven Negro high schools of Jefferson County in 1956-57. Schools named in this study were Brighton, Hooper City, Moton, Praco, Rosedale,
Wenonah, and Westfield. According to Brown:
Interscholastic athletics among the high schools was begun in Jefferson County in 1933, almost a quarter of a century ago. Rosedale High School was the first of the presently existing high schools to start its program of interscholastic athletics. It will be remembered that during the earlier period of secondary education for Negroes in Jefferson County, .... Edgewater, Ensley, Irondale, Muscoda, Powderly, and Warrior were sites of high schools, however, no data were available with respect to the specific athletic programs of these former schools.
The Jefferson County Athletic Association was organized in
1946. It was composed of all the Negro high schools in Jefferson County and Prentice High School of Montevallo, Alabama. As a coordinating agency, the Jefferson County Negro Athletic Association, which was formerly the Greater Birmingham Interscholastic Athletic Association, g had rendered valuable services to all of its membership.
7 Charles Brown, "Administering and Financing Interscholastic Athletics in the Seven Negro High Schools of Jefferson County, Alabama," 1956_57, p. 15.
8Ibid., p. 27. 33
In conducting their athletic programs, the business managers of
these schools handled such matters as schedule making, transportation,
ticket sales, hiring officials, repairing equipment, handling insurance claims, arranging for hospital and medical care for players, seeking reasonable contracts, and keeping up with the equipment. An illuminating aspect of the athletic program in Jefferson County started in 1943 when
the Annual Tuberculosis Football Classic began.
This classic began primarily through the ingenuity of the Health Department of Jefferson County. The receipts from this classic have gone to the Birmingham and the Jefferson County Negro Tuberculosis Association for the eradication of tuberculosis. This classic yielded more than $100,000 for this worthy cause.
According to the 1945-46 Alabama Educational Directory, there were 124 Negro public high schools in Alabama at the close of that school term.Of the 124 schools, 29 of them were accredited by the
State of Alabama, and four were accredited by the Southern Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. The remaining 95 schools were not accredited by any agency. Many of these designated high schools were of inferior quality. There were many of these schools established primarily to maintain a segregated public school system. There were many problems facing these schools as they attempted to operate their athletic programs within this dual educational system.
9Ibld.. p. 28.
^ Alabama Education Directory. 1945-46, p. 96-104. 34
While the Negro principals and coaches were trying to organize a statewide athletic association, the white schools were already affiliated with an "All White" statewide athletic association. Their association, known as the Alabama High School Athletic Association, was established in
1919. The many services that were rendered to the white high schools by the association were denied to the Negro high schools. Negroes were also denied the privilege of playing in any integrated contests. It was mainly because of these deprivations that Negroes organized their own athletic associations. As a special phase of this study, questionnaires were sent to all of the Negro high schools listed in the Alabama Educational
Directory, as well as some of the officers of the athletic associations that were in operation prior to the establishment of the Alabama Inter scholastic Athletic Association. From the 129 questionnaire sheets that were sent out to the various principals and coaches, 85 of the sheets were returned fully answered. This represented a 65 percent response.
The writer was also fortunate in interviewing certain principals and coaches, who had been employed at several schools during the period in which this phase of the study covered. Whenever this occurred, it was possible to obtain information about several schools from the same individual. All data presented in this chapter portrayed the status of athletics in the Negro high school of Alabama prior to 1947.
Difficulty was encountered on several occasions in obtaining authentic Information about some of the schools that were listed in the
Alabama Educational Directory for the 1945-46 school year. This diffi culty was partly due to the fact that many of the schools had changed 35 names and the principals and coaches were unaware of the change, or unwilling to reveal information concerning the school's athletic program.
Some of the schools indicated that their athletic program began in 1950, when in reality they began in the early forties. The writer as a coach in several of these Alabama high schools had played some of the same teams at least ten years earlier than they indicated as the beginning date of their interschool competition.
In a further examination of the data obtained in this phase of the study, it was found that 55 of the schools reported that athletics began at their school prior to the establishment of the Alabama Inter scholastic Association, and 19 held membership in an athletic associa tion prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association.
Thirty-five of the schools indicated that their coaches were physical education majors. It was also revealed that the two leading sports were football and basketball. Fifty-one of the schools sponsored interschool athletics for girls. Seventy-seven of the 85 schools reporting sponsored football, and seventy-one schools engaged in basketball. There were fifty-four of the schools that sponsored track teams, and forty-four schools participated in interschool baseball. With this general overview concerning the types of interschool athletics carried on in these schools, attention is directed to the problems that were listed as being most critical, and occurring most frequently as these schools attempted to carry out their interschool athletic program, prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 36
At the close of World War II, many young veterans were returning from the services, and re-entering high school. These young men were older and had increased considerably in size and offered a severe threat to the safety of some of the teenage boys who were much smaller in general physical development. Many of the younger boys were reluctant in trying out for the team if they were to compete with or against veterans either on their own team or in interschool competition. Since there were very few local athletic associations to attend to problems of this nature, the situation became very precarious. George Bell, first President of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association stated:
Probably the most dangerous problem was caused by the use of World War II veterans in football. This led to m ^ y severe injuries and at least one death that I witnessed.
In a further examination of the data it was found that 64 of the schools indicated that insufficient funds served as the main cause for inferior athletic programs being carried on in their schools.
Inadequate playing areas such as football stadiums and gymnasiums made it very difficult to collect admission fees to athletic contests. Since the state of Alabama operated a very tight segregated school system, it was very rare to find a Negro high school equipped with a modern gymna sium or a regulation football field.
The state of Alabama contributed heavily to the educational programs of the various school districts that operated within the state.
Approximately three-fourths of the money that was spent on the public schools in Alabama was donated by the state. Many of the Negro high
11 Letter to author from George Bell, December 10, 1968. 37 schools that operated in Alabama prior to the Supreme Court’s Decision on School Desegregation in 1954, were considerably inferior to the white schools. A majority of the Negro schools were not as well constructed or equipped as the white schools. In some of the more liberal sections of the State, especially in Northern Alabama, the Negro schools were allowed to play football in the city park, or on the football field belonging to the local white high school. In a number of instances, armories belonging to the Federal Government were used to conduct basketball interschool games and tournaments. Whenever these armories were used an admission fee could be charged. However, due to the small seating arrangements in these armories, only a limited number of spectators could be accommondated. Regulation track fields were practically non existent in all of the Negro schools. Tuskegee Institute sponsored an annual track and field carnival each year and invited high schools from all over the South and Southwest. In many of these events high school students participated along with the college students for honors.
Questionable officiating was listed by 52 of the schools as another acute problem that confronted the schools. Since there was not a state athletic association affiliated with the Negro schools, it seems
logical to assume that inferior officiating would become widespread.
Coaching clinics and certification of officials among Negroes during
this period had not evolved. The writer was a coach at the Decatur
Negro High School In Decatur between the years of 1941-45, and on several occasions football games were officiated with only a referee and a head
linesman. 38
At various times the coaches would serve as game officials.
Some of the principals would allow their coaches to leave school during regular school hours in order to officiate noon day football games. If a principal allowed his coach to leave school during the regular school hours to officiate a game at another school, he would expect the same favor in the event that he was having a noon day game. Without the services of an athletic association or an offlcals' association, very little could be expected in terms of controls and regulations. On a number of occasions, white officials served in these Negro contests, and this created somewhat of a problem due to the strained conditions under which the contests were played. Ttiere were other occasions when the renting of the park automatically called for the hiring of white officials. Most of the Negro coaches felt that if they protested the decisions rendered by the white officials too vigorously, it might lead to certain racial overtones or loss of the privilege to play in the park.
During this period, the economic conditions of the Negroes were not too favorable thus causing many of the boys to drop out of school in order to help the family earn a living. This caused another problem for the athletic teams: a shortage of manpower. Most of the Negro boys who attended school in the rural areas had to work in the fields. They did not receive much practice and conditioning* for the rugged sport of foot ball, thereby causing many injuries, and sloppy-played games. Inadequate police protection was listed by 33 schools as a major problem affecting
their athletic programs. On many occasions the crowds became unruly and
forced their way into the games without paying. Thirty-two of the schools indicated that player eligibility was of great concern as well as the lack 39 of uniformity in the opening and closing dates of the various sport seasons.
Twenty-five of the schools indicated that their athletic program infringed on their physical education classes since the coaches used the physical education program for the training and recruitment of athletes. Disrup tion of the school's program, undue influence by non-school persons, and over-emphasis on basketball tournament participation were other problems that confronted some of the schools in carrying out their athletic programs.
In some of the interviews that were held with principals and coaches additional problems that had not been mentioned on the questionnaire sheets were aired. Such problems as inadequate medical examination for the athletes, playing football games the first two or three days of the week, breach of contracts, and transportation of students to rural areas after game participation, often confronted some of the schools in their efforts
to promote interschool athletics at their schools/
In some of the smaller high schools where a large percentage of
the students were transported by the regular school buses, many prospec
tive athletes were not able to participate because they had to be trans ported home at the regular closing hours of school.1
Many of the Negro schools would sponsor dances after their foot ball games in order to boost their athletic receipts. Most of these
dances would last nearly two hours after the night football games were
over. The problem of supervising these dances was the responsibility
of the regular classroom teachers, and this was indeed a hardship on
them, since they had to meet their regular teaching duties the following
day. Even though these problems were ever-present, the schools were 40 still able to carry on. a reasonable and oftentimes a profitable athletic program. The athletic programs were considered profitable \rtienever the seasons closed without an indebtedness and serious injury to any of the players.
When the writer began his coaching career in 1939, there were several methods used to equip the football squad. Some of the white high schools would donate used football equipment that they had discarded.
Alabama State College and Tuskegee Institute also donated used football equipment to many of the Negro schools that competed in interscholastic football. Many of the schools would buy work shoes and have leather cleats tacked on to the shoes at the local shoe shop. Some of the schools would purchase used football equipment from various sporting goods stores.
Very few of the schools were able to equip more than twenty boys for the football squad. When the writer coached at Decatur Negro
High School, Decatur, Alabama, his football squad never exceeded more than twenty-three players in any given season. This was the period between 1941_4i>. Very little was done in relation to pre-season medical examinations. Many of the Negro doctors in the local communities donated their services to the football team as a good will gesture. In spite of these handicaps very few injuries occurred among the players.
Fund Raising Projects for Athletics
There were very few Negro schools sponsoring interschool athletics before and after the establishing of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic 41
Association that could finance their athletic program from gate receipts alone. Many of the schools put on special projects in order to help finance their athletic program. A majority of the schools had a day set aside as "Homecoming Day." About two months prior to homecoming day, each class in the school would begin to raise money for its prospective queen of the homecoming festivities. The contestant that would raise the highest amount of money during the campaign drive would be designated as the homecoming queen. If the school had grades one through twelve or eleven, there would be an elementary school queen for the elementary division and a high school queen for the high school division.
All types of methods were used to raise the money. Some of the most widely used methods were as follows: giving dances, card parties, selling sandwiches at the school, raffling off turkeys, hams, radios, washing cars, selling homemade cakes and pies, and selling candy.
Some of these homecoming projects brought in as much as $3,000. When the writer was coaching at the Decatur Negro High School in 1945, one of the chief means of raising money for the homecoming queen was that of allowing the various classes in the school to feed the visiting football
team. This project worked in the following manner: each student in the class would bring some type of unprepared food from home to the school
to be cooked in the home economics department. Some children would bring meat.. Others would bring sugar, lard, canned goods, fruit, salt and pepper and many other types of foodstuffs that were necessary to make a balanced diet. The class that had been given permission to feed the team would
decide several days ahead what the menu would be. The secretary of the 42 class would call the roll and record what each of the students pledged to contribute toward the meal. Very little teaching occurred on those days because the students were going back and forth from home, the stores, and many other places. After the class had fed the visiting team and the home team, the number of meals served would be sent to the principal and the principal would pay the class for the meals. The standard price for the meals was twenty-five cents each.
Another method that was used to help finance the athletic program at this same school was that of allowing a certain class to be excused on a designated day to go and pick cotton. All of the proceeds from picking the cotton would be turned over to the class to contribute to the homecoming drive. Many parents contributed heavily to the homecoming queen drive in order that their daughter might win the honor of being queen.
On many occasions these financial drives aided other phases of the school's program. Not only did they serve as fund raising but also as an occasion. The people in the community would look forward to these drives and would contribute freely as though it was their patriotic duty. 43
CHAPTER IV
THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
The Establishment of the Association
The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was organized at Alabama State College for Negroes, Montgomery, Alabama, in 1947.
Negro coaches and principals from various sections of Alabama attended the meeting. Dr. H. C. Trenholm, President of the college called the meeting.
George Bell, Principal of Calhoun County Training School, became the first President of the Association, and Ulysses "Big Dumas" Williams was: appointed Executive Secretary. Williams was at that time football coach at Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama. Also present at this organizational meeting were 0. F. Frazier, Principal of Conecuh County Training School, Evergreen; Clarence White, Principal,
Walker County Training School, Jasper; Major Brown, Coach, Parker High
School, Birmingham; A. J. Rowser, Principal, U. S. Jones High School,
Dempolis; and J. D. Cooke, Coach, Booker T. Washington High School,
Montgomery, Alabama.
Prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association, there were several Negro athletic associations operating in their Congressional districts. The State of Alabama was divided into eight of these Congressional districts. Each of the local athletic associations made its own rules and regulations, and was 44
accountable only to itself. There had been several efforts made to organize a state-wide athletic association prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, however, none of the efforts were successful before 1947. These efforts failed because of the selfishness and jealousy of the officers of the district athletic associations.
According to George Bell, the first President of the association:
The state was divided into nine athletic districts and each principal was urged to use his influence to see that each district association was properly organized. Dr. Trenholm and many of the principals felt that a state organization would be able to solve many of the problems that were prevalent during these years in the area of Negro athletics. Probably the most dangerous problem was caused by the use of World War II veterans participation in football. This led to many severe injuries and at least one death that I witnessed.
Even though there were only eight Congressional districts in the State of Alabama, the organizers of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association created an extra district in order to give
Jefferson County a district to itself.because of the larger number of schools in Jefferson County. In the "all white" athletic association, known as the Alabama High School Athletic Association, there were only eight athletic districts. This association was established in 1919 and had operated on a segregated basis for twenty-eight years before the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was founded.
Ulysses Williams, the first Executive Secretary of the Alabama
Interscholastic Athletic Association, held his position for one year.
^Letter to author from George Bell, first President of Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, December 10, 1968. 45
He was succeeded as Executive Secretary by 0. F. Frazier, who served the organization in that capacity for eight years. The Executive
Secretary was the chief officer responsible for running the organization.
According to the Constitution of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association:
The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all funds of the association; disburse all funds within the budget fixed by the Central Board of Control; keep an adequate record of all funds received, and disbursed, make a complete financial report to the Legislative Assembly, and such additional reports as may be required, investigate all alleged violations of the rules of the association which comes to his attention and see that schools are penalized according to the laws of the association, review all controversies between members, and render decisions, to prepare and issue to members necessary forms and supplies and receive and check all reports from members. He shall have full power to enforce the Constitution during the ^ interim of meetings, and perform such other related duties.
In relation to the Central Board of Control the Constitution states:
The Central Board of Control shall consists of eleven members. One representative from each district elected by members of the districts, and the President and Secretary of the Association. The President of the Association shall be Chairman of the Central Board of Control and the Secretary shall act as Secretary of the Board. The Central Board of Control shall meet twice a year during the annual meeting of the Alabama State Teachers Association and between September 1 and 30th. Other meetings of the Board shall be held at the discretion of the President. The Central Board of Control shall have full authority to propose laws and rules which shall be uniformly effective and binding upon all members of the Association provided said rules and laws are not contrary to the provisions of this Constitution; and have been approved by the General Delegate Assembly.^
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association Constitution. Article IV, Officers and Their Duties, 2-3.
^Ibid., p. 3-4. 46
The Constitution further states:
The principal of a school shall be held responsible in all matters in his school which concerns interschool contests. No drastic decision shall be made by a coach immediately preceding or during a contest without conference with, and consent of his principal. The principal shall be responsible for the action of the coach.^
The President of the Association had the authority to preside over the business sessions of the Association and to call any special meetings of the Central Board of Control if he deemed it necessary.
If the Executive Secretary of the Association felt that a business session was needed, he would inform the President concerning the nature of the meeting and the request would be honored.
The Central Board of Control members were usually the principals of the member schools. At various times coaches served on the Central
Board of Control. It was the general feeling of the membership that since the principal was the responsible person in charge of his school, he should be the one to represent his district at the business meetings.
A few of the principals felt that the coaches were better qualified to discuss athletics than they; therefore they delegated their coaches to represent them on various occasions. This was especially true at the meetings of the Delegate Assembly. The Delegate Assembly passed laws for the Association.
According to the Constitution of the Association:
The legislative body of the Association shall be a Delegate Assembly composed of one representative from each
4 Ibid. 47
of the member schools. This body shall meet twice each year: During the annual meeting of the Alabama State Teachers Association and on a designated date in September.
The Delegate Assembly meetings would be long, dull and boresome.
Sometimes they lasted for four or five hours. The Executive Secretary made his annual report to the Delegate Assembly. If it was an election
year, the candidates for the various offices would have to be approved
by the Delegate Assembly. Since these were non-paying jobs, the
candidates very seldom had any competition. Most of the delegates
would leave after hearing the Executive Secretary’s report.
Before the Executive Secretary would give his report to the
Delegate Assembly, it would be presented first to the Central Board
of Control the day preceding the annual Spring Meeting. The Central
Board of Control would study the report and ask questions about the
various items if necessary. The budget for the ensuing school year
would also be discussed and adopted. The Delegate Assembly usually
did not question the report too much if it had been approved by the
Central Board of Control and recommended to the Delegate Assembly
for adoption.
Even though the Constitution specifically stated that one of
the two annual meetings be held in September of each year, this very
seldom happened. The Central Board of Control would meet in lieu
of the Delegate Assembly and transact feusitie'ss that: had been
delegated to the Delegate Assembly. One possible reason for the
Delegate Assembly not meeting during the month of September was
5Ibid. 48 because of the responsibilities that the principals had in order to get their schools operating for the year. Most of the schools opened during the first or second week in September.
When the time came for the annual Spring Meeting, all of the public schools would be closed for a two day holiday in order for the principals and teachers to attend the annual meeting of the Alabama
State Teachers Association. This Association was an "All Negro
Teachers" association that met annually during the month of March at Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama.
The Alabama Education Association, which was composed of white
teachers met during the same period at Birmingham, Alabama. During this same time the Alabama Interscholastic Association would hold
its annual meeting.
Membership Fees of the Association
The membership fees for schools belonging to the Alabama
Interscholastic Athletic Association underwent several changes.
The first membership fee was ten dollars for each school irrespective of the school's enrollment. This enrollment was based on the number of high school students in grades 7-12. According to the 1954
Constitution of the Association:
The annual Association dues are due on or before December 1, of each school year. The annual dues of the Association shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per school. Failure to pay dues by December 1st of each school year shall forfeit a school's membership in the Association. Reinstatement may be made upon payment of dues and payment of a fine of five dollars.®
^Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution. Article III, "Membership and Dues," 1954, 2. 49
There were no district athletic association dues assessed at that time. The first change for membership dues came in 1961. A membership fee was also assessed to each of the nine district athletic associations. There were approximately 120 schools that held membership
in the Association between 1947-50. At the close of the 1955 school term 7 the membership had grown to 147 schools.
To meet added expenses incurred by the Association the membership
fee was changed from a flat rate of $10.00 per school to a fee based on each school's enrollment in grades 7-12. This change in the dues not only aided the Association financially but also satisfied those principals of the smaller schools who had criticized the State
Association in its stand for assessing all of the schools the same
fee irrespective of size.
A schedule of the new fee scale is herewith presented:
Enrollment Amount of Dues
Up to 300 $10.00
From 301 to 700 20.00
Q From 700 and Over 30.00
The membership fee for each district athletic association was
assessed at $25.00 per school year. The district fee was to be submitted
along with the membership fees that were collected from each member
school in its respective district. A change in the deadline for paying
the dues was also adopted. The 1961 Constitution of the Association
stated that:
7 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Financial Report. Executive Secretary, March 28, 1954 - March 28, 1955, p. 14. g Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution. "Membership and Dues," Section 2, p. 2. Failure to pay dues by October 1st of each school year shall forfeit a school's membership in the Association, Reinstatement may be made upon payment of dues and payment of a fine. The District Secretary must submit membership fees to the State Office by October 10th on the forms provided by the Executive Secretary.®
A possible reason for this change in dates from December 1 to
October 1 for submitting the membership dues was due partly to the
Association's urgent need for money at the beginning of each school
term. The Association had adopted some standard printed forms such
as health cards, membership application blanks, eligibility lists,
certificate and award forms, contracts, contracts for officials, and
the printing of a newsletter. Most of these forms were ordered from
the printers in the summer and made payable on or before October 1st
of each school year. The Delegate Assembly raised the membership
dues again in 1964 for the purpose of employing a full-time paid
Executive Secretary. At this time the membership roster of the
Association had increased to 192 schools. The clerical work of the
Association had greatly increased, and the demands of the schools for
checking eligibility lists, providing them with lists of eligible
officials for football and basketball, settling disputes of various
kinds, and participation in various district meetings were in ever
increasing demands. This change in membership dues took place the same
year that the writer became the Executive Secretary.of the Association.
According to the new fee scale each school was assessed 15£l
per student in grades 7-12. The district dues were also changed from 51
$25.00 to 10% of the net receipts resulting from each district's annual basketball tournament. Even though the dues were increased for a worthy cause, there was much opposition. The following year the dues were adjusted to 10h per student in grades 7-12. The district dues were revised from 10% of the net receipts to 107o of the gross receipts from the annual district basketball tournaments. According
to the 1966 Constitution of the Association:
The membership fees shall fluctuate between a minimum fee of $20.00 for any school with an enrollment of less than 200 students and a maximum fee of not more than $150.00 irrespective of enrollment. All schools with enrollments above 200 pupils will pay on the basis of 10<£ per pupil based on the school's enrollment in grades 7-12. This fee shall be based on the number of pupils reported in Item 17 of the Annual Report of the previous year.10
The Annual Report mentioned above has reference to the report
sent in by the principal at the close of each school year on his school's
enrollment.
Publication of Newsletters
During the 1957-58 school term the Association began the
publication of a newsletter. These newsletters were distributed to
the principals of all member schools of the Association. They served
to keep the member schools informed concerning the functions and general
operations of the Association. The following series of paragraphs are
typical of the kinds of communication that were printed in the newsletters.
^Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution. Article III, "Membership and Dues," Section 2, 1966, p. 2. 52
We present herewith the first in a series of bulletins to be published at regular intervals during the school year as a service to our schools. A special committee of the State Athletic Association met in Birmingham at the request of our State President last fall. The committee took a critical look at our State program and offered many suggestions for improvement. The Executive Secretary was given the mandate to publish an official athletic association bulletin. Such a bulletin would serve to keep the schools in closer touch with the activities of the State Association.H
The Executive Secretary further stated that:
We move toward classifying our schools in football and basketball in order to provide for more balanced competition. The proposal is for two classification groups. (1) Class AA for the larger schools and (2) Class A for the smaller schools. The Central Alabama District is experimenting with this type of classification for this basketball season. The schools in the district were classified voluntarily. ^
In another section of the newsletter the following article appeared.
Donald Laird, Psychiatrist, has done a number of experiments in which teams did much better when they were cheered than when they were booed or razzed. While this isn't new to coaches, nevertheless it doesn't hurt to have it verified by clinical research. It also suggests that more attention should be paid to developing good cheerleaders who can rally support at crucial moments.
The next presentation is taken from the March 1957 Newsletter.
It was delivered by C. M. Mitchell, President of the Association during
the 1957 school term. Following is the text of the President's message:
^Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter. Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, I, January, 1957 , p. 2,
12Ibid.
^Ibid., p. 6 . 53
This scholastic year is closing and one might well evaluate the many activities of the school program. Those of us who are interested in the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association are desirous of knowing what progress has been accomplished this year. This newsletter is one of the added services to disseminate helpful information to the principals and coaches of all member schools. This service and the many others rendered this year, leads us to believe that, as an organization, we are moving forward toward the high goals as set forth in our Constitution. The Executive Secretary and many principals and coaches have worked diligently with us in helping to project a program that will provide more desirable experiences for our boys and girls in the field of athletics.^
The President further stated that:
There has been some increase in the number of membership schools this year. This would indicate the move toward all high schools in the state becoming members of the Association. We believe that the organization should serve every high school in the state. This and other goals may be accomplished if all principals and coaches work together on an equal basis and with equal diligence.
In another section of the same newsletter the Executive Secretary,
W, H. Coston made the following comment:
We come to the close of another year in the history of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. This year has been a year of transition. We have seen the beginning of a period of service of a new administration. The goal of this administration has been to crystalize the organization into an organization with high standards of professional relations among schools, coaches, officials and players, to the end that there will be an evident exemplification of true sportsmanship in all athletic activities in our schools.16
In the 1957 November issue of the Newsletter, the following information was given concerning a future basketball clinic.
14 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, I, March, 1957, p..l.
Ibxd. ^ Ibld., p. 2. 54
The second annual post-Thanksgiving Day Basketball Clinic will be held at the Alabama State College Arena Auditorium on Friday, November 29, 1957, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The clinic will feature a lecture-demonstration on the 1957-58 basketball rules and officiating techniques. Mr. Cliff Harper of the Alabama High School Athletic Association will conduct the clinic.i?
On the same page of the Newsletter, the following account was given concerning the success of a football clinic that was held on
September 14, 1957.
The fall meeting and football clinic of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was held on Saturday, September 14, 1957, at Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama. There was a record response in attendance for this fall meeting with over sixty five schools that participate in football being present. There were also more than 200 officials, coaches and principals present for this clinic. Mr. Cliff Harper conducted the football rules clinic which lasted for three hours. During his opening remarks he stressed the importance of athletics as an inseperable part of the total program of education and urged principals, coaches and officials to administer it as such.i®
The following article appeared in the 1960 edition of the
Newsletter:
The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association is moving forward this year. The Central Board of Control is to be commended for its work in the fall. It completed the drawings for our spring basketball tournament, authorized and set the stage for implementing an expanded track program, and approved the recommendation that member schools begin a more expanded baseball program. The special committee on school classification headed by Mr. C. T. Smiley, will have its report ready for the Central Board of Control to adopt at its March meeting. District officers are urged to give all information requested on report forms and to make reports promptly. School principals are also advised and reminded of their responsibility for getting eligibility lists into our office on time. I*
^Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, 11, November, 1957, p. 1.
18 Ibid. 19 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, 4, January, 1960, p. 2. 55
The Association was also interested in seeing to it that the physical education programs that were being conducted in the schools be of a high quality and that the proper recognition be given to the area of physical education in the same manner as was done with the other formal academic subjects. The following article taken also from the 1960 January edition of the Newsletter emphasizes this point:
If physical education is to receive equal status with other academic subjects and gain the proper respect and affection due it as a pervasive influence in the development of children, we must solve some of our chronic problems. We must have better qualified'^teachers (physical education) who are making physical education their life work. These instructors must have a well-rounded university background. Too many physical educators are coaching specialists for the athletic program alone, rather than specialists in physical education. Universities and colleges must do more practical research and laboratory work in physical education. The parents must be sold on the physical education program. In order to sell the parents, students must like the program since they are the real contact point with the parents. The schools must provide the facilities for a good program and the state agencies must set up standards for physical 20 education and see that all schools meet these standards.
The Newsletter was not published during the writer's terms of office as Executive Secretary of the Association. This was the 'period between 1964-68. The Jefferson County Athletic Association had with drawn from the Association in 1964 when the membership fee was assessed on the basis of 15d per student in grades 7-12. There were 17 schools in the district and this loss of finance somewhat curtailed the expanded program of the Association. This was a precarious period in the
Association's history but it withstood the test and went on toward greater achievements.
20Ibid. 56
After being absent from the Association for two years the
Jefferson County Athletic District renewed its membership with the
Association. Some of the members of the State Association felt that the district should be required to pay dues for the two year ppriod that it was out of the Association. There were others who felt that some kind of a penalty should be assessed against the district. After discussing the issue pro and con, the Central Board of Control voted to accept the district back into the Association without any type of penalty being assessed.
With the return of Jefferson County into the Association the membership of the Association increased to 195 schools. This membership roster represented approximately 90,000 students that were being catered to by the Association. Over the Association's 21 year history, the approximate number of students served by the Association was 1,500,000. A series of weekly memorandums were sent to the member schools reminding them of their obligations and the general functioning of the Association.
Only a small percentage of the schools would send in to the office of the Executive Secretary the required information that was needed in order to transact the business of the Association on a professional basis. It was quite difficult to determine who the coaches were at the various schools because the principals often omitted their names when submitting their annual membership renewal blank. When the writer assumed the position of Executive Secretary of the Association, the certification fees for officiating games were 57
$2.00 for one sport and $3.00 for two sports. Football and basketball were the two main sports. One of the first official acts of the
Executive Secretary was to raise the officiating fees. The fees were raised to $5.00 per sport. This raise in fees brought about some opposition but the Executive Secretary stood his ground and the fees remained in effect until the Association became merged with the Alabama
High School Athletic Association. This merger is treated in detail in a later chapter. During the time that the writer served as Executive
Secretary of the Association the headquarters of the Association was
located in the building owned by the Alabama State Teachers Association.
A rental fee of $300.00 per year was paid for office space.
Since the Association's office was in close proximity to the
Executive Secretary's regular place of employment at Alabama State
College, it was very easy for him to go- back and forth from the two
offices. College students were employed on a part-time basis to do
the clerical work for the Association. This type of arrangement was
beneficial to both the students and the Association.
In March of 1968 the Association became involved with the
Federal Court in the famous Anthony T. Lee et_ al versus the Macon
County, Alabama Board of Education. This case was concerned with the
desegregation of public schools in Macon County, Alabama. Since the
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Alabama High
School Athletic Association operated dual state high school athletic
associations in the State of Alabama, they were made parties to the
suit. It was through these court actions that the two athletic associations
were ordered to merge so that there would be but one state high school athletic association operating in the State of Alabama. A more detailed account of this merger is discussed in a later chapter. 59
CHAPTER V
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC . ASSOCIATION AND THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
When 0. F. Frazier became Executive Secretary of the Association in 1948, he began the arduous task of trying to correct the many abuses that were present in the districts, and also to carry out the provisions stated in the Constitution. The original membership fee for all member schools was $10.00 per year. Many of the schools felt that this fee was too high. The dues for the white association never changed.
The fees for schools of the Alabama High School Athletic
Association were based on enrollment in the upper three grades. This enrollment was taken from the Alabama School Register, Principal's
Edition. The following schudule was used:
Enrollment (Upper Three Grades) Amount of Dues
1-50 $ 7.50
51-100 10.00
101-200 15.00
201-300 25.00
Over 300 25.001
The Executive Secretaries of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association were not salaried officers. They were given a small fee
commonly known as an honorarium. 0. F. Frazier was given an honorarium
1 Alabama High School Athletic Association, Handbook, 1967-68, p. 133 60 of $20.00 per month during the eight years that he served as Executive
Secretary of the Association. There were some months that the
Association could not afford this small amount as an honorarium.
W. H. Coston, the third Executive Secretary of the Association was given an honororium of $400.00 per year during the last three years of his eight year term, and S. A. Frazier, the last Executive Secretary of the Association received an honororium of $450.00 per year for the first two years of his term as Executive Secretary, and $100.00 per month the last two years of his four year term that ended
June 30, 1968.
There were five Executive Secretaries of the "All white" athletic association, however, only the last two of these Executive
Secretaries were salaried officers. The first of these salaried officers was Cliff Harper, who became'Executive Secretary of the
Alabama High School Athletic Association in 1948. Herman "Buba"
Scott, succeeded Cliff Harper and is still the Executive Secretary of the Association. His salary was $12,400 at the close of the
1967-68 school year.
One might ask the question, how was the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association able to operate for 21 years on such meager resources? This question seems especially logical when the salaries
of the executives of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association
and the Alabama High School Athletic Association are offered in
comparison. The highest financial allowance given to any of the
Executive Secretaries of the Negro Athletic Association was $1,200 61 per year, whereas the salary of the Executive Secretary of the white athletic Association during the same period was $12,400 per year.
In attempting to answer the question, how the Alabama
Interscholastic Athletic Association operated on such limited finances, the phrase, "dedication of its personnel to the cause," seems to be the most logical answer. The founders of the Association realized the evils of segregation.and were determined to overcome some of the barriers that were formulated by a segregated society. With this as a challenge, they pledged their resources, energies, and talents toward the fulfillment of their dreams which centered around the idea of raising the standards of athletic participation for the Negro boys and girls throughout the State of Alabama.
The final authority for both Associations was vested in a Central
Board of Control. This Central Board of Control was composed of one representative from each of the athletic districts. As previously stated, there were eight athletic districts in the white Associations, and nine athletic districts in the Negro Association. The overall structure of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was found in its Constitution. For the Alabama High School Athletic Association, it could be found in its handbook which is published yearly. The handbook includes every phase of the athletic program that the
Association conducts throughout the year for each category of school classification.
When the Alabama High School Athletic Association first began its operation, its membership roster was composed of only the larger 62 schools in the metropolitan areas such as Birmingham, Mobile, and
Montgomery. The smaller high schools had not developed interschool athletics to the point where supervision and regulation were necessary.
The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association has always admitted to its membership schools of all sizes. According to the
Constitution of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association:
All high schools listed in the State Educational Directory accredited or not, are eligible to membership in this Association under the following conditions. Between September 1, and October 1, the principals of those schools which wish to maintain membership in the Association for the current year shall sign membership renewal applications on the forms to be provided by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer. By signing the membership renewal application, each principal binds himself and the members of his faculty to familiarize themselves with the Constitution, and regulations of the Association and to instruct the students in them, especially those who are candidates for interscholastic activities, to keep on file detailed scholastic, athletic and attendance records of all students, to forward promptly to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer all eligibility lists, reports, and records required, and to enforce the provisions of this Constitution within the school.^
According to the 1967-68 Handbook of the Alabama High School
Athletic Association:
A high school of Alabama which has been placed on accredited relations above junior grades by the State Department of Education may become a member of the Association provided that it is accepted by the Central Board of Control, the principal files an application for membership, pays the annual dues, and signs an agreement to be- governed by the Constitution, By-laws, and ruling of the Association and send in regularly such reports as are required. Ofcly an accredited school through the twelfth grade may be a member. If a school is accredited by the State Department of Education at the time it is accepted for membership the
2 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution. 1966-67, p. 1. 63
school shall retain Its membership status with the Association for the school year, even if its accreditment status changes. The annual membership dues shall be collected by the Executive Secretary. Three dollars of the amount collected from the annual dues of each school shall be remitted to the District Board of Managers of the respective district not later than November 15th.3
The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association did not return any of its membership dues to the districts that held membership with the Association. It was not financially able to do so.
During the 21 year period that the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association was in operation, many significant events and episodes occurred. These events can be best explained or presented by relating them to the various Executive Secretaries who were in office at that time. The one year that Ulysses "Big Dumas" Williams, now deceased, served as Executive Secretary, was a period of organization and adjustment. This was in 1947. Coaches and officials were urged to attend football and basketball clinics. The attendance at these first clinics was very sparse. It was not until the late fifties that these clinics had representative attendance. Less than 30 people attended
these clinics during their first four or five years of operation.
The writer was an assistant football coach and an instructor
in Health and physical education at Alabama State College tdien these '
clinics were first held at the college. To boost the attendance, he would on several occasions escort his physical education classes to
the clinics. The size of the classes ranged from 30 to 45 students.
This generally would increase the attendance at the clinics to an
3 Alabama High School Athletic Association, Handbook. 1967-68, p. 94-95. approximate 100 persons. During the 1948 school year 0. F. Frazier became Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association, and Cliff Harper became Executive Secretary of the
Alabama High School Athletic Association. These two Executive
Secretaries worked together very closely. They had known each other as teachers in the Conecuh County Public School System, and both were extremely interested in raising the standards of athletic participation for the boys and girls of Alabama. Since school segregation was the order of the day, they had to direct their respective associations within the framework of a dual system of education.
Whenever football and basketball clinics were conducted by
the Negro Association, Cliff Harper would be invited as the chief contributor. At these clinics he would show films and lecture on the rules during the running of the films. A question and answer period
followed. The clinics would last from two to three hours. Coaches
from Tuskegee Institute, Alabama State College, and Alabama A. & M.
College were invited on several occasions to serve as speakers and
consultants for these clinics. These coaches were also able to make
some worthwhile contacts with the coaches and principals in attendance
at these clinics. These contacts aided the coaches considerably in
their athletic recruitment program.
Practically all of the clinics were held at Alabama State College
since it had the necessary facilities and space for such a meeting
and was centrally located. 65
Approximately two-thirds of the principals and coaches who worked in predominately Negro high schools in Alabama, were graduates
of Alabama State College. Coming to the College for most of them was
a real pleasure, as well as a type of reunion.
A request was made by the writer to all former Executive Secretaries
of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association to give their versions
as to what the main problems were which they faced in their official
capacity, and also to present any historical data that they knew about
which could not be obtained in any of the Associations constitutions,
handbooks, minutes or newsletters. The following information in the
form of a letter was sent to the writer from 0. F. Frazier, the second
Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association
from 1948 to 1955.
In March 1948, Mr. Major Brown, Coach, Parker High School, Birmingham, Alabama, was elected President and Mr. 0. F. Frazier, Principal, Conecuh County Training School, Evergreen, Alabama, was elected Executive Secretary. Some of the major problems facing the organization at this time were as follows:
1. Setting up requirements for qualifying football and basketball officials.
2. Recognition of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association as the official Negro State Association by the State Department of Education.
3. Requiring all high schools in the state to become members of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
4. Many coaches would take their football and basketball teams off the field or basketball court because they disliked decisions by the officials.
5. Selection of State champions in football and basketball.^
^Letter to author from 0. F. Frazier, (December 11, 1968). 66
From observing the foregoing problems, some are of the same design as those listed by schools participating in athletics prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association.
Since the Alabma Interscholastic Athletic Association was of the independent and voluntary type, it was necessary to receive the backing of the State Department of Education in order to gain strength and status. Many of the local athletic districts were not too enthusiastic about making the state interscholastic organization too powerful.
During the 1949-50 school year, the State Department of Education recognized the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association as the official Negro State Athletic Association.^ This was a big boost for the Association. It also required Negro high schools to become members of the Association as a part of their accreditation requirements.
This action by the State Department of Education gave the needed strength and authority to the organization.
In dealing with the problem relative to coaches taking their teams off the football field or basketball court because of their dissatisfaction with the officials, the Association included in its
Constitution the following article:
In the event a team leaves the floor or field before the game is officially ended, the school will be suspended from the Association for one year in all sports, from the day of the walk-off, and fined $100.00 reinstatement fee.
5Ibid. 6 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution, Article VII, Administration, 1961, p. 5. 67
Whenever a game was terminated due to a team leaving the floor or field before time had expired, the principal of the host school Involved was faced with the problem of returning the admission fee back to the spectators or issuing passes for future games. In one instance, the
Superintendent of Education of Walker County fired a coach for taking his beam off the field.
State Basketball Champion Established
Another major problem or issue that arose during the administration of 0. P. Frazier, and was of historical significance was that of recognizing state champions in basketball competition. Frazier related the following account of the problem.
Dr. H. C. Trenholm, President of Alabama State College, had been sponsoring an Invitational High School Basketball Tournament. The winners of this tournament were recognized as the Negro State Champions of Alabama and would represent the state in the National High School Basketball Tournament that was held yearly at Tennessee State College. This tournament conflicted with the rules of the Alabama Inter- scholastic Athletic Association because there were teams participating in the tournament that did not hold member ship with the Association. A committee from the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association met with Dr. Trenholm In Gm effort to help set up rules and regulations concern ing the qualifications of teams to pGirticipate and officials to be used in the tournament. The committee representing the Association and Dr. Trenholm could not reach an agree ment; thereby resulting in the Association organizing a State Basketball Tournament of its own. At tournament time, two one day sectional tournaments were held, and the first and second place teams In each section would participate In the finals for the championship the follow ing week. The first Sectional Tournament for the Northern Division was held at Parker High School, Birmingham, and the first Sectional Tournament for the Southern Division was held at Carver High School, Dothan, Alabama. Sixteen schools participated in the tournament. The final play off tournament was held at Hudson High School, Selma, Alabama in 1952J
^Letter to author from 0. F. Frazier, (December 11, 1968) 68
Member schools of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association were prohibited from participating in the invitational tournament that was sponsored by Alabama State College because many of the teams that participated in this tournament did not meet the qualifications that had been set up by the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
When these tournaments were held at the college, they were completely dominated by the President of the college and his staff.
On many occasions faculty members from the Department of Physical
Education were assigned game officiating duties by the President of
the college. The writer as a member of the faculty and assistant
football coach at the college officiated in many of these tournaments without any extra compensation. When the Association moved the tournament away from the college, the writer became the Tournament
Director and held the position for twelve years.
After holding these sectional tournaments*away from Alabama
State College for several years, the President of the college and officials of the Association reconciled their differences and the
tournament was returned to Alabama State College under the sponsorship of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association in 1953.
At the close of the 1955-56 school year there were 140 schools holding membership in the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
The administrative work associated with the Association had increased
enormously. 0. F. Frazier, Executive Secretary of the Association, and
also Principal of the Conecuh County Training School felt the strain of
the two administrative positions and asked to be relieved of the position
as Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 69
As previously stated, the services that were rendered to the
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association were voluntary and without salary. Frazier was allowed $20.00 per month for services that
extended over seven years. The time and energy spent on running the business of the Association often surpassed that which was required of him as principal of his school. With regrets, he resigned the position
as Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association,
and was succeeded in office by W. H. Coston, Principal of Alabama
State College Laboratory High School. Coston began his term of office
during the 1956-1957 school year. A request was made to Coston by the
writer to submit any historical data which he considered significant
during his term as Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association. Coston responded to this request with a personal
letter to the writer as well as a tape recorder interview. He served
as Executive Secretary of the Association for eight years. Since the
Association had grown in the size of its membership, and had become
somewhat more financially stable, he was allowed an honorarium of
$400.00 per year. This represented an increase of $160.00 per year
more than the previous Executive Secretary was allowed.
When Coston became Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastj
Athletic Association in 1956, there were 140 member schools, eight active
District Associations, and one inactive district association. The
inactive athletic district was the North Alabama Athletic Conference.
The membership fee was still $10.00 per school irrespective of the schools
enrollment. Since the Association had grown in size and had been recognizee 70 by the State Department of Education as the official State Athletic
Association for the Negro high schools of Alabama, the Association began to assume some authority and to receive more respect from its members schools.
The Association had adopted a very strong constitution and the principals of all member schools of the Association had pledged to obey the constitution to the letter, as one of the pre-requisites for membership in the Association.
Cliff Harper, the Executive Secretary of the "All white" Alabama
High School Athletic Association, often served in an advisory capacity for the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association whenever invited to do so. Since the Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School
Athletic Association was also a member of the rules committee for the
Federation of State High School Athletic Association, he was often called upon to give his interpretation of various rules associated with football and basketball. Football and basketball were the only two sports sponsored by the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association when Coston became Executive Secretary.
The relationships that existed among all of the Executive
Secretaries of the dual athletic associations have been very cordial and cooperative. Football rule books, case books, handbooks and officials' manuals were obtained in large quantities from the white organization at the regular school rates.
The Constitution that the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association adopted was patterned very closely after that of the Alabama 71
High School Athletic Association. Many of the problems involving eligibility, breach of contracts, coaches taking their players off the field before the termination of the game, and insufficient playing areas, were gradually being reduced. When the school desegregation case was brought before the Supreme Court in 1953, many school systems in Alabama began a "crash program in Negro education."
New schools were built with gymnasiums, better trained teachers were employed, more facilities were provided, and the general "overall" picture of Negro education took on a new "image." Many of the "All white" schools began to allow Negro football teams to use their football stadiums.
As the Negro teams began to play their athletic contests in these new
facilities, their proficiency in the various sports improved greatly.
The attendance increased, and the entire athletic program was given new
life. More schools became concerned about player eligibility, breach of contracts, pre-season practice sessions, and non-certified officials.
This gave rise to a greater interest in the state athletic association and more schools were willing to be governed by the association.
City officials, who had previously denied Negro schools the
opportunity of playing football in the city stadiums, opened the doors
for all schools to participate. The writer, who was a game official
during that time, officiated in many Negro football games that started
at 12:00 noon. On many Instances, these day games had to be cut short
in order for the students to catch the school bus that was transporting
them back and forth from the rural areas. These games were played on
any of the regular school days. 72
With the opportunity to play night football the problem of police protection and transportation increased. The schools could charge an admission fee and collect it. In some areas where football games began around the noon hour, the hat was passed around at the half for volunteer contributions. In other instances, students who bought tickets to see the day games were allowed to be excused from classes. Those students who did not purchase tickets to see the game were required to remain in class during the progress of the game. There were no tax funds available for^the athletic programs.
As the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association grew stronger, it began to intercede for better athletic participation for Negro boys and girls. Basketball participation for girls was very popular at this time, and as it grew in popularity, many abuses and problems began to appear on the scene. In many of the schools that sponsored girls basketball, it overshadowed the football team.
The girls basketball games were usually played as preliminary games before the boys contests began. Host of the county training schools sponsored girls basketball teams as early as 1930. When
Alabama State College operated as a junior college, it sponsored girls basketball as early as 1925. The peak years for girls basketball among the Negro training schools and high schools in Alabama were between
1937-1955. Some of the reasons for the decline of girls interschool basketball were as follows:
1. Shortage of trained women physical education teachers who
could serve in the capacity of coaches. 73
2. A predominance of male coaches for the girls team.
3. Using the girls' game as a matinee performance for the
boys game.
4. Unfavorable publicity
5. Problem of supervision.
6. Unfavorable travelling conditions.
7. Participation in too many tournaments.
When W. H, Coston became Executive Secretary of the Association in 1956, he immediately set out to correct some of the abuses that had developed along with the interschool basketball program for girls. A group of principals were called to a meeting with the Executive Secretary and the President of the Association in the Fall of 1957. This meeting g was held at Parker High School, Birmingham, Alabama. Coston stated:
Projected proposals included the phasing out of State sponsored girls basketball and its ultimate elimination from interschool competition, proposal for basketball classification, and plans for track and field activities. These proposals met with approval. In classifying the schools for boys' basketball, the Central Alabama Athletic District was used as an experimental district. The larger schools made up the Class AA, and the smaller schools were designated as Class A. This made possible two district champions, thus providing for the smaller schools a chance they never had before. Following the one year trial of the classification plan for basketball in the Central Alabama Athletic District, the play was put into effect on the State level. The first place winner in each classification represented the district in the State Basketball Tournament. Provisions were made for first, second and third place trophies in each classification, with the champions getting gold basketballs in addition to the school trophy.^
All awards including trophies and balls were the same for both classifications except for engraving. The Class AA champions represented
g Letter to author from W. H. Coston, (December 9, 1968).
9Ibid- 74
the State of Alabama at the National High School Basketball which was held then at Tennessee State College, Nashville, Tennessee. Some of
the games were played at Pearl High School, also of Nashville, Tennessee.
This national high school basketball tournament was of Negro
origin and conducted by Negroes. Membership in this association was
composed of all Negro State Athletic Associations and a few predominately
Negro schools of the North. Member schools of the Alabama High School
Athletic Association did not participate in this national high school basketball tournament. This Association was a member of the National
Federation of State High School Athletic Associations and participation
in national basketball tournaments was not permitted by the National
Federation.
In the Spring of 1958, a state track meet was held at Alabama
State College with only boys as the participants. The winners of each
event at the district level were invited to the state meet. This
selection pattern made it possible for a large number of boys to
participate. This track meet was a one day affair. It usually started
around 10:00 a.m. and lasted until 3:00 p.m. or a little later. The
Association provided one meal for the participants and coaches. There
were no admission charges for the meet and it was usually conducted
with volunteer help from the local high schools and Alabama State College.
Membership Fees of the Association
With the proven success of basketball classifications at both
the district and State level, attention was turned to football. In
view of the fact that the large schools dominated the football picture 75 at the district level, a different plan was evolved. To take care of added expenses, and promotional efforts, a new membership fee based on the enrollments in the various schools was adopted in 1961, This fee plan was as follows:
School Enrollment Amount of Dues
Up to 300 $10.00
301 to 499 20.00
500 to 700 30.0010
The membership fees for schools belonging to the Alabama High School
Athletic Association have always remained the same. Below is an illustration.
Enrollment (Upper Three Grades) Amount of Dues
1-50 $ 7.50
51 - 100 10.00
101 - 200 15.00
201 - 300 20.00
Over 300 25.0011
After the new fee system was adopted and put into operation by the
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, the larger schools, with an enrollemtn of 700 or more in grades 7-12, were placed in Triple A
^Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution, 1961, p. 1. 11 Alabama High School Athletic Association, Handbook, 1967-68, p. 133. 76 classification for football competition. The schools were divided into a Northern Division and a Southern Division. The winner of each division would meet in a final game for the championship. The first Triple A State Championship game was played in Ladd Memorial
Stadium, Mobile, Alabama, December 1, 1962. The participating teams for this game was Williamson High School of Mobile, Southern Division, versus Westfield High School, Birmingham, Northern Division dinner.
The game was won by Williamson High School.
The writer served in the capacity of referee for the first championship game. The Association sponsored five of these championship games and Williamson High School was the Southern Division winner for three years. The school won two state championships and was co-champions in 1965 with Cobb Avenue High School of Anniston. Mobile County Training
School won the 1966 championship by defeating Carver High School,
Montgomery, by a score of 13-0. The 1967 championship game was not played due to the lateness of the season. Booker T. Washington High
School, Montgomery, was the Southern Division winner and Cobb Avenue
High School of Anniston, and Abrams High School of Bessemer were co-champions in the Northern Division.
It was interesting to note that the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association sponsored championship football play-offs before the Alabama
High School Athletic Association. As previously stated the first football championship game for the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was played on December 1, 1962. The first championship football game for the Alabama High School Athletic Association was played in 1964. 77
These games were successful both from a financial point of view as well as increased spectator interest. After having success with the
four A football championship program for two years, the Alabama High
School Athletic Association began a championship play-off in all of
its school classifications. An account of this expanded program is written in its handbook. The account states:
A football championship play-off series will be held in each school classification beginning with the school year 1967-68. The play-off series will consist of two semi-final games and a championship game between the four top ranked teams in each of the four classifications. The regulation and procedures governing the administration of the program, and the selection of the four top teams in each classification are outlined in the official handbook of the association.12
As the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association continued
to develop in its promotional efforts, it became necessary to
formulate plans for hiring a full time executive secretary. In the meantime, the association began to purchase furniture and equipment,
and office space was rented for the first time in the Alabama State
Teachers Association Building. Prior to this time all of the clerical
work involving the business of the association had been carried on in
the offices of the executive secretaries.
In addition to laying the ground work for hiring a full time
executive secretary, other important contributions that were achieved
during Coston's term as Executive Secretary were the issuance of
membership certificates, the publishing of an official newsletter,
The State of Alabama, Department of Education, Montgomery, Bulletin, 1967, No. 9, Handbook, p. 140. 78 publishing of souvenir picture tournament booklet, information for
player insurance, and the improved certification of officials for
athletic contests.
During the 1963-64 school year Coston was relieved of his
position as Principal of Alabama State Laboratory High School, and
given the position of Director of Admission at Alabama State College,
a position in which he is presently employed. When he began his new
duties, it became necessary for him to appoint an assistant executive
secretary for the remainder of the year.
J. H. Gilchrist, retired instructor of Alabama State College
served as a special assistant to the Executive Secretary during this
period. In the mean time, a committee had been appointed to lobk into
the matter of hiring a full time executive secretary and to recommend
ways and means for financing this project. The committee was appointed
at the annual December meeting of the Association in 1963 and was
directed to make its report to the Delegate Assembly at the next annual
spring meeting of the Association which was March 1964.
Members of the committee were A. J. Rowser, Principal of U.S.
Jones High School, Dempolis; B. F. Garth, Principal of Coppinville
High School, Enterprise; J. T. Gains, Principal of Central High School,
Mobile; W. E. Morton, Principal of W. J. Darden High School, Opelika;
C. M. Mitchell, Principal of Calhoun County Training School, Anniston;
Major Brown, former President of the Association and coach at Parker
High School, Birmingham; J. M. Beatty, Principal of West Highland High
School, Fayette; and W. E. Thompson, Principal of Carver High School,
Montgomery. 79
It was also at this annual spring meeting of the Delegate
Assembly in March 1964, that the writer was elected Executive Secretary
of the Association, W. E. Thompson, President, and James Hall, Recording
Secretary. The 'Delegate Assembly was composed of the principals of
each member schools :or their delegated representative. All elected
officers, and any amendments to the constitution had to be ratified by the Delegate Assembly.
The Committee on full time Executive Secretary met March 7, 1964 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the matter of a full time Executive Secretary for the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. The committee full well recognizes the fact that the matter of a full time Executive Secretary will propose problems; some of which will necessitate constitutional change.
The committee recognizes that the suggestions and recommendations coming from the committee will require further investigation and most important decisions and considerations by the principals, of the schools that compose the membership of the State Athletic Association.
The committee realizing that the major consideration for employment of a full time Executive Secretary is finance recommends the following suggestions:
1. That each member school of the State Athletic Association be assessed 13 cents per pupil; assessment based on school enrollment, grades 7-12. This assessment being based on the number of pupils enrolled at said school at the end of the previous school year as indicated under item 17 of the annual report.
2. That each district be assessed a percentage from all district tournaments, and this percentage should be 10 percent of the gross receipts.
3. The committee made the following tentative recommendations regarding salary and qualifications for a full time Executive Secretary: 80
(a) B.S. degree (b) A background and knowledge in major sports (c) Some knowledge and background in business administrat (d). Salary $5,500, $6,000 (e) That a screening committee, made up of one member from each district be set up to screen applicants for the position of a full time Executive Secretary for Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Copies of the Committee report were given to eachmember of the
Delegate Assembly for a brief study before the discussion of the report began. After a lengthy discussion of the report, two changes were made before it was finally adopted. The changes were as follows: Each school would pay membership dues on the basis of 15 cents per pupil instead of the original 13 cents recommended by the Committee. The second change was that of having 10 percent collected from the net receipts of all district tournaments instead of taking it from the gross receipts. The writer was present at this meeting and participated in the discussions.
Even though the Delegate Assembly adopted the Committees report,
there was much dissatisfaction with the proposal. The Jefferson County
Athletic District withdrew from the Association rather than pay the new membership fee. Most of the schools, especially the larger ones, felt
that the dues were too high.
There was no question about the dues being too high; especially when compared with the dues paid by member schools of the Alabama High
School Athletic Association. This was one of the main contentions of
Committee for Full Time Executive Secretary, "Report to Delegate Assembly," March, 1964. (Mimeographed.) 81 the Jefferson County Athletic District. W. E. Thompson, President of the
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association at this time, called a special meeting of the member schools of the Association in order to seek ways and means of getting the Jefferson County Athletic District back into the Association. There were other districts opposed to the new fee schedule, however they still remained in the Association.
At the special meeting called by President Thompson, there were discussions pro and con on this issue. Most of the principals who were present at the meeting felt that the Jefferson County Athletic District should have remained in the Association, and then brought its complaint before the body. There was also the feeling that since Jefferson County represented one of the most highly productive counties within the state, it should pay the new fee schedule as well as the rest of the districts.
The meeting adjourned without reducing the dues, and the Jefferson
County District remained out of the Association.
At this time there were some apprehensions as to the future of the organization since the Jefferson County District had withdrawn.
In spite of this pessimism on the part of some of the member schools, the Association proceeded in its regular operation and continued to prosper. Member schools of the Association were divided into two classes for basketball and three classes for football. In Triple A football there had been more of these schools located in the Jefferson County
District than in any of the other athletic districts. The Triple A schools had been divided into two divisions: a Northern Division and a Southern Division for athletic competition. All of the Triple A 82 schools had an enrollment of over 700 students in grades seven through twelve. There were eleven schools in the Northern Division, and of the eleven schools in this division, eight of them were members of the defunct Jefferson County Athletic District.
In order to make for better competition the districts were reshuffled after Jefferson County withdrew from the Association.
Before the Jefferson County District withdrew from the Association the arrangement of the schools into districts were as follows:
Northern District Southern District
Abrams High School, Beesemer Booker T. Washington High, Montgome
Carver High School, Birmingham Carver High School, Montgomery
Carver High School, Gadsden Hale County Training, Greensboro
Cobb Avenue High School, Anniston Blount High School, Mobile
Druid High School, Tuscaloosa Central High School, Mobile
Hayes High School, Birmingham South Girard High, Phenix City
Parker High School, Birmingham Mobile County Training, Mobile
Ullman High School, Birmingham Williamson High School, Mobile
Wenonah High School, Birmingham Hudson High School, Selma
Western-Olin High, Birmingham Tuskegee Institute High, Tuskegee
Westfield High School, Birmingham
In order to keep the championship game in operation, after the
Jefferson County District withdrew from the Association, the following
classification became effective with the beginning of the 1964-65 school year: 83
Northern Division Southern Division
Booker T. Washington High, Montgomery Central High, Mobile
Carver High, Montgomery Blount High, Mobile
South Cirard High, Phenix City Mobile County Training, Mobile
Tuskegee Institute High, Tuskegee Williamson High, Mobile
Druid High School, Tuscaloosa Hudson High, Selma
Carver High School, Gadsden Hale County Training, Greensborc
After the Jefferson County District withdrew from the Association, member schools of the State Association were not allowed to engage in interschool athletic competition with the member schools of the
Jefferson County District. This presented a real problem for member schools that had engaged in athletic competition with non-member schools of the Jefferson County District. Most of the larger schools in the metropolitan area of Birmingham were good spectator attractions, and provided for very fine competition.
According to the .^Constitution of the Alabama Interscholastic
Athletic Association:
Member schools shall refrain from entering contests with Alabama high schools that are not members of the Association, or with schools under suspension. Participation in benefit affairs (Invitational tournaments) should be approved by the Association. Violation of these rules shall be sufficien grounds for suspension.^
At the annual spring meeting of the Delegate Assembly in 1965,
the issue of membership dues came up again for discussion. The Jefferson
14 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution, Article XI, "Contests," 1966-67, p. 7. 84
County Athletic District sent representatives to the meeting, however, they were not allowed to discuss the issue since they were not members of the Association at this particular time.
In order to entice the Jefferson County District to become reinstated with the Association, the membership dues were adjusted from 15$ per student in grades 7-12 to 10$ for the same grades. The' percentage intake from the district tournaments was changed from 10 percent of the net gate receipts to 10 percent of the gross receipts.
The change in district intake from the tournaments was made because most of the districts were sending in huge expense accounts iand very little net profit.
The Constitution of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic
Association makes the following comment concerning membership dues for the 1965-66 school term.
The membership fee shall fluctuate between a minimum fee of $20.00 for any school with an enrollment of less than 200 students and a maximum fee of not more than $150.80 irrespective of the enrollment. All schools with enrollments above 200 students will pay on the basis of 10$ per student based on the school's enrollment in grades 7-12. This fee shall be based on the number reported in item 17 of the Annual Report of the previous year.^
Many of the other schools that had complained about the dues being too high felt somewhat relieved and continued to support the
Association. President Thompson and the Executive Secretary of the
15Ibid. 85
State Association pledged to the Delfegate Assembly that all funds that were accumulated above the normal operating expenses would be placed
in a savings account for the ultimate hiring of a full time Executive
Secretary. The new fees were bringing in considerably more revenue
than had been collected during the previous administration of
W. H. Coston as Executive Secretary. During the last year of Coston's
tenure of office, the amount of money that was collected from schools
for dues was $2,980.^ This included Jefferson County Athletic District.
During the first year that the new membership fee schedule was adopted,
the amount of dues collected from member schools excluding the Jefferson 17 County District was $10,504.40. The total receipts for this first year tripled those of the previous year. There was also other noticeable
increases in the revenue intake for the Association. The Triple A
Championship game had been conducted under the revised classification
system, and a slight profit was realized. Each competing team was
given $300.00 after expenses. Cobb Avenue High School, Anniston,
and Carver High School of Montgomery were the participants for this game.
At the beginning of the 1965-66 school year, the Association
employed a part time clerical secretary to aid the non-salaried Executive
Secretary. During this particular time the Executive Secretary was
administering all of the business affairs of the Association. From the
Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary, "Financial Statement Summary, 1963," p. 3. 17 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary. Financial Report, 1965, p. 5. 86
1964-65 school year through the 1965-66 school year, the Executive
Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was
given an honorarium of $450.00 per year. The Executive Secretary
of the "All white" Alabama High School Athletic Association received
a salary in excess of $12,000 per year.
Even though the Executive Secretaries of the Association were
not paid a regular salary, the work performed by these Executive
Secretaries was similar to that of the Executive Secretary of the
Alabama High School Athletic Association. Coston in summarizing his
activities for the 1963-64 school year gave a very representative
picture of the duties performed by the Executive Secretaries of the
Alabama Interscholastic Association. These duties are listed as
follows:
1. Continued certification of member schools
2. Continued certification of football and basketball officials
Issued printed forms to all member schools
(a) Eligibility list form (Triplicate)
(c) Contract forms (d) Game eligibility forms (pink) (e) School official record folder (£) Game official contract form (blue) (g) Sportsmanship placards to all member schools (h) Health examination forms 4. Continued release of registered officials to schools 87 5. Publication of Tournament Souvenir program 6. Conducted state basketball tournament 7. Conducted football and basketball clinics 8. Conducted statewide track meet 18 9. Promotion of Triple A championship football game. In the same report Coston presented a list of recommendations with the hope that the various schools would adhere more closely to the recommendations; and thus make for a more efficient operation of the Association. The recommendations are listed below: 1. That communication between the Executive Secretary’s office and the various athletic districts be improved. 2. Submit a schedule of the district meetings to the State Office. 3. That member schools be more punctual in submitting membership application blanks. 4. That an evaluation of game officials be submitted to the Executive Secretary following each athletic contest. 5. That there be no interschool spring football games. 6. That schools begin football practice two weeks before the first football game. 7. That schools play no more than 20 basketball games excluding tournaments per season. 8. Hire a full time Executive Secretary. 9. Implementation of Triple A Committee with respect to scheduling of football games. Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary, "Our Activities For the Year," 1964, p. 14. (Mimeographed.) 88 All of the functions that had been carried out by Coston during his administration were continued during the tenure of office of the Executive Secretary that followed. Membership in the Association increased considerably. Many of the problems that confronted the schools prior to the establishment of the Association, appeared quite frequently following its establishment. One basic difference in relation to the solution of the problem was that member schools of the Association that violated its Constitution, could be fined or suspended from the Association and forbidden to engage in interschool athletic competition with other member schools of the Association. At the annual spring meeting of the Delegate Assembly in 1966, H. L. Shaw, Principal of Carber High School, Gadsden, was elected President of the Association, and S. A. Frazier was reappointed Executive Secretary. Other elected officers were James Hall, Jr., Vice President, and Lawrence Presley, Recording Secretary. All officers of the Association were limited to a two year term of office except the Executive Secretary- Treasurer. According to the Constitution of the Association: The officers of this Association shall be a President, Vice President, the Executive Secretary-Treasurer, and a Recording Secretary. All officers, with the exception of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected by ballot during the Spring Meeting of the Delegate Assembly.^ At the beginning of the 1966-67 school term, the Jefferson County Athletic District rejoined the State Association, and the outlook for the Association'i 19 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution, Article IV, Officers and Their Duties, Sectional, p. 2. 89 future appeared to very optimistic. With the reinstatement of the district, the membership roster of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association consisted of 191 schools. With such a large number of schools to deal with it became more and more evident that a full time Executive Secretary was needed as well as additional clerical help. With more schools to deal with there were naturally more problems and issues to resolve. A considerable number of the schools had acquired new gymnasiums, and this added greatly to their athletic program. The 1954 Supreme Court's decision on School Desegregation was one of the main factors for improvement in school facilities in the Negro schools. One common problem that was associated with a majority of the schools that had gymnasiums was that of scheduling too many regular season basketball games and'.participating in too many tournaments. The twenty game per season schedule, that had been recommended and adopted as a policy of the Association was grossly violated. Many of the schools played as many as thirty five games during the regular basketball season. Some schools participated in four or five tournaments prior to their annual district tournament. Memorandums were sent to the schools requesting that they not participate in more than two tournaments prior to their districts yearly single elimination tournament. During the writer's four year term in office as Executive Secretary, there were an average of fifty schools requesting permission to sponsor some type of basketball tournament. Many of the schools contended that it was necessary to sponsor basketball 90 tournaments in order to pay the increase in membership dues. In addition to paying dues to the State Association, each school had to pay whatever dues were levied by its district. In order for a school to be a member of the State Association, it must first be a member in good standing with the District Association in which it was located. Many of the schools sponsored tournaments without the consent or knowledge of the Executive Secretary. This was strictly against the Constitution of the State Association. According to the Constitution: ”No inter-district or interstate athletic contest involving more than two schools shall be permitted without the written consent of the ,,20 Executive Seeretary-Treasurer." Much better records could have been kept by the Association if more of the schools had taken the time to fill out the various forms that were sent to them from the Executive Secretary's office. In some instances schools would send in their football roster for a player eligibility report. There were occasions when some of the schools would request information concerning the eligibility of players at other schools when they had not sent in their own eligibility reports. During the 1966-67 school year the Association certified more than 300 officials for football and approximately 400 officials for basketball. There were still a few renegade officials operating in some of the remote rural areas, however, this problem was not too serious. Since so many of the schools were guilty of the same offence, they were somewhat reluctant toward registering complaints with the State Association. 20 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution, p. 9. 91 Schools found guilty of using non-certifled officials were fined from $10.00 to $25.00 for each official used in each game. According to the Constitution of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association: Only officials who are registered with the Association may be used by member schools as officials in football, basketball and baseball. Violation of this rule shall subject the school or schools to a minimum fine of ten dollars, or a maximum fine of twenty five dollars for each offense.^ The district athletic associations were urged to resolve their immediate problems at the district level. This was one df the main differences between the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. Most of the disputes that arose among member schools of the Alabama High School Athletic Association were settled through the office of the State Association. According to the Constitution of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association: Appeals from the District Association involving schools in the same district may be filed with the Executive Secretary by the complaining school after the decision of the District Association has been rendered. The school filing the appeal to the local athletic district may appeal to the State Athletic Association in the event the local athletic association does not act on the appeal within ten school days after receiving the appeal. The Executive Secretary shall review the final 21 .. Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitution. Article 14, Game Officials, Section 1, p. 9. 92 decision of the local district and render a decision. In case of a disputed decision between schools of two different districts, the case is referred directly to the Executive Secretary of the State Association.22 An average of about ten protests were handled each year by the Association. Most of the protests were concerned with non-certified officials, or some decisions that had been made by game officials and not approved by the coach or principal of the losing team. Of the 191 member schools listed on the Executive Secretary’s 1967 Report to the Delegate Assembly, approximately 100 of these schools engaged in football and basketball. All of the schools sponsored basketball. The North Alabama Athletic District and the Northwest Athletic District did not participate in track mainly because of inadequate facilities. An annual track meet was sponsored each year by the Alabama Inter scholastic Athletic Association at Alabama State College. The Alabama High School Athletic Association sponsored regional track meets and finals for each classification of schools. In the Alabama Inter- scholastic Athletic Association, all Single A, Double A, and Triple A schools participated in the same track meet on equal terms. At the close of the 1966-67 school term, it became obvious that the amount of revenue collected yearly by the Association was insufficient for the hiring of a full time Executive Secretary. From all revenue sources the Association was able to save $U,000 per year in a savings account. According to the financial report given by the Executive Secretary at the annual meeting of the Delegate Assembly 2gIbid., p. 5 93 in the spring of 1967, a balance of $13,419.58 was reported in the savings account. This amount represented the deposits and interests 23 accumulated by the account. The minimum salary that had been recommended by the Committee on Hiring a Full Time Executive Secretary was $5,500 - $6,000 per year. The Association was fortunate in having had Executive Secretaries who were already full time employees in the Alabama educational system. Ulysses Williams, the 'first Executive Secretary of the Association, was Director of Diversified Occupations, Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama. 0. F. Frazier, the second Executive Secretary, was Principal of the Conecuh County Training School, Evergreen, Alabama, W. H. Coston, third Executive Secretary of the Association, was Principal of Alabama State Laboratory High School, Montgomery, Alabama, and S. A. Frazier, fourth Executive Secretary was an Instructor and Coach at Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama. The Association was taking in more revenue than it had previously; even though the expenses had increased sharply in the operation of its business. An example of this increase in operating expenses for the Association can easily be seen when one takes into account the operation of the annual basketball tournament. The room and board expenses for the 1967 basketball tournament was $840.95, while the expenses for 24 the same items during the 1968 basketball tournament was $2,129.14. Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of Executive Secretary, Savings Account, 1967, (Mimeographed.) 24 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary, 1968, p. 1.3. (Mimeographed.) 94 One reason for this increase in expenses was due to the fact that Alabama State College could not provide housing accommodations for the teams as it had done in previous years. The college had provided this service at rates from 75 cents to $1*50 per person for each night's lodging. Housing accommodations had to be obtained from the surrounding motels in the city. The rates for these services ranged from $3.50 to $4.50 per person with four persons assigned to each room. Even though the receipts from the tournament had increased, they were not enough to offset the increased expenditure for lodging. The admission fees for the tournament usually ranged from 75 cents for students to $1.25 for adults. Meals were obtained from the college at regular student rates which amounted to an average of 60 cents per meal. The writer was serving his fourth year as Executive Secretary of the Association at this time. Since the Association was not able to hire a full time paid Executive Secretary, he agreed to continue in the position. At the beginning of the 1967-68 school year, the Association had purchased films dealing with various sports. These films were loaned to the various district athletic associations for the coaches and players to observe. All member schools were urged to provide periodic medical examinations for the various sports. Special health forms were sent to all member schools to be used during the examination of the athletes. The parents of the participating athlete were required to give their consent for his participation in the interschool athletic program. Each member school was directly responsible for safeguarding the health and safety of its athletes. The Executive Secretary of the State Association would recommend reliable insurance firms to its member schools. Most of the schools had some type of protective insurance for their athletes. Very few serious injuries occurred during the entire history of the Association. The football and basketball clinics that had been conducted by representatives from the Alabama High School Athletic Association, were conducted at the beginning of the 1967-68 school year by officers of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was contemplating the addition of new features to its program, when it was brought into Federal Court and enjoined from operating a segregated State High School Athletic Association. A detailed account of this era in the Association's history is presented in the next chapter. CHAPTER VI THE MERGER OF THE STATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS The merger of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Alabama High School Athletic Association was an outgrowth of the Anthony T. Lee, Et Al., Plaintiffs, United States of America, Plaintiff Intervenor and Amicus Curiae, Alabama State Teachers Association, Inc. Intervening Plaintiff versus Macon County Board of Education Et Al., Defendants Civil Action No. 604-E. This case was brought before the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Eastern Division. The three judge panel who heard the case were Circuit Judge Richard Rives and District Judges H. H. Grooms and Frank M. Johnson, Jr. The case was tried in Montgomery, Alabama. In this case the plaintiffs asked the court to consider whether the defendant, Lurleen Burns Wallace, as Governor of the State of Alabama and as President of the Alabama State Board of Education and Ernest Stone, as Secretary and Executive Officer of the Alabama Board of Education (sometimes referred to as the State Department of Education), have, continued and are continuing to use their authority to -operate throughout the State of Alabama a dual school system based on race.^ At the beginning this case only involved the Macon County Board of Education, but due to the various tactics that were used to avoid the desegregation of schools, the case was expanded to include an additional 99 city and county school systems that operated in the State of Alabama. The case began in 1963 and had extended through the 1967-68 school year when this study was made. 1 Anthony T. Lee, Et Al., Plaintiffs, United States of America, versu Macon County Board of Education, Et A1T, Defendants, Civil Action No. 604-E, p. 1 * 97 Procedural History of the Case In examining the procedural history of the case, this court action was commenced over four years earlier by Negro parents of school age children against the Macon County Board of Education seeking to desegregate the public schools in Macon County, Alabama, After a full hearing, the court in August, 1963 made its findings and conclusions and ordered the public schools in Macon County, Alabama desegregated. Thereafter, on three separate occasions during the 1963-64 school year, this court found it necessary to enjoin state officials from various forms of interference with the peaceful and orderly desegre- 2 gation of schools in Macon County. In spite of the original court decision which outlawed dual school systems based on race, there still remained many problems and obstacles that faced the Negro children as they attempted to enter previously "all white schools." During the 1963-64 school term, State troopers went to the Tuskegee High School =and would not allow the Negro children to enter 3 the school. During the same school year when the desegregated school at Shorter, Alabama was in operation, the school was burned down by parties unknown to the police department. Shorter was another small town in Macon County. To defy the court's order and to maintain a 2 Anthony T. Lee, Et Al., Plaintiff, United States of America, Plaintiff and Amicus Curiae v.Macon County Board of Education, MD Alabama, August 22, 1963, 221 F. Supp. 297. 3 Anthony T. Lee versus Macon County Board of Education, Civil Action 604-E, September 2, 1963, 5. 98 form of segregation, a private school was established at Tuskegee, Alabama during the same school year. Due to such incidents as these and other forms of opposition, it became necessary for the plaintiffs to seek relief through the Court. In February, 1964, plaintiffs filed a supplemental complaint, adding as defendant George C. Wallace as President of the Alabama State Board of Education, Austin R. Meadows, Executive Officer and Secretary of the Alabama State Board of Education, and other individual members of the State Board of Education. On this supplemental complaint the plaintiffs requested the Court (1) to enjoin these defendants from operating a dual system of education based upon race throughout Alabama; (2) to enter an order requiring statewide desegregation of schools in the State of Alabama, (3) to enjoin the use of State funds to perpetuate the dual school system, and (4) to enjoin as unconstitutional the Tuition Grant Law of the State 4 of Alabama. In relation to the Tuition Grant Law, the State of Alabama would grant funds to parents who sent their children to private schools in order to avoid desegregation. After an oral hearing, a review of the evidence and arguments of counsel, the Court in July, 1964 made its findings and conclusions to the effect that a dual school system based upon race was maintained and operated throughout the State of Alabama, and it was the policy of the State and, in particular, the Governor, as President of the Alabama State Board of Education, and Austin R. Meadows, Secretary and Executive 4 Anthony T. Lee, Et Al., Plaintiffs, United States of America and Amicus Curiae v Macon County Board of Education, Alabama, July, 1964. Officer of the Alabama State Board of Education, to promote and encourage the implemtnation of that racial policy in the operation of the Alabama 5 Public Schools. It was during these hearings that the two athletic associations were made parties to the suit and finally ordered to merge. The Montgomery County School Board and the Federal Court The Montgomery County Board of Education built a new high school during the 1967-68 school year and named the school Jefferson Davis High School. The school was built in a very exclusive residential area that is conspicuous by its absence of Negro residents. There were scarcely any Negroes living within three miles of the newly built school. Before the construction of the school was completed, the principal was appointed, the head football coach and his assistants had been appointed, and also a band director. There were no Negroes appointed to any of these positions mentioned above. United States District Judge Frank M. Johnson, who was a member of the three judge panel that served in the Anthony Lee versus Macon County Board of Education Case, became critical of the action of the Montgomery County Board of Education and gave a verbal reprimand to the Board as well as issuing orders for the Board to carry out in implementing the decision that had been rendered in the Anthony Lee'versus Macon County Board of Education Case. The following series of statements taken from the Montgomery Advertiser on February 25, 1968 portray very clearly the judge's feeling toward the action of the Montgomery County Board of Education, and the orders that he issued to the Board: 100 United States District Judge Frank M. Johnson, said Saturday that the Montgomery County Board of Education has failed to discharge its duty under the law to eliminate a dual school system in the County. He ordered more faculty desegregation and more transporting of students. The judge was particularly critical of the manner in which new schools— especially the new Jefferson Davis High School have been established. He gave as an example the construction of Jefferson Davis High School, Peter Crump Elementary and Southlawn Elementary, "all in predominately white neighbor hoods." He also cited the expansion of Haynev^ll Road School, in a predominately Negro neighborhood. There had been a hearing on February 9, 1968 on United States Justice Department motions which sought more faculty desegregation in county schools and further desegregation of athletics. Judge Johnson in continuing his criticism of the action of the Montgomery County Board of Education stated: One of the most aggravating courses of conduct on the part of the School Board and its employees related to the new Jefferson'Davis High School on Carter Hill Road was that the school was placed in a predominately white section of Montgomery, and that evidence reflects that in determining the capacity of the school, defendants approximated the number of white students residing in the general area and constructed the school accordingly. Still referring to the Jefferson Davis High School the judge further stated that: They have adopted a school name and a school crest that are designed to create the impression that it is to be a predominately white school; they have hired a princi pal, three coaches and a band director, all of whom are white; they have actively engaged in a fund-raising campaign ^McGregor, ."Judge Hits Montgomery School Board," Montgomery Advertiser, February 25, 1968, 1-2. 7Ibid. 101 for athletics and band programs only through white persons for the scheduling of athletics, and have made tentative arrangements to join the Alabama High Schoo^ Athletic Association which was the white association. Johnson said the law would tolerate no further undue delay in the desegregation of the public school system, and that the Board of Education will not justify or excuse any further delay in faculty desegregation on the grounds that some teachers were reluctant to teach in schools predominately of the opposite race. In order for the School Board to carry out the latest directives, the judge attached a supplement to the County's current desegregation plan. In a statement of objectives, the judge said that teacher assign ments shall not be tailored for a heavy concentration of either Negro or white pupils in the school, but that the School Board should be guided by the ratio of Negro to white faculty members in the school system. The School Board was further ordered to file with the Court by June 1, the criteria it adopts, and maps of bus routes for the 1968-69 school year. The coach of Jefferson Davis High School was ordered to visit each junior high school and each senior high school in the city and inform all male students in grades 9, 10, and 11 of the rules concerning the eligibility to participate in athletics at Jefferson Davis High School. The judge took no immediate action on the desegregation of 8Ibid. 102 athletic schedules in the County, since this phase of the program had already been set for a hearing on March 9, in a statewide desegre gation case.9 In order to. make sure that the School Board did not misinterpret his ruling, Judge Johnson drafted a special letter and sent it to the School Board with orders for the School Board to send a copy of the letter to every student in Montgomery County in grades 9, 10, and 11 by March 1, 1968. The letter was as follows: Dear Student: We are sending you this letter to inform you that you are eligible to attend Jefferson Davis High School if you choose to do so. The choice period for Montgomery County Schools begins March 1, 1968, and you or your parents will be receiving a choice form within the next few days. Jeffer son Davis High School is a new high school in Southeast Montgomery to be opened in the Fall of 1968. It will have grades ten through twelve. Bus transportation to the school will be available to students who live outside of the city of Montgomery and more than two miles from the school, provided the student exercising such choice lives nearer Jefferson Davis than either Lee High School or Lanier High School. All students will be welcome to participate in all extra-curricula activities, including athletics and the band, on the same basis and without regard to race. Spring football is scheduled to begin March 4, 1968, at Cloverdale Junior High. All athletes who choose to attend Jefferson Davis High School are welcome to partici pate. Sincerely, Superintendent Montgomery‘Public Schools During the time that Judge Johnson was criticizing the Montgomery County School Board, he had already granted a motion of the Justice Depart- 9 Ibid. ^Letter to Montgomery County School Board from Judge Frank M. Johnson, February 25, 1968. 103 ment to inspect records of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Attorneys from the Justice Department had already been in conference with officials of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. These attorneys had likewise searched through the records of the associa tion. From these developments the two athletic associations became involved with the Federal Courts for operating dual State athletic associations. The Athletic Associations and the Federal Court In examining the performance records of athletes attending schools that held membership in the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association it was found that two of these athletes had better records for the 100 yard dash than that held by Richmond Flowers, Jr., who attended Sidney Lanier High School. This high school held membership with the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Flowers1 record for 11 the event was 9.8 seconds. Eddie Warren held the record for this event with the time of 9.6 seconds. He attended Southside High School, a member school of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. % George Walker of Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama had run the 100 yard dash in 9.7 seconds. Booker T. Washington High School was a member school of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. ^Alabama High School Athletic Association, Handbook, 1966-67, 74. 104 Richard Flowers, Jr. was also the record holder for the broad jump of 23 feet, 3 inches in 1964. James Jenkins of Alabama State Laboratory High School, Montgomery, held the record for the broad 12 jump of 24 feet, 1 inch in' 1962. Only the records made by athletes of those schools that held membership with the Alabama High School Athletic Association were recognized by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Association. This applied to those schools in Alabama. Many record performances made by Negro high school athletes in Alabama went unnoticed and unrecognized. Whenever some of the Negro athletes‘would run the 100 yard dash in more than 9.7 seconds, it would be considered as slow time. It seems to be the general pattern that Negro athletes make their best performances in races of short duration. The attorneys representing the United States Department of Justice were very much concerned about the athletic performances of the Negro athletes in Alabama being recognized by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. This proved to be a strong point for the Justice Department in its argument for the merger of the two athletic associations. Judith Helm writing for the Alabama Journal, gave the following account of the inspection of athletic records by the United States Justice Department: U.S. District Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. granted a motion of the Justice Department this morning to inspect records of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. That association and other high school and college groups in the State are 12 Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Track and Field Records, "Summary Sheet of Results," 1-964, p. 1. 105 parties to a suit in which the government seeks racial integration of all sport schedules. The Justice Department claims racial discrimination continues in athletic activities, in violation of previous court orders, in that there are separate white and Negro athletic associations with rules that prohibit their playing each other. A hearing is set for Saturday before Judge Johnson, Circuit Judge Richard Rives and District Judge H. H. Grooms at which time the various associations will be allowed to show cause why certain orders shouldn't be issued disestablishing the dueal system.^ The writer was present at this hearing but was not called to give testimony. Prior to his hearing, there had been deposition hearings in the private chamber of the Justice Department. At these deposition hearings all of the concerned parties had given certain factual statements concerning their respective organizations. Attorneys for the Alabama High School Athletic Association argued against the exposure of records to the Justice Department. In speaking for the Alabama High School Athletic Association, Attorney Oakley Melton stated: The Alabama High School Athletic Association is not incorporated but is made up of 3&1 public, private and parochial schools, and any records would be the individual records of the schools. A motion that would allow the athletic association's attorneys to see any complaints made to the Justice Department also was granted but a government attorney said he had no such complaints. . Production of records was ordered carried out by Friday. ^ After this hearing session the judges promised that a decision would be made in the very near future. In a few days all of the athletic associations and conferences that were functioning in Alabama were made parties to the suit by orders of the Federal Court. The text of the ^Judith Helm, "School Sport Integration is Sought," Alabama Journal, March 9, 1968. 14Ibid. 106 order that made all of the athletic associations and athletic conferences parties to the suit is herewith presented: As a result of the hearing on March 9, 1968, the Court will give serious consideration to disestablishing the racially dual athletic systems in the schools, junior colleges and colleges in Alabama subject to the Court's jurisdiction. Any order which may be entered on that subject could seriously affect the two statewide high school athletic associations, and the junior colleges and college athletic conferences. Those associa tions and conferences should be g|^ea aa opportunity to be heard before any such order is entered. After making this preliminary introduction, Judge Richard T. Rives issued the following show cause order: THE ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, and James R. Allen, J. L. Nolen, Sam W. Jones, J. T. Greene, Frank Kendall, F. T. Dobbs, W. W. Hester, and M. G. Couch, as members of the Central Board of Control of said association; and Herman L. Scott, as Executive Secretary of said association; THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, and H. L. Shaw, James Hall, Lawrence Presley, W. J. Yelder, W. F. Burns, W. E. Scoggins, R. A. Stewart, Walker Alexander, Hugh Martin, George Mosby, John Nolen, and Eugene Royster, as members of the Central Board of Control of said association; and Severne Allen Frazier, as Executive Secretary of said association; THE ALABAMA JUNIOR COLLEGE CONFERENCE, and Lathem N. Sibert, E. R. Knox, Rex Turner, James Glasgow, B. E. Lee, and Walter Graham, as members of the Executive Committee of said conference; THE ALABAMA COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE, and Bill Short, Dallas Lancaster, Earl Watson, Ward Tishler, and Jack Powell, as members of the Executive Committee of said conference; and THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE, and E. L. Jackson, Julian Bell, Frank Forbes, C. Johnson Dunn, A. S. Gaither, Jay Hawkins, William Powell, W. T. Green, A. J. Lockhart, H. W. Crawford, and H. B. 15 Anthony T. Lee, Et Al., Plaintiffs, United States of America versus Macon County Board of Education, Et Al., Defendants, Civil Action No. 604-E, 1. 107 Thompson, as members of the Executive Committee of said conference, are hereby added as parties defendants to this action.^ The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference were Negro athletic associations. Since these athletic associations and athletic conferences had been made party defendants to the suit, they were ordered to appear in Court on March 23, 1968. The full context of the order is herewith presented: It is further ordered that the defendants appear in person, or through their attorneys, at 9:30 a.m., March 23, 1968, in the courtroom of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, second floor, U.S. Post Office and Courthouse Building, Montgomery, Alabama and show cause, if any they have, why appropriate orders should not be entered disestablishing the racially dual athletic systems in the schools, junior colleges and colleges of Alabama, and as to all matters relating to the terms and provisions of any order or orders to be entered on that subject. This order is entered with the other two judges of the court. Done this the 11th day of March 1968.1? Most of the argument presented at the hearing on March 9, centered on the fact that there were two high school athletic associations, one totally white and the other Negro, each with rules that member teams can play only other teams in the same association. Before the hearing began, Judge Rives had expressed hope that the two groups would merge voluntarily without a court order. Attorneys for the Negro athletic association stated that the Negro association would agree to a5merger, but the attorneys for the white association said that they doubted such 16Ibid. 108 an agreement could be made, however, the white association would be willing to accept applications from Negro schools. The Negro Athletic Association was not in favor of its member schools joining the white association on a one by one basis. The Justice Department's demand for athletic schedule integration was a part of the Lee versus Macon County Board of Education Case which brought racial desegregation in 99 public school systems in Alabama under a March 22, 1967 order. Montgomery County and several other systems were operating under separate Federal Court orders made before the government lumped the 99 systems into one case; however, Montgomery County will be affected by the outcome of the latest Lee versus Macon ruling. In March of each year, the Alabama Education Association held its annual meeting at Birmingham. The Alabama State Teachers Association, an association of Negro teachers, held its annual meeting at Montgomery. It was a custom for the two educational associations to meet in different cities. The two athletic associations would also hold their annual meetings during this time. At the meeting of the Central Board of Control of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, it was agreed to permit Negro high schools to become members of the association. This was in March, I9 6 8 . This fact was brought out at the Court hearing on March 23, 1968, as well as other important issues associated with the functions of the two athletic associations. William 0. Bryant, writing in the Alabama Journal, relates the following account of the action taken by the Central Board of Control in permitting the Negro high schools to become members of the Alabama High School Athletic Association: 109 The door has been opened for Negro high schools to join the predominately White Alabama High School Athletic Association, an official of the organization told Federal Court in Montgomery Saturday. In addition said Herman L. (Bubba) Scott, Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, member schools may now play schools belonging to the Alabama Interscholas- tic Athletic Association. Scott testified before a three judge Federal panel considering the racial desegregation of athletic programs in Alabama. The judges took the matter under advisement and Circuit Judge Richard T. Rives of Montgomery said a decree would be issued "in due course," Scott's testimony came as a surprise. He said racial barriers were lowered at a meeting - of the Central Board of Control in Birmingham, March 13, 1968 . Almost as startling as the testimony of Herman L. Scott, the executive secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, was the testimony of B. E. Lee, President of Patrick Henry Junior College in Monroeville, and a member of the Alabama Junior College Conference Executive Committee. He stated that the Alabama Junior College Associa tion last week voted to admit the only two Negro junior colleges in Alabama. These two junior colleges were Wenonah and Mobile State. Membership in the association was necessary for being admitted to the athletic conference. In addition to the two high school athletic associations and the Junior College Conference, the white Collegiate Conference and the Negro Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference were ordered to appear also. Since no relief from them had been sought by the Plaintiffs, It was not necessary for them to testify. After the hearing the Court dismissed the Alabama Junior College Conference and the Southern Inter collegiate Athletic Conference as parties to the suit. ^Swilliam 0. Bryant, "Athletic Group Open Doors," Alabama Journal, Montgomery, March 2k, 1968, p. 1. 110 Negro attorney, Fred Gray, asked Scott, the Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, what would happen if there was a sudden exodus from the Negro athletic association? Scott replied that they would be taken into the athletic program. In his final arguments, Oakley Melton, attorney for the Alabama High School Athletic Association, praised the work school officials and coaches had already done toward the integration of athletics. He further stated that the doors of the Alabama High School Athletic Association had been thrown open to the Negro schools for membership, and that was all that could be done.^-9 There were many other interesting points brought out in the testimony of the two executive secretaries and their attorneys. Many reporters were present and they seemed very anxious to get a good story for the new media that they represented. Mary Ellen Gale, reporter for the liberal Southern Courier, gave the following account of some of the testimony brought out in the hearing: In the Alabama High School Athletic Association it is not how you play the game that counts; it is whether you win or lose. That's what Herman L. "Bubban Soctt, Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, told three Federal judges last week. Opposing teams are always built up in the eyes of each other as being enemies, and in many communities careful supervision is needed to prevent post-game riots. But despite the "intense feeling" Scott assured the Court, you always respect your opponent as long as you can decide who your opponent is going to be.2® Attorney Oakley Melton speaking in behalf of the Alabama High School Athletic Association made the following comments: 19lbid. 2®Mary Ellen Gale, "Alabama High School Athletic Association Still Thinks It's Dangerous," Southern Courier. March 30-31, p. 2. Ill Compulsory scheduling is the most dangerous thing that has ever been advocated in the field of athletics in America. The government doesn't do what it is asking Alabama to do. The three major United States Military Academies have not competed with Negro schools. The government replied that the United States Naval Academy had competed against Howard University in Crew. When Melton asked Scott what Crew was Scott replied that several men get in a long boat and r o w . ^ When Melton told the Court that the United States Military Academies all have full schedules in football, basketball, and baseball, but play only traditionally white schools, Charles Quintance, attorney for the Justice Department, made the following reply: "These defendants have been waving a red flag— X might say almost red herring. The races 22 play each other all over the nation and incidents are rare." It was also brought out in the testimony that two Negro junior high schools had already been accepted into membership by the white association. Fred Gray, Attorney for the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, told the Federal Court that opening the doors of the white association isn't enough because the burden of desegregation still rests 23 on Negro principals and coaches employed by local boards of education. Attorney Gray was also the leading attorney for the plaintiffs in the Lee versus Macon County Board of Education Cases. He was aware of the 2 1 Ibid. 22Ibid. 23Ibid. 112 fact that If the Negro principals and coaches pushed the desegre gation of athletics too vigorously, they were subject to being fired by the Board of Education without any recourse except to bring their grievances before the Federal Court. Gray also criticized Scott's promise that if enough Negro schools joined the Alabama High School Athletic Association, he would employ a Negro to head up the operation. Gray stated that the problem would not be solved by having two associations in one. Scott denied that he meant to convey that impression. Severne Frazier, the Executive Secretary of the Alabama Inter scholastic Athletic Association, told the Court that he was not in favor of the Alabama High School Athletic picking off its member schools one by one. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, a defendant in the case, had joined the government in asking for a merger of the two athletic groups with guarantees of proportionate representation from the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association on the new governing board and paid staff. Frazier also asked the Court to make some provi sions for those schools that were unaccredited but held membership in the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. At the close of the hearings, the three judge panel announced that a decision would be rendered in "due course," This "due course" was indeed speedy as the judges rendered their decision within one week after the hearings closed. The orders for the two athletic associations to merge were issued by the three judge panel on April 1, 1968. The decree Issued by the judges is herewith presented. 113 It is the order, judgment and decree of this Court that the Alabama State Board of Education, Dr. Ernest Stone, Secretary and Execu tive Officer of the Alabama State Board of Education and the Alabama State Superintendent of Education; James D. Nettles, Ed Dannelly, Mrs. Carl Strang, Fred L. Merrell, W. M. Beck, Victor P. Poole, W. C. Davis, Cecil Word and Harold Martin as members of the Alabama State Board of Education; the Alabama High School Athletic Association, its individual members and officers thereof, and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, its individual members and officers thereof, together with their agents, servants, employees, successors in office and all those in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of this decree, or any of them, shall be and are hereby enjoined from opera- ^ ting a dual athletic system in the public schools of the State of Alabama. Below is the summary evidence of the case. Upon this submission, this Court finds that there are actually two systems of high school athletics in Alabama...one predominately white and the other Negro. The predominately white schools belong to the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Their teams play only teams from predominately white schools. Their coaches are white and their game officials are white. They belong to conferences only with other predomi nately white schools and hold their tournaments, conferences and competi tion only for other predominately white schools. The Negro high schools in Alabama belong to the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. Their teams play only teams from other Negro schools. Their coaches are Negroes, officials at their games are usually Negroes, and their tourna ments, conferences and championship games are participated in only by Negroes. One of the most effective vehicles for the racial separation in Alabama Athletics is these two high school athletic associations. The evidence is clear and actually uncontnoverted— that it is the policy of the State of Alabama, acting through its various*:school principals and coaches and the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association— both of which are State agents— to operate completely separate athlete programs based upon race or color through the schools in the State. 24 Anthony T. Lee, et. al., Versus Macon County Board of Education, ,fWrit of Injunction," Civil Action No. 604-E, April 1, 1968, 3-4. 25Ibid. uk As previously stated, there was plenty of publicity associated with the case. As soon as the judges made their decision, the newspapers carried the full story in both the morning and evening publications. The Montgomery Advertiser and the Alabama Journal were the two local papers that were circulated daily in the city of Montgomery, Alabama. Judith Helm, reporter for the Alabama Journal, gave the following accout of the judges1 decision: Federal judges ordered today the abolition of separate Negro and white high school athletic associations and told the two groups to merge. United State Circuit Judge Richard Rives, and District Judges Frank M. Johnson and H, H. Grooms said plans for the merger of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association must be submit ted to the Court with thirty days. The order is part of the voluminous Lee versus Macon County Board of Education Case: the case which directed an end to the dual public school system based on race. Several hearings preceded today's order. The judges stated effective immediately all athletic programs including track, basketball, baseball, football, cheerleader clinics and coaching clinics where more than two schools participate are to be conducted without regard to the racial composition of the schools. The merger of the two high school athletic associations was directed to include supervisory and executive personnel. Jim McGregor, staff writer for the Montgomery Advertiser, presented the following report of the judges' decision: The white and Negro State High School Athletic Associations were ordered to merge Monday, but three Federal Judges declined to order the scheduling of athletic events between schools of different races. The judges said that they would leave the matter of scheduling games between the races up to the school authori ties with the hope that no judicial action will ever be neces sary in this area. The judges left it to the officials of the J u d i t h Helm, "State Groups Told to Merge," Alabama Journal. April 3, 1968 , p. 13. 115 two athletic associations to work out the particulars of the merger, but said the new organization should include supervisory and executive personnel from both races. They suggested that the eight members of the Central Board of Control of the white association should remain on the Board, and that at least four Negroes be added to the Central Board of Contral which would then constitute twelve members. The judges said that the cooperative and good faith attitude on part of the officers of both associations will, in the opinion of this court result in an efficiently operated merged organization— rendering valuable services in the area ofg^thletics to all of the public schools in the State. In a few days after the judge had issued orders for the two athletic associations to merge, an additional order was issued to the Montgomery County Board of Education to desegregate athletics within its school system. Raymond Massey, writing for the Alabama Journal gave the following account of the order: United States District Judge Frank M. Johnson has given the Montgomery County Board of Education ten days to show cause why it should not be enjoined from operating a dual athletic program in public schools. If sufficient cause isn't given, the Montgomery County School Board will make an even 100 among Alabama school systems already ordered to integrate their athletics. In Montgomery last week, a three judge Federal panel issued a statewide ruling requiring the merger of a predominately white and a Negro athletic high school association. This ruling was in addition to the statewide Federal Court Desegrega tion ruling issued by the same three judges in March 1967 affecting the same 99 school systems. Montgomery County is one of several school systems not affected by that ruling. The local system operates under an earlier desegregation order £gsued by the United States District Court in Montgomery. 27 Jim McGregor, "Court Tells White and Negro Athletic Groups to Merge," Montgomery Advertiser, 1. 28 Raymond Massey., "Judge Gives County 10 Days to Desegregate Athletics," Alabama Journal, April 15, 1968, 15. 116 Within a few days after receiving their orders, the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association began preliminary plans to implement the Court's order. The executive secretaries of the two associations first met to acquaint themselves with the structure and functions of both associations. After these preliminary conferences, a committee of five persons was selected from each organization to work out the details of the merger. Dr. Ernest Stone, State Superintendent of Education, had indicated by letters to the two executive secretaries that he would leave it up to them and their respective committees to work out the merger plan. A copy of the same letter was also sent to Judge Johnson. The judge did not approve of Dr. Stone's position on the merger and ordered him to participate actively and give whatever guidance was necessary to make the merger fair and just. The text of the letter that w a s Tsent by Dr. Stone to the executive secretaries of the two athletic associations is presented below: April 5, 1968 Mr. Severne Allen Frazier, Executive Secretary Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association 833 Thurman Street Montgomery, Alabama 36104 Dear Mr. Frazier: As we interpret the Court Order of April 1, 1968, pertaining to the merger of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, I have no official responsibility in working out the details of said merger. We feel confident that you and your Board of Directors will cooperate in successfully carrying out the Court's order. Permit me to make it absolutely clear that it is not our desire to impose our views or our thinking into the merger negotia- 117 tions as we feel that it is the prime responsibility of the officials of the two associations to effectuate the merger. If I, or my staff, can be of service in,helping to bring about the merger directed by the Court, please do not hesitate to call on us. Yours sincerely, Ernest Stone State Superintendent of Education ES:pb CC: Honorable Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Judge Johnson, upon receipt of a copy of the above letter from Dr. Stone, made an immediate reply to the letter in order to clear up any misunderstanding that might have come about through the interpreta tion of the Court's order. Following is a copy of Judge Johnson's letter to Dr. Stone, Alabama State Superintendent of Education: April 9, 1968 Dr. Ernest Stone Superintendent of Education______State of Alabama Montgomery, Alabama 36104 Re: Lee v. Macon County Board of Education Civil Action No. 604-E______ Dear Dr. Stone: This acknowledges copies of your letter of April 5, 1968, addressed to Mr. Scott of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and to Mr. Frazier of the Alabama Interdcholastlc Athletic^Assoclation. Upon noting your statement to these officials as outlined in these letters to the effect that "I have no official responsibility in working out the details of said merger" and "we ffe^l that it is the prime responsi- 118 bility of the officials of the associations to effectuate the merger,: I discussed this matter with the Honorable Richard T. Rives, the senior member of the panel assigned to handle the case." It is our feeling that, under the applicable law and the court orders heretofore entered in this case, an affirmative duty is placed upon you as Supt. of Education for the State of Alabama to actively supervise the merger of these athletic associations as ordered by our court on April 1, 1968. It has been determined that these separate associations-- the separation based strictly upon race--are one of the effective vehicles for the continued operation of a dual system based upon race in the public school system, acting under your direct supervision and control, have at least partially, by belonging to and actively supporting these separate associations, contributed to the operation of a dual athletic system and therefore a dual school system based upon race. The associations are state agents and operate as an integral part of the public school system in Alabama and as such are under your direct supervision and control. Therefore, this court is of the opinion that your role as Superintendent of Education for the State of Alabama requires more than your letters to the officials of these associations indicate is contemplated in effecting the merger of the associations and in prohibiting the continued operation of the associations as separate entities. It is our feeling that you should not only actively confer with the heads of these associations regarding the terms and provisions of the merger as ocdpiedebyndh££f6otirt; Copies of Judge Johnson's letter were also sent to the other two judges who were members of the three judge panel that handed down the decision in this dase. Johnson in his closing remarks to Dr. Stone expressed the following opinion: 29 Letter from United States District Judge Frank M. Johnson to State Superintendent of Education Dr. Ernest Stone, April 9, 1968. 119 We feel certain that, with your active participation and guidance, these two associations will be effectively and completely merged so as to operate in the future as one association and render to the public school systems through out the State the valuable services such an association is designed to^render without any aspects of dualism based upon race. After receipt of this letter from Judge Johnson, Dr. Stone proceeded to make arrangements for the implementation of the Courtfs order. The Executive Secretaries of the two athletic associations and their appointed committees, were contacted by Dr. Stone concerning the dates for the discussion of the merger plan. The representatives of the two athletic associations, and Dr. Stone with his chief assistant, Mr. Richardson began the discussions on the merger plan on April 22, 1968. The Handbook of the Alabama High School Athletic Associafcionaaddtbhe Constitution of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association were studied very carefully to determine the structural plan of each organization and how the associations had worked with their member schools. As the ground rules were being established for the conference, the representative for the Alabama High School Athletic Association announced that they had been empowered by their association to make final decisions without referring any issue back to the parent body. The representatives of the Alabama Interscholastic AthleticCAssociation were not given such power. They were instructed to report back to the Central Board of Control any issue that the two groups agreed upon. After the first day of the discussions, the Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Association, telephoned eaclvTnember of the Central Board of Control of the Association and informed them of the power that had beeniinvested in the committee representing the Alabama High School Athletic Association. The Central Board of Control members were also informed of the disadvantage that the Committee for the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was working under since it could not make final decisions. The Central Board of Control realized this disadvantage, and granted the committee the power to make its decisions final. The committee representing the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was composed of Severne Frazier, Executive Secretary; James Hall, Jr., Vice President of the Association; Hugh Martin, Head Basketball Coach; Druid High School, Tuscaloosa; W. J. Yelder, Principal of Hudson High School, Selma; and W. E. Scoggins, Coach, Hayes High School, Birmingham. The committee representing the Alabama High School Athletic Association was composed of Herman L. Scott, Executive Secretary of the Association; James R. Allen, President of the Association, Monroeville Sam W. Jones, Member of the Central Board of Control, York; Frank Kendall, Member of the Central Board of Control, Tuscaloosa; and W. W. Hester of Fayette. Dr. Ernest Stone presided over the conferences. After much discussions a merger plan was agreed upon. Some of the provisions of the merger were as follows: 121 1. The name of the merger association was to be the Alabama High School Athletic Association. 2. Non-accredited schools were not eligible for membership. 3. A new position called ''Associate Executive Secretary" was created. 4. There were eight white and four Negroes placed on the Central Board of Control. 5. Negroes were to be appointed to all sport committees. 6. All district athletic associations were to be merged. 7. All game officials' associations were to become integrated. Before the merger plan became effective, Dr. Stone, State Superintendent of Education, had sent letters to the county and city superintendents of the 99 school systems under the court order of March 22, 1967, The text of the letter is as follows: April 15, 1968 TOE TWa'i;C0aflty»'Ajid City Superintendents of the Ninety-Nine School Systems under the Count Order of March 22, 1967. Dear Fellow Superintendents: The April 1, 1968, amendment to the above captioned Court Order reads in part as follows: It is further ordered that effective immediately all athletic programs, contests and competition, including track, basketball, baseball, football, cheerleader clinics and coaching clinics, where more than two schools participate, be conducted andhhild without regard to the racial composition of these schools. This includes programs, competitions and contests on county, district, conference, sectional, area, regional and State levels. It is your responsibility as the Executive Officer of your Board of Education to see that this order is carried out. It means as you can see, that all athletic contests and competitions, including track, 122 basketball, baseball, football, cheerleader clinics and coaching clinics, where more than two schools participate, are to be conducted and held without regard to the racial composition of the ninety-nine school systems under the above captioned Court Order. Please use the authority of your office to immediately inform all of the schools in your system concerning this requirement. Merger plans are now being effected for the two present high school athletic associations in Alabama. You will be notified concerning this merger as soon as it is completed and approved by the Court. No school that is not a member of the athletic association affected by the merger can belong to any other athletic association.31 Yours truly, Ernest Stone State Superintendent of Education The merger plan was sent to Judge Johnson by Dr. Stone after it had been properly signed and notorized. Accompanying the merger plan was the following letter addressed to Judge Johnson from Dr. Stone also. April 25, 1968 Honorable Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Chief Judge U.S. District Court Middle District of Alabama Montgomery, Alabama 36101 Re: Lee, et al. vs Macon County Board of Education, et al., CA No. 604-E Dear Judge Johnson: In accordance with the Court Order of April 1, 1968, and my letter to the Court dated April 12, 1968, permit metto advise that we have held two meetings with fehe Executive Secretaries and the Executive Officers of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Alabama High School Athletic Association for the purpose of the formation of a proposed plan of merger of the two associations. As a result of 31 Letter to County and City Superintendents of Ninety-Nine School Systems Under the Court Order of March 22, 1967, April 15, 1968. 123 these meetings, a proposed plan of merger was agreed upon by the two associations. It is my opinion that the proposed plAn is fair and equitable in every respect. For the information of theCCourt, the proposed merger plan has been studied by Mr. Frank Allen of the Justice Department, who made several suggestions which were most helpful. I would like for the Court to know that, in my opinion, the officials of the two athletic associations are to be commended for their efforts in drafting what we consider to be the most desirable plan of merger. As a result of the meetings between the two associations, there is every indication that the officials of the two associations will work cooperatively in the implementation of the merger plan. I am attaching hereto the proposed merger plan of the two athletic associations signed by the Executive Secretary of each of the associations. I am pleased to recommend to the Court that the proposed merger plan be given every consideration for approval as we think it truly represents the joint efforts of the two associations in meeting the desires of the Court. It will be most helpful in the further implementation of the merger plan if the Court can advise me at an early date as to whether the proposed plin is acceptable to the Court. Yours Sincerely, Ernest Stone State Superintendent of Education After receiving the merger plan and Dr. Stone's letter that accompanied it, the three judge panel accepted the merger plan and issued the following Order to all of the parties concerned. O-R-p-E-R In accordance with the opinion and decree of this Court made and entered in this case on April 1, 1968, the officials of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, the officials of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, and the State Superintendent of Education have filed with this Court a plan designed to merge said athletic associations, including the supervisory and executive personnel of same, so that there will be only one high school athletic association in the State of Alabama. A study of the plan submitted reflects that the officials of the two athletic associations and the State Superintendent of Education have designed and agreed upon a plan for a merger of the separate athletic 124 organizations that appears to comply in every respect with the requirements of the order of this Court. The report of the State Superintendent of Education to the Court concerning the merger of these organizations reflects that the officials of said associations and the State Superintendent of Education are to be commended for their efforts in arriving at a desirable and suitbale plan of merger. Accordingly, it is ordered that the merger plan of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association filed with theis Court on April 29, 1968, pursuant to the decree of this Court dated April 1, 1968, be and the same is hereby approved and accepted; a copy of said plAn herein approved and accepted is attached hereto. It is further ORDERED that the parties in this case take the nedessary and appropriate affirmative action, to the extent that same is required by their official duties, to implement said merger plan of said athletic associations in such a way that the plan will disestablish the dual athletic system based on race in the public schools of the State of Alabama.^2 Done this 3rd day of May, 1968. United States Circuit Judge United States District Judge United States District Judge The Merger Plan Except for a few changes, the official Handbook of the Alabama High School Athletic Association was adopted in its entirety. Some of the major differences that were brought about from the merger which affected both of the previous segregated athletic associations were as follows: 32 Anthony T. Lee, El Al, Plaintiffs, vs Macon County Board of Education, "An Order on Merger Plan," May 3, 1968. 125 1. Only accredited high schools could become members of merged association. The membership roster of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association included accredited and non-accredited schools. 2. The membership dues were changed for both groups. The dues for the white association had ranged between a low of $7.50 to a high of $25.00. The membership dues for the Negro association had ranged from a low of $20.00 to a high of $350.00. The following schedule of dues was adopted when the merger became effective; Membership Dues and School Classification In order to meet the cost and expense of operating the merged association, the dues of all member schools shall be as follows; $100 per year for 4A schools $ 75 per year for 3A schools $ 50 per year for 2A schools $ 25 per year for1A schools The classification of schools shall be based on the net enrollment in such schools as follows: All high schoolsswith a net enrollment in the upper three grades of more than 500 students shall be 4A schools. All high schools with a net enrollment in the upper three grades of 255-499 shall be 3A schools. All High schools with a net enrollment in the upper three grades of 127-224 students shall be 2A schools. All high schools with a net enrollment in theuppper three 33 grades of less than 127 students shall be classified 1A schools. 33 Ibid. 126 3. A new position was created and named Associate Executive Secretary. In this new position a Negro was appointed to serve in administrative affairs. This was the first time that a Negro had been placed in a salaried position in either of the associations. 4. The Central Board of Control for the merged association consisted of twelve members instead of eight. Four of these twelve members were Negroes. This membership ratio was spelled out specifically by the Court. The district athletic associations were merged also. 5. The Legislative Council was increased from twenty-four members to thirty-two. Eight of the thirty-two members were Negroes. 6. All certified officials of the merged association had to be members of an athletic association recognized by the State Association. This permitted any official to join whatever athletic association that operated in his district. This paved the way for the desegregation of all the officials’ associations in the State of Alabama. According to the merger plan: All officials used in athletic contests between high schools in the State of Alabama who are registered with the Merged Association shall be members of an Officials Association which is affiliated with the Merged Association. Such affiliated Officials Association shall accept for membership all registered officials without regard to race. Race or color will not be a factor in the assignment of officials, except that race will be considered to overcome the effects of the dual school system.^ 34 Ibid.. p. 7. 127 7. Athletic Conferences, composed of member schools of the Merged Association, shall consist of all schools which desire to become members of the Conference and are located within the same general area and are of the same classification as other member schools of the Conference without regard to the racial composition of the schools. 8. All assets of the two athletic associations including such assets as are held or owned by various district boards, conferences, or other governing bodies and consisting of all funds, bank accounts, records, books, office furniture and fixtures, equipment, automobiles, and all other property, real, personal or mixed, of every kind, character, and description, and wherever situated, shall be transferred and delivered to the Executive Secretary of the Merged Association and sh&ll become the property of the Merged Association. In addition to these major changes that affected the two associations when the merger occurred, there was another issue that was causing concern among some of the Negro coaches. This issue involved the recruiting of athletes from predominately Negro schools. Some of the Negro coaches had registered complaints to the effect that their best athletes were being proselyted from their schools and enrolling at predominately white schools. Even though this complaint had not been 128 proved, steps were taken in drawing up the merger plan to safeguandd against this alleged practice. According to statements in the merger plan: The Merged Association considers the recruiting of athletes to be detrimental to amateur athletics at the high school level. To help minimize this problem, but to avoid interfering with the desegregation of schools in those sbhool systems operating under freedom of choice plans, the Merged Association will adopt modifications of the former transfer rule as they apply to a student transferring for the first time to a school of predominately the opposite race as follows: 1. In systems which do not operate freedom of choice plans, the transfer rule as stated in Rule 1, Section II, of the By-Laws shall be enforced without change. 2. A student transferring for the first time to a school where his race is in the minority under a freedom of choice plan will not be subject to the one year ineligibility rule, providing he was not induced to transfer for the purpose of participating in athletics. 3. AlL'free choice transfers by students for the first time to schools where their race is in the minority shall be 1 deemed to have been made in good faith without recruitment unless a complaint is filed by the coach or school official of the school from which the transfer was made. If any coach has reasonable cause to believe that one of his players, or former players is being, or has been recruited by a school official attempting to use the freedom of choice provisions to avoid the effect of the transfer rule, he shall not communicate with the player, but shall make his beliefs known to either the Executive Secretary or the Associate Executive Secretary who will immediately conduct an investigation into the charges. Upon completion of the investigation, the Executive Secretary will rule on the player1s eligibility to participate in athletics at the school to which the transfer is proposed based on his conclusion that the player either was or was not recruited. 4. In making his conclusion, the Executive Secretary may be guided by the following criteria: (a) The standing and ability of the player in question. (b) The statements of the persons involved. 129 (c) Whether there have been contracts between the athletes and officials or other interested persons representing the school to which the transfer is prpposdd. (d) The grade level of the student, and statements of other persons who may have first hand knowledge of the facts.^5 Having presented the main points and background information that led to the Merged Association, attention is directed to some of the expressions that were voiced concerning the merging of the two athletic associations. One of the first expressions voiced in favor of the merger was presented in an editorial appearing in the Montgomery Advertiser on April 3, 1968. This paper could be considered as being moderately liberal. . This editorial appeared immediately after the three judge panel issued the order for the merger of the two associations. The merger plan had not been drawn up when the editorial appeared. The text of the editorial is as follows: Some Reactions Concerning the Merger THE COURT ORDERED merger of the white and Negro state high school athletic associations was no more revolutionary than the pending merger of the Alabama Educational Association with the Alabama State Teachers Association. In fact, the Court's proposal— which stopped short of directing the scheduling of games between white and Negro high schools was very nearly identical to what has been planned for the teacher groups, to become effective next year. The merger will provide Negro athletes a chance for deserved national recognition of of their records, which they were denied as members of an association not recognized by the National Federation of State 35Ibid., 5-6. 130 High School Athletic Associations. The Court's order was restrained and reasonable, recognizing both the commands of the law and the exigencies of custom. Gradualism, moderation and voluntary action guided the Court--for which the State should be grateful. ^ In an article written in the Alabama Sunday Magazine on August 18, 1968, Charles Land makes the following comment: There was obvious evidence of these changing times in Alabama prep athletics in the recent "All Star" basketball and football games in Tuscaloosa. For the first time in history, Negro athletes competed. Thus the All-Star game offered a quick illustration of the compliance with a Federal Court Order which required the two high school groups to merge. This took effect on July 1, 1968, and swelled the membership of the Alabama High School Athletic Association from 366 schools to 522 schools. This means that in the coming school year, Negro schools will be thrown into direct competition with predominately white schools in all sports for the first time in the State's history.-^ Herman L. Scott, Executive Secretary of the Merger Association, made the following comment on the merger: I think everyone understands that this is not a matter of choice, but rather an edict handed down by the Federal Court. We had some misgivings about it and some people iri the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association had their misgivings, too— but I think the people of Alabama learned a long time ago that when these things come along, it is more important to work them out than to seriously hamper the public education of our boys and girls. I think we all realize that we have to be bigger than the problem and just work it out. I believe it is going to make for a bigger, better and stronger athletic program in the State. I say this because our program has improved so much, especially during the past ten years.38 36 Editorial, "The Athletic Merger," Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, Alabama, April 3, 1968. 37 Charles Land, "AHSAA Official is Hopeful," Alabama Sunday Magazine, Montgomery, August 18, 1968. 38Ibid. 131 With the appointment of James Hall, Jr., as Associate Executive Secretary of the Merged Association, the Association entered into a new era. Hall's appointment was very significant because it was the first time in history that a Negro had been given an administrative position in the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Hall's appointment was also significant because his office was in the same general area of all the administrative staff of the Association. The Alabama High School Athletic Association has its headquarters in the State Office Building, Montgomery, Alabama. James Hall was born in Montgomery, Alabama, where he attended high school and college. He received his B.S. degree and his M.Ed. degree at Alabama State College. As a high school basketball player he made "All State" and was also named on the first team of the National High School Athletic Aasociation. During his college career he made the "All Conference Team of the 'All Negro' Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association." For the past fifteen years, Hall has been a teacher in the public schools of Alabama. During the last five years as a coach in the Dothan City School System, his basketball team won a total of 125 games against 25 losses. Hall had worked very closely with the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association prior to his appointment as Associate Executive Secretary of the Merged Association. He was the last elected President of the Association before he took over his new position. The Alabama High School Athletic Association considers itself fortunate in gaining the services of such a competent and well-qualified person as James Hall. The court order that abolished the segregated athletic associations had suggested that Severne Frazier, who was the Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, at the time be given the administrative position with the newly formed Association. Frazier declined the position because of his teaching and coaching position at Alabama State College. The new position was set up with a $10,000 a year salary. This might also be considered as a significant aspect of the appointment of a Negro to the position. During the Merger Conference between the two athletic groups some very strong arguments developed over such issues as the name of the newly created position, salary, responsibilities of the new position, and who was to do the hiring. The Court's order specifically stated that the officers of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association should do the hiring in the event that its present Executive Secretary did not choose to take the job. The two groups finally compromised with each group giving up some of its demands. The members of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association reduced their salary demands and agreed to allow the Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association to select the person for the newly created position from a list of three persons submitted by the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 39 Ibidem3 133 The Negro group also agreed to deny membership into the Merged Association those schools that were non-accredited, however they were allowed to compete against member schools of the Association. The white group agreed for the newly created position to be known as the Associate Executive Secretary. Considerable discussion took place over the issue of giving the proper name to the position that the Negro representative was to assume after the Associations became merged. One white assistant was already employed with the Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. The delegation from the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association felt that there should be a type of line and staff organizational chart whereby the position of Associate Executive Secretary would be placed directly under the Executive Secretary and second in command in relation to delegation of authority. The Negro group wanted to make sure that the position that the Negro assumed was not that of an "errand boy" or some other janitorial assignment with a polished name. Even though the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was not too strong financially, it was a proud organization because of the dedication and loyalty that were given to it by its member schools and because it was an organization that developed an athletic program which rendered valuable services to the Negro boys and girls in Alabama. The next chapter deals with another Negro athletic association that tried to coordinate the efforts of the Negro State High School 134 Athletic Associations into a national body in somewhat the same manner as the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. It was established at Tennessee State University two years prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. The name of the association was the National High School Athletic Association. 135 CHAPTER. VII THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION This chapter is an account of the National High School Athletic Association, a Negro athletic association, that attempted to organize Negro high school athletics on a national basis. Most of the predominately Negro state high school athletic associations held membership in this organization. At one time, there were sixteen of these state associations holding membership with the National High School Athletic Association. Even though the Association carried the title of a national organization, its services and promotions dealt only with predominately Negro high schools. The Association's history was spread over a period of twenty-three years. It attempted to do, on a limited basis, some of the functions that were performed by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. The establishment of the Association was somewhat similar to the manner in which the Negro state high school athletic associations became organized, that is, through the efforts of various Negro colleges and the high school principals. Due to the fact that there were so many Negro high schools operating with inadequate facilities, it became necessary for the high schools to turn to the colleges for aid in the conduct of their athletic programs. In Alabama, Tuskegee Institute and Alabama State College have played major parts in helping to promote wholesome athletic participation for the Negro boys and girls in the State of Alabama. Tennessee 136 State College, Nashville, Tennessee, played an important role in helping to establish the National High School Athletic Association. On the basis of interviews with former officers of the Association as well as souvenir programs, microfilms of the Chicago Defender, and the Association's Constitution, an effort will be made to present some historical information concerning the origin and the functioning of the National High School Athletic Association. Since the writer was the Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, an Association that held membership in the National High School Athletic Association, this should prove of value to the study. The role played by Tennessee State College and its President, Dr. W. S. Davis, and Director of Health and Physical Education, Mr. Henry A. Kean, will contribute greatly toward unfolding the history of the Association. The National High School Athletic Association was an outgrowth of the First Midwestern High School Invitational Tournament. This was a basketball tournament held on March 29, 30, 31, in 1945 at Nashville, Tennessee. Pearl High School of Nashville, Tennessee and Tennessee State College were the host schools. One of the leading figures in getting this tournament started was Henry A. Kean, Athletic Director;,, and Head of the Department of Health and Physical Education at Tennessee A. & M. College.^ Kean has often been called the dean of Negro athletics. In 1945, he invited state champion basketball teams from several of the ^National High School Athletic Association, Souvenir Program, 1950. 137 states in the South and Midwest to participate in a Midwestern basketball tournament. Basketball champions from Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia attended the tournament. According to Kean, the tournament was held with the hope that the following outcomes would be realized. 1. That a strong Midwestern athletic association would be organized. 2. That in the future, greater emphasis would be manifested on the part of all concerned in the whole area of health and physical education. 3. That all persons concerned would be greater awakened to the acuteness of the problem of physical fitness. 4. That in the future, a greater number of high school youths would be stimulated to participate in sports and at the same time would be stimulated to put forth greater effort to become efficient in the different sports.^ Dr. W. S. Davis, President of Tennessee A. & I. College issued the following welcoming statement to those visitors and friends who had journeyed to the college for this significant occasion. On behalf of more than 1,000 students enrolled at Tennessee A. & I. College and a faculty of fifty-four in addition to administrative officers, staff members and other employees, I graciously accept the privilege to welcome the visiting Midwestern high school basketball teams as our honored guests. It is sincerely hoped that each team, as well as the host college will equally share in the opportunities and educational gains that are offered through an interchange of ideas, personal contact and wholesome competition. Tennessee State College extends every courtesy to its visitors through its dormitory services, cafeteria, gymnasium, recreational hall, and other facilities in addition to its program of activities.3 National High School Athletic Association, Constitution and By-Laws, Article II, Purpose, 1962, p. 6. 3 National High School Athletic Association, Souvenir Program, 19^5, P. 2. 138 Since a portion of the tournament was to be held at Pearl High School, also of Nashville, Tennessee, a welcoming statement from the principal of the school was also extended. Mr. J. A. Galloway, the Principal, presented the following welcoming statement: The faculty and students of Pearl High School are pleased to extend to the members of the Midwestern Tournament a most colorful welcome to our city and to our institution. Although this is a new experience for us in this section of the South, we believe it will be a thrilling and profitable one. We think it should be repeated until it becomes a tradition in this area. May old friendships be renewed and new ones be formed, and the spirit of friendliness, goodwill, and true sportsmanship pervade every phase of the meet.^ From Oklahoma came Douglass High of Oklahoma City, and Booker T. Washington High from Cushing. There were four teams fromKKentucky: Lexington High, Madisonville High, Ashland High, and the wonder team from Horse Cave, winner of forty three consecutive games and two state championships. From Arkansas came Carbon High of Pine Bluff and Magnolia High. From Tennessee came Pearl High of Nashville, Austin of Knoxville, and Alcoa. Out of the hills of West Virginia came the Big Elks of Elkhorn. Lockland Wayne High of Lockland represented Ohio. From Missouri came Lincoln High of Kansas City, and Webster Grove from Webster Grove. The principals and coaches of the participating teams were highly entertained by the officials of Tennessee A. & I. College. A reception and a chicken dinner Wednesday night and a dance Thursday night made the ^Ibid. 139 visitors feel that they had come to a land of promise. At a business meeting on Thursday, March 29, 1945, Mr. Kean introduced the President of the College, Dr. Davis, who spoke only a few minutes, but in these few minutes he won each and every visitor. After a word of welcome, he said: Men and women of our race live on an average several years less than men and women of other races in the United States. We at Tennessee State are interested in moving that differential. This organization can go a long ways to help.^ At this point, Mr. B. T. Harvey of Atlanta, Georgia, was appointed Chairman of the Constitution Committee along with Fay Young of Chicago, and G. G. Singleton of Virginia State College. Dr. H. B. Couch, famed educator and scientist, was appointed Chairman of the Nominating Committee, along with G. H. Lennon, and J. H. Cooper. When the Constitution Committee submitted its report, the name given the Association was the Midwestern High School Athletic Association, but there were so many states present, and it was the most national of all previous tournaments that the name was changed to the National High School Athletic Association.^ From all of the available literature that the writer was able to find, it seems that Henry A. Kean, Director of Health and Physical Education, Tennessee State College, Nashville, 5Ibid. 6Ibid. 140 Tennessee, was the originator of the idea of establishing the National High School Athletic Association. 0. J. Chatman, Director of Athletic Publicity and Business Manager of Athletics at Tennessee A. & I. College in 1946, presented the following historical sketch concerning the 1945 Midwestern Basketball Tournament: Last year in March, Tennessee State College organized and held a very successful Midwestern High School Basketball Tournament. This tournament was a very select tournament in that it was invitational and only the champions and the runner-ups of several states were invited. Oklahoma City High School, one of the two teams representing its state, defeated Elkhorn High School champions of West Virginia in the finals. The tournament from the viewpoint of high class competition, general interests, and organization, was so successful that a number of state representatives decided that the scope of such a tournament should be broadened and made into a real national tournament. A consititution was drawn up, ratified and officers were elected. The elected officers were instructed to make an effort to interest the states that had not participated, thus creating a situation that would give us a real National High School Ch a m p i o n . 7 This suggestion of naming a national champion for a high school sport activity was in direct opposition to the National Federation of State High School Athletic Association regulations. Since this organization was not connected with the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations, the rules and regulations of that Association were not applicable to it. In relation to the sponsoring of tournaments or contests for determining a national champion, the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations took the following position on the issue: ^National High School Athletic Association, Basketball Souvenir Program, 1946, p. 2. 141 The National Council of the Federation at the Annual meeting on February 26, 1934, voted unanimously that the Executive Committee should refuse to sanction any meet or tournament which is in the nature of a contest to determine a national high school championship. The Executive Committee has acted in accordance with this vote and no sanction has been granted. No such contest has been held since that time, although there have been many attempts by promoters to hold such contest. This is especially true in basketball. All of them have been prevented except a few attempts which have appealed to the small percentage of high schools which are not members of member state associations or which inadvertently violated state associations rules or policies by entering before investigating the validity of the contest. In all such cases, remedial action has been taken and it is now generally understood no reputable high school will violate its state association regulations by entering an unsanctioned meet.8 In continuing his historical notes on the National High School Athletic Association, Chatman stated: Nashville, Tennessee was chosen as the site of the tournament because of its central location, its educational advantages, and the willingness of Tennessee A. & I, College to act as host. The first officers of the Association were as follows: 1. President--Henry A. Kean, Director of Health and Physical Education, Tennessee A. & I. College, Nashville, Tennessee, 2. Secretary-Treasurer— B. T. Harvey, Coach and Instructor, Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia (Harvey served for one year). 3. Vice-President— V. E. McCain, Douglass High School, Oklahoma City. 4. Commissioner— Fay Young, Sports Editor of Chicago Defender, Chicago. g National Federation of State High School Athletic Association, "National Champions Cannot Be Sanctioned," Handbook, 1967-68, p. 22. 142 5. Director of Public Relations--John H. Cooper, Booker T. Washington High School, Ashland, Kentucky.^ Another account of this first national high school basketball tournament is recorded on the microfilm edition of the Chicago Defender in the newspaper office in Chicago, Illinois. This is one of the leading Negro newspapers in the United States. Listed under the title, "Midwest Prep Cage Play On," the story is as follows: Fourteen high school teams will play in the Midwestern Invitational Prep Cage Tournament sponsored by Tennessee A. & I. College beginning Thursday and extending through Saturday, March 29, 30, 31, 1945. Henry A. Kean, Director of Health and Physical Education at Tennessee A. & I. College is hopeful that a permanent high school organization will be formed by the coaches present at the tournament. According to Kean, there is the possibility of the coaches electing • officers and appointing a commissioner. Favored prep quintet, since the favored Wndell Phillips Five from Chicago, is unable to attend are Austin High of Knoxville, Horse Cave High School Kentucky champion, and Madisonville High runner-up in the Kentucky State Tournament, Alcoa High of Tennessee, Pearl High of Nashville, and Lockland Wayne High from Ohio. Preliminary games will be played at Tennessee A. & I. College and the semi-finals and finals at Pearl High School, Nashville.10 From its beginning, the tournament has always received much favorable publicity. All of the coaches and other educational leaders were anxious to get some type of national competition started among the Negro high schools in order that the Negro boys would become more interested and enthusiastic toward improving their athletic skills. 9 National High School Athletic Association, op. cit., p. 3. 10"Midwest Prep Cage Play On," the Chicago Defender, March 31, 1945. 143 The Negroes were also anxious to create something in the form of a national athletic association. With this idfea in mind, they put forth every effort to make the venture a success. Another reason for the favorable publicity being rendered to the undertaking was that one of the charter members of the National High School Athletic Association was also the senior sports editor of the Chicago Defender, one of the oldest Negro newspapers in the United States. Fay Young of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was the sports editor, and also the first commissioner of the National High School Athletic Association. During a visit to of office of the Chicago Defender, the writer was permitted to look through the files that contained biographical data concerning its employees. From these files, the following biographical sketch of Fay Young's life was obtained. Fay Young joined the Chicago Defender1s staff in 1907, two years after the late Robert S. Abbott established the paper. He remained with the paper for 52 years. He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and orphaned at the age of eight. He was the first sports writer to cover Negro college football games, and named hundreds to his All-American Football Teams. He was called the "dean" of Negro sportwriters. He has perhaps made the greatest contribution of any individual in the development of sports at Negro colleges and universities. At one time, he was timekeeper for the Illinois Athletic Commission. Tuskegee Institute awarded him a citation in the form of a M.A. degree at its 75th Anniversity.H The text of the citation that he received from Tuskegee Institute was as follows: ^Chicago Defender, (May 12, 1956). 144 As an exponent of athletics, you have presented a continuing challenge to those discriminatory policies that affected the Negro athletes in this Country. You have insisted that in competitive sports no restrictions be placed upon the objective evaluation of an athlete's skill and performance.12 The Association continued to sponsor the national basketball tournament through the fine cooperation of Tennessee State College and its President, Dr. W. S. Davis. The following account of the Association's progress is revealed in the souvenir program commenting on the "Tenth Anniversary of the National High School Athletic Association." From one man's dream, through its first tournament with five champions from five states in 1945, the National High School Athletic Association sixteen team basketball tournament has become a fixture here at Tennessee State University. Nursed through its financial infancy by interscholastic athletics best frierid, Dr. Davis of Tennessee State University, the National High School Athletic Association, has grown to a strong ten year old State controlled organization run by men from both high school and college levels. The Association also has a Board of Control composed of State high school members. Today, as in its infancy, the Association strives to stimulate high school youth to put forth greater effort to become more efficient in the various sports, The National officers of the Association for 1955 are listed below: 1. President--C. T. Smiley, Principal of Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama. 2. Vice President--Wilt Alexander, Executive Secretary of the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association, Orlando, Florida. 12 Chicago Defender, (November 9, 1957). 13 National High School Athletic Association, Basketball Souvenir Program (10th Anniversary), 1955. 145 3. Secretary-Treasurer— Henry A. Kean, Director of Health and Physical Education, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee. 4. Commissioner--Fay Young, Sports Editor, Chicago Defender, Chicago, Illinois. 5. Assistant Commissioner— F. 0. Moxley, Bowling Green, Kentucky. I 6. Public Relations--John H. Cooper, Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio.l^ In an interview with C. T. Smiley, who was President of the Association for over ten years, it was learned that the officers of the Association were not salaried officials. These men realized the plight of the Negroes high schools as they attempted to conduct athletics on a wholesome basis, and were willing to sacrifice their time, talents, and resources in helping these schools in their efforts. Even though the Association did not approve of schools participating in the tournament that did not belong to a State athletic association, there were modifications of the rule at various times in order to allow certain Negro high schools that had excellent records, and not belonging to an athletic association, affiliated with the National High School Athletic Association, to participate in the tournament. One such team was St. Elizabeth High School of Chicago. This was a Catholic High School team that produced outstanding players for many years. This team often travelled through the Southern states playing many inter-sectional games. The team was always colorful, and proved to be an excellent spectator attraction. The team won the 146 15 National High School Basketball Championship in 1949, 1950, and 1957. Even though the National Federation of State High School Athletic Association forbade the conducting of national high school basketball tournaments, the Negro state athletic associations were very much in favor of such tournaments. It is surmised that these Negro state athletic associations were not recognized by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations, and they were anxious to become affiliated with the National High School Athletic Association. This was especially true of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, an association that had participated in the tournaments over a period of twenty years. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association began its participation in the tournament in 1946. The National High School Basketball Tournament is mentioned frequently in this chapter because it was the establishment of this tournament that paved the way for the National High School Athletic Association to become organized. The entire history of the Association is centered around the conducting of this national basketball tournament among the predominately Negro high schools of the United States. When the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision on school desegregation in 1954, it represented a milestone in the history of the National High School Athletic Association. One of the most telling effects of the decision was that the Association began to lose some of 15 National High School Athletic Association, "Tournament Winners," Constitution and By-Laws, 1962, p. 4. 147 its membership. This loss of membership was due to the fact that many of the schools were becoming integrated and all of the integrated schools were members of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. The National Federation forbade its member schools from participating in any kind of national championship contests. Teams from Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia were the first to discontinue their participation in the tournament. When the Negro State High School Athletic Association of Tennessee was dissolved in 1964, a critical period in the Association's history began to unfold. In the first place the tournament had been held at Tennessee State University and Pearl High School also of Nashville; therefore, when the State of Tennessee lost its school representatives, it was the general feeling among the remaining member schools that perhaps a different location for the tournament would be more appealing and produce greater financial results. The tournament was moved to Alabama State College and Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. The Tournament Moved to Montgomery. Alabama Before the tournament was moved to Montgomery, there had been much discussion as to the best possible site for the tournament. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association had held membership with the National High School Athletic Association since 1946 and was one few remaining state high school athletic associations that was still participating in the tournament. -After a thorough discussion of the 148 issue the tournament was moved to Montgomery, Alabama. The remaining state high school athletic associations that participated in the tournament at Montgomery were Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Virginia. C. T. Smiley, Principal of Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama, was the President of the Association during this time. The following announcement was sent to all of the state high school athletic associations that held membership in the Association: The National High School Athletic Association is releasing dates for the Annual Basketball Tournament which will be held at Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama on March 24, 25, 26, 1965. We are sending this letter to you so that you may take steps to notify all parties concerned in your state and explain to your State champions the time and place of the tournament. The National High School Athletic Association TournaAient teams should be governed by the following provisions: Any state champions, or in the absence of a state champion, the runner-up. This team will have to gain its rating through a regular state elimination tournament or through a percentage rating tabulated by a state authority to issue sufficient invitations to complete the tournament bracket. The maximum number allowed for each party is twelve. Be prepared to take care of your own expenses for meals the evening of March 23rd. You will be housed free on the nights of March 23, 24, and 25th if you remain'in Montgomery. All eligibility sheets should be mailed to C. T. Smiley, Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama. In case the state championship team is determined too late to mail the eligibility sheet, the coach or the representatives from the state shall submit the form at the time of registration.^ 16 National High School Athletic Association, "Tournament Announcement C. T. Smiley, March 1965. 17 Ibid. 149 The membership dues for the State athletic associations were $25.00. States with more than 25 schools were required to pay an additional one dollar ($1.00) per school above the twenty five dollars. The states were requested to pay their dues on or before February 1st of each year. Any state that was delinquent in paying its dues was subject to a late fee of $10.00 and possibly denied the right to participate in the National Tournament. No individual schools were charged any fees for participating in the tournament unless they were not members of any State athletic association. A non-member school of a State organization was required to pay a fee of ten dollars for entering the tournament. It was a policy of the Association to prorate among the schools that had participated in the tournament a percentage of the net profit that was earned from the tournament. Smiley in a special memorandum to the various State Executive Secretaries made the following plea: I am asking you personally, to stimulate in your state the taking out of state membership in the National Organization. The fee is only twenty five dollars ($25.00) and any state will receive more than this amount in reimbursement for travel allowance. We need your help in perfecting a true national organization.^ The Executive Secretaries of the State associations were members of the Executive Committee of the National Association. The Executive Committee formulated policies for the Association. This committee met every year during the time of the tournament. National High School Athletic Association, "Tournament Informatior C. T. Smiley, President, February 12, 1957. 150 When the tournament was transferred to Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, it was warmly received. Booker T. Washington High School of Montgomery, Alabama, had participated in several of these national tournaments and was runner-up in 1953. Parker High School of Birmingham, was the only Alabama representative that had won the national title. This feat was accomplished in 1964. Dr. Levi Watkins, President of Alabama State College, made the following welcoming statement when the tournament was first played at the College and at Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama: Alabama State College is proud to welcome the National High School Athletic Association in sponsoring the 22nd Annual Basketball Tournament. We take personal pride on behalf of the faculty, students, alumni, and friends of Alabama State College in giving our official greetings to the officers and members of the Association, the coaches, the participating teams, and to all others who share in this significant event. We, again take pride in the fact that your President, Mr. C. T. Smiley, is an anumnus of this college and has been instrumental in bringing you to our still developing campus. Any inconveniences experienced today are merely indications of progress for tomorrow. Please let us know if we can be of assistance in making your visit to Alabama State profitable and enjoyable. A portion of the 1966 Souvenir Program was dedicated to one of the outstanding contributors to the success of the Association. This citation is as follows: The National High School Athletic Association is proud to dedicate its 1966 basketball tournament souvenir program to the late Clyde J. Kincaide, Tennessee A. & I. University, Nashville, Tennessee, who served the National 19 National High School Athletic Association, Souvenir Program, 1966, p. 2 . 151 High School Athletic Association faithfully as Executive during the period of 1961 through 1 9 6 5 . In memory of Mr. Kincaide's devotion to the Association, he is being named to the Association's Hall of Fame and will receive posthumously a plaque donated to the National High School Athletic Association by the Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, Georgia.20 The Aid of Business Establishments There were several business establishments that donated trophies for the annual tournament. The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and its bottlers at Nashville, Tennessee, and Montgomery, Alabama, had supported the annual basketball tournament for nearly a decade. The following statement was taken from the Twenty-Second Annual National High School Basketball Tournament Program. The National High School Athletic Association wishes to thank the Coca-Cola Company for its continual cooperative support to the athletic programs of our secondary schools, colleges and universities. We further thank the local Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Montgomery, Alabama, for providing the Coca-Cola hospitality room with the drink that refreshes and the tasty assortment of sandwiches that satisfy.21 The Universal Life Insurance Company of Memphis, Tennessee, was also a strong supporter of the National Basketball Tournament. This company donated all of the basketball tournament trophies for twenty years, except the three leg trophy that was introduced in 19^9 * 2^Ibid. 21Ibid. 152 Starting in 1963, the Universal Life Insurance Company donated and promised to keep the three-leg, four foot high, Henry Arthur Kean 22 Memorial Trophy as a part of the tournament. The Coca-Cola Company, in addition to donating trophies to the Association, employed sales representatives (Negro) and public relations men as part of its employment policy. The Association is Dissolved As the various Negro State high school athletic associations were being absorbed or merged with the white State athletic associations, it became more and more evident that this national basketball tournament was on the way out. When the various State Associations were reduced to four, permission was given to those states to permit the previous year winners to participate along with the present year winners in order to have at least eight teams playing in the tournament. The last 1 four State Associations that participated in the National High School Basketball Tournament were Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Virginia. Since the tournament was still spread over three days, a modified double elimination type of tournament was put into effect. The last national high school basketball tournament that was sponsored by the National High School Athletic Association, was held at Alabama State College in March, 1966. A special memorandum was 153 sent out by C. T. Smiley, President of the Association, to all of the remaining State athletic associations that held membership with the National High School Athletic Association. In the memorandum, Smiley requested all the Executive Secretaries of these associations to attend a meeting at the Regency Hyatt House in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 16, 1968. Present at this meeting were representatives from the Alabama Interscholasti Athletic Association, the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Magnolia State Activities Association of Jackson, Mississippi, Mr. John H. Cooper, Commissioner of the National High School Athletic Association, James Hall, President of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, and Mr. C. T. Smiley, President of the National High School Athletic Association. Mr. John H. Cooper read the minutes of the previous meeting and recorded the minutes for the last meeting. Mr. Cooper was informed that it would not be necessary to send out minutes of the last meeting since so few members were present. The writer attended this last meeting as the official representative of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. After a brief but fruitful meeting, it was agreed by unanimous consent to dissolve the National High School Athletic Association. This was done and the National High School Athletic Association, was dissolved on June 16, 1968 by its remaining members and officers. The writer in presenting this phase of the study, realizes that much information has been lost due to the manner in which the records were kept. Since all of the officers were volunteer workers, they were not liable to^anyone but themselves.. In order to provide fora good 154 system of record keeping, it became necessary to have adequate finances and facilities to insure the preservation of significant records and other business transactions. Additional details concerning the structure and functions of the National High School Athletic Association can be found in its Constitution. A copy of its Constitution may be found in Appendix E. Some comparisons of the National High School Athletic Association was made in the treatment of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. A very thorough analysis of the National Federation can be obtained from its Handbook, as well as many other physical education books on history, administration and athletics. The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations has a very interesting history. From a very modest beginning in 1920, it has grown tremendously. The initial meeting was held in Chicago. According to information published in its Handbook, the following account of its origin and growth is herewith presented. The national organization had its beginning in a meeting at Chicago on May 14, 1920. L. W. Smith, Secretary of the Illinois Athletic Association, issued invitations to neighboring states and state associations. Representatives came from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss problems which had resulted from high school contests which were organized by colleges and universities or by other clubs or promotors. In many cases, little attention was paid to the eligibility rules of the high school associations or to other high school group regulations and chaotic 155 conditions had developed. At this first meeting, it was decided the welfare of the high schools required that a more active part in the control of such athletic activities be exercised by the high school men through the state associations, and this control necessitated the formation of a national organization.^3 The original name adopted by this group was the Midwestern Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. George Edward Marshall of Davenport, Xowa was elected President, and L. W. Smith of Joilet, Illinois was elected Secretary-Treasurer. Both men were principals of schools. The States of Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin played important roles toward making the Association a success during its early years. These four states ratified the Constitution in 1921 and became charter members of the Association. The Association continued to grow and at its annual meeting in Chicago in 1922, there were representatives from eleven states attending the meeting as well as representatives from various colleges and universities. It was at this annual meeting in Chicago in 1922, 24 that the present name of the National Federation was adopted. It was interesting to note that principals and college personnel played major parts in organizing and promoting the growth and development of the National High School Athletic Association in somewhat the same manner as was done In getting the National Federation of State High 23 National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations, "Origin and Growth," Handbook, 1967-68, p. 7. 24Ibid. 156 School Athletic Associations started. Both Associations dropped their original names and assumed names that were more national in scope. The college and university representatives that attended the 1922 Annual Meeting of the National Federation were sympathetic toward the efforts that were being put forth by the National Federation, and pledged their full support for its continued success. In September of 1940 a national office and a full time executive staff were set up to carry out the various functions of the Association. The National High School Athletic Association operated for 23 years without any salaried employees. In examining the National Federation's Handbook, it can be observed that it performed many functions such as publishing rules books, case books, officials' manuals, rules simplified and illustrated, and handbooks in basketball and football for use by players, coaches, and others interested in the game. The National High School Athletic Association sponsored no such publications but recommended those published by the National Federation. In taking a closer look at the structure of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations one finds that: The legislative body is the National Council made up of one representative from each member state association. Such representative must be an officer or a member of his state board of control. The executive body is the Executive Committee of seven state board of control members from the seven terrltoral sections as outlined in the constitution. Their election is by the National Council at the annual meeting. From time to time, regional conferences are sponsored. An annual conference for state executive secretaries had also been held. These conferences are held early in January, immediately following the Meeting of the Football Rules C o m m i t t e e . 25 25Ibid., p. 7-8. 157 The National High School Athletics Association made no provisions for a meeting or conference for those state executive Secretaries who were members of its association. The National High School Athletic Association was organized as an effort to promote a national champion in basketball each year. The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations was organized primarily to secure proper adherence to the eligibility rules of the various state associations in interstate contests and meets. At the present time, no national athletic meet or tournament is sanctioned. In observing the aims and activities of the Federation, the following statement may be considered as a guiding principle: The activities of the National Federation are based on the belief strong state and national high school athletic organizations are necessary to protect the athletic interests of the high schools, to promote an ever increasing growth of a type of interscholastic athletics which is educational in both objective and method and which can be justified as an integral part of the high school curriculum, and to protect high school boys from exploitation for purposes having no education implications. To accomplish these things, it is necessary for high school men to exercise teamwork on a nationwide scale. Those state athletic associations that were affiliated with National Federation had the opportunity to carry out various forms of experimentations in conducting their interscholastic athletic programs. This was especially true in a game such as football or basketball where the coaches in a certain conference desired to experiment with a certain 158 playing regulation for a given season. At the end of the playing season, these coaches were given the opportunity to state their opinions concerning the merits or demerits of the experimentation. If the consensus of the coaches leaned heavily in a given direction, there was the possibility of a rule being established, modified, or dissolved. (Not only have rules been changed or modified, but equipment and facilities have also entered into the picture.) Some additional functions and services rendered to the State Association’s members by the National Federation, and not afforded to member schools of the National High School Athletic Association are as follows: 1. Summary copies of court cases involving various state associations. 2. Granting of funds to fight cases brought against state associations in the performance of their duties. 3. Providing national press services to editors of the state association's monthly bulletins. 4. Low rate cooperative insurance coverage. 5. Sanctioning of international competition on a limited basis. 6. Recognition of national records made by athletes of member schools. 7. Setting up standards in regard to the type of activity programs that state associations should sponsor. 8. Protection of schools from local pressure for special games. There have been many articles written about- the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations and the many valuable services that have been rendered by the Association. According to Van Dalen: 159 The work of the National Federation and the various state associations was in a large measure responsible for the establishment of sane policies in the conduct of interscholastic sports and the avoidance of some of the abuses found in intercollegiate athletics.^7 Emmett A. Rice stated: It checks on close adherence of all state groups to eligibility rules for interstae contests. It opposes athletic competition on the national level but does sanction sectional events provided they are held in strict observance of Federation rules on distance to be traveled, type of sponsor, and extent to which the event might interfere with smaller events that will include greater participation. One of its chief objectives is to protect high school boys from exploiation by non-education projects.^® The National High School Athletic Association made no claim to be in competition with the National Federation, but rather offered its limited services to those schools that were ineligible for membership with the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. As previously stated, the primary function of the National High School Athletic Association, was the sponsoring of a national high school basketball tournament at Tennessee State College, Nashville, Tennessee. Some of the tournament games were played at Pearl High School also of Nashville. During its peak years the following states sent their championship basketball teams to this national tournament: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. St. Elizabeth High School of 27 Van Dalen, D e o b o l d B. Elmer, D. Mitchell and Bruce L. Bennett. A World History of Physical Education. New York: Prentice Hall, 1953, p. 488. 28 Emmett A. Rice, John L. Hutchinson and Mabel Lee. A Brief History of Physical Education. 4th ed., New York: Ronald Press, 1952, p. 380-381. Chicago was invited to participate on special invitation. Most of the State associations would finance their championship teams trip to the tournament. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association would contribute $300.00 toward its championship teams expenses. This tournament was looked forward to each year as an occasion for meeting old friends, enjoying a vacation and recruiting players for intercollegiate basketball. Even though integration was desirable, no one expressed the opinion as being happy when the tournament was discontinued. A summary of the findings in this study and the conclusions based on the findings are given in the final chapter of this study. 161 CHAPTER VIII SUMMARY AMD CONCLUSIONS The purposes of this study were to present information concerning the origin and development of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the National High School Athletic Association} and to compare the functioning of these athletic associations to that of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the National Federation of State High School Athletic Association. The writer was also desirous of improving the image of the Negro by presenting information concerning his promotional ability in the area of competitive athletics on the high school level. Another major purpose for this study was that of collecting, organizing, and making available historical data that could be used at a later date for an additional study of this nature. In making this study, questionnaires were sent to principals and coaches of schools that engaged in interscholastic athletics prior to and after the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. Interviews were held with former officers of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, the National High School Athletic Association, and officers of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Letters were received from several key persons who played prominent parts in helping to promote the growth and development of athletics and athletic associations in the State of Alabama. 1 162 The writer was fortunate in locating several studies that dealt with various phases of Interschool athletics in the predominately Negro high schools in Alabama. One of the studies was made by a principal, and three others by coaches who were employed in the Alabama Public School System. The writer was fortunate in contacting several individuals who had been employed in more than one school system. When this occurred, information was obtained concerning more than one school from the same individual. Between 1920 and 1930, interschool athletics among the Negro high schools in Alabama was very limited. Tuskegee Institute, Alabama State College, Selma University, Stillman College, Alabama A. & M. College, Miles College, and Talladega College sponsored most of the interscholastic competition during this period. On many occasions the reserve fsquads of these college teams played scheduled games with regular high schools. Most of the colleges permitted high school students, who attended school on their campuses, to play on their varsity squads if they could make the team. Alabama State College and Tuskegee Institute had football players make the "All-American" Negro football team while still attending high school. The writer was a member of the varsity squad'in football, baseball and track at Alabama State College before he finished high school. •4 In 1927, Tuskegee Institute began its Relay Carnival, and invited high schools from several states to participate in the meet the following year. The two mile relay was the one and only event that the high schools engaged in during their first year of competition. During the early thirties, 163 a full program of events were offered for high school participation. In 1928, Alabama State College sent its reserve football squad to Mobile, Alabama to play a selection of "All-Star" high school football players in a benefit game. The reserve squad from the college was composed of * high school and college players. Between 1930 and 1945, there was an increase in athletic participation among the Negro schools. Many Negro high schools were being established even though they did not measure up to accreditation standards. Most of these high schools had enrollments of less than 100 students in grades seven through twelve. Many of these high schools were started in order to maintain a segregated school system. Dropouts were frequent, and the average age of high school graduates was at least two to three years older than it is today. As athletic participation increased during this period, there was an increase in the number of problems associated with the program. Attempts were made to establish athletic associations on the district level at the beginning, however, it was not long before efforts were being made to organize the whole state into a central authoritative body. Football, basketball and track were the three leading sports carried on by these schools. Most of the schools sponsored interschool athletics for girls in basketball and track. Girls' basketball was a tremendous drawing card for those schools that sponsored it. Jefferson County, the largest county in Alabama, had the largest number of schools participating in competitive athletics during this 164 period. Rosedale High School of Birmingham was the first school in Jefferson County to engage in interschool athletics. There were many problems confronting the schools as they attempted to promote their interschool athletic programs. Some of the most common and critical problems were as follows: 1. Player eligibility 2. Inadequate playing facilities such as gymnasiums, football fields, regulation track fields. t 3. Coaches withdrawing their teams from the basketball court, or football field because of dissatisfaction with game officials. 4. Certification of officials 5. Breach of contracts 6. Inclement weather during outdoor basketball season 7. Inadequate insurance protection for players I 8. Distortion of the school's regular program 9. Scheduling of two many basketball games 10. Shortage of women physical education teachers for girls 11. Transportation of players to and from games, and from games to their homes 12. Inadequate police protection during games 13. Inadequate supervision for girls basketball teams As the above problems became more and more acute, the principals and coaches renewed their efforts toward the establishment of a state-wide 165 athletic association. Their hopes and aspirations were finally realized with the formation of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association during the spring of 1947. The Association was organized at Alabama State College, and George Bell, Principal of Calhoun County Training School, was elected its first President. Ulysses William, Coach at Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama, was the first elected Executive Secretary for the Association. The newly formed State Association divided the state into nine athletic districts, and immediately set out to gain recognition from the Alabama State Department of Education as the official state athletic association for the Negro high schools of Alabama. Prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, the "All white" Alabama High School Athletic Association, had already been organized in 1919. The original membership fees for member schools belonging to the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was $10.00 irrespective of the school's enrollment. The membership fee for member schools belonging to the Alabama High School Athletic Association ranged from a low of $7.50 for the smallest enrollment to a high of $25.00 for the schools with the largest enrollment. There were four changes in the membership fees for those schools affiliated with the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association during its history. The membership fees for member schools of the Alabama High School Athletic Association remained the same until the Association became merged with the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 166 Many of the same problems that faced the schools prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, remained for several years after the Association was organized. There were also some new problems arising as the Association began functioning. When the Alabama State Department of Education recognized the Association as the official governing body as far as athletics in the Negro high schools was concerned, the Association increased in power and prestige. One of the standards set by the State for the accreditation of these high schools, was that it must be a member of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 0. F. Frazier, Principal of Conecuh County Training School, Evergreen, Alabama, became Executive Secretary of the Association in 1948, and served the Association faithfully for seven years. Frazier did not receive a salary for his services, but was allowed $20.00 per month as an honorarium. The Association had adopted a strong constitution at this time and it was often used to check violations committed by the schools. As the membership of the Association increased, its influence and power were manifested among its member schools. Many of the problems involving player eligibility, breach of contracts, coaches taking their team off the field because of dissatisfaction with game officials, non-certified officials, inadequate police protection, and inadequate playing facilities as gymnasiums and football fields were gradually reduced. The Association began to conduct its own state-wide tournament in basketball and forbade its member schools 167 from engaging in interschool athletics with Alabama High Schools that were eligible for membership in the Association but had not chosen to do so. With an increase in the number of schools, the problem of supervision and control, became more and more apparent. There was also the problem of teams participating in too many tournaments. Some of the local athletic associations were exercising too much authority in connection with their local schools. Often times these schools were fined and penalized without prior notice to the State Association. W. H. Coston became the third Executive Secretary of the Association in 1956. He served for eight years, and during his administration there were many significant developments. Some of these developments were as follows: 1. Abolition of interschool basketball for girls 2. Organizing divisions for Single A, Double A, and Triple A competition in football 3. Renting office space in the Alabama State Teachers Association Building for carrying out the functions of the Association 4. Promotion of an annual championship football game for Triple A schools 5. Establishing an annual state-wide track meet at Alabama State College 6. Publishing of a monthly newsletter 7. Issuing of sportsmanship placards to all member schools 168 8. Initiated a special savings account 9. Continued certification of football and basketball officials 10. Participation in the Annual Basketball Tournament sponsored by the National High School Athletic Association 11. Adopted a new membership fee scale for member schools of the Association 12. Made personal contacts with other state athletic associations in order to obtain ideas that would help in projecting the program of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association As more teams began to participate in interschool athletics, the demand for coaches and game officials increased tremendously. The work of the Association had risen sharply with the continued increase in its membership roster. It was apparent at this time that a full-time paid Executive Secretary was needed. All of the previous Executive Secretaries, including Coston, served the Association without being paid a salary. Coston was allowed $400.00 a year as an honorarium. A special committee was appointed to look into the matter of hiring a full-time Executive Secretary. The committee made its report and recommended that the membership dues be increased in order to pay the salary of a full-time Executive Secretary. The recommended dues were fifteen cents per student in grades seven through twelve. The Delegate Assembly approved the committee’s recommendation and a new membership fee went into effect. The Jefferson County Athletic District considered the new membership fee too high and withdrew from the Association. The 169 following year the dues were reduced to ten cents per student in grades seven through twelve, and the district dues were set as ten percent of the gross receipts from the Annual Districts Basketball Tournaments. Jefferson County still felt that the dues were too high and remained out of the Association for another year. Since member schools of the Association were forbidden to engage in athletic competition with schools within the State that were not members of the Association, it served as a stimulus for the Jefferson County Athletic District to rejoin the Association. They rejoined the Association at the beginning of the 1966-67 school term. During this time S. A. Frazier was the Executive Secretary of the Association, having assumed the position at the annual meeting of the Delegate Assembly in 1964. The Association's membership had grown to 195 schools at the close of the 1966-67 school term. Most of the major problems that had confronted the Association during the past four or five years had almost disappeared. The main problem at this time was that of attending to the routine business of the Association. Additional clerical help was hired by the Association, and its office was kept opened for eight hours per day. After the new membership fee schedule had been in operation for four years, it became obvious that the amount of money collected from this source was insufficient for the hiring of a full-time Executive Secretary. A minimum salary between $5,500 - $6,000 had been recommended by the Committee on Hiring a Full-time Secretary. 170 Over a four year period, the Association had managed to save $13,000. This was possible because its present Executive Secretary was not a salaried officer. He was given $450.00 the first two years of his administration, $100.00 per month the last two years. At the annual meeting of the Delegate Assembly in 1967, it was decided that the Association on the basis of its present income, and its projected revenue for the coming year could not afford to hire a full-time Executive Secretary and the present Executive Secretary was asked to continue in the position. This request was granted by the Executive Secretary and the business of the Association continued in the usual manner. The Association at this time had purchased a late model film projector, and was conducting its own football and basketball clinics in each of its athletic districts. Immediately following the clinics, the officials' examination would be given for certification. All officials had to be certified each year by taking an examination in the sport that "they .desired:,, to work in: as game officials. During the early part of 1968, the Association was made a party to the Anthony T. Lee versus the Macon County Board of Education School Desegregation Case. After several hearings in Federal Court, the Association was ordered to merge with the Alabama High School Athletic Association so that there would be only one high school athletic association in the State of Alabama. The two athletic associations were given thirty days to draw up a merger plan and present it to the Court for its approval. Representatives from the two Associations along with Dr. Ernest Stone, the Alabama State Superintendent of Education, and his chief 171 assistant, Mr. Richardson, met and after several conferences, agreed on a merger plan. The merger plan was drawn up and signed by Dr. Stone and the two Executive Secretaries of the two athletic Associations. The merger plan was accepted by the Court, and Alabama had abolished its dual athletic Association. The original name of the Alabama High School Athletic Association was retained by the merged Association. James Hall, Jr. President of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, was named Associate Executive Secretary of the merged Association. There were other Negro appointees to the various boards and committees designed to transact business for the merged Association. The effective date of the merger was July 1, 1968. Since the merger went into effect, there have been a few games scheduled between predominately Negro schools and predominately white schools. Most of the officials' associations have become integrated with Negro and white officials working together in football and basketball games. Negro teams have engaged in various basketball tournaments and also in district, regional and State track meets. Up to this writing there have been no serious incidents of a racial nature. It appears that athletes on predominately Negro teams, in their attempt to show good sportsmanship, have not performed up to their potential. The same situation seems to exist in those cases where Negro officials work in integrated contests. Some of these officials have gone above and beyond the call of duty in calling violations, and fouls against Negro athletes. This is not necessarily the writer's personal opinion, but rather the general opinion of Negroes who have witnessed these integrated contests with integrated officials. 172 It is generally believed, however, that when more integrated contests and more integrated officiating take place, the novelty of the situation will disappear and everything will operate on a normal basis. The major and most frequent complaint that has been voiced by Negro principals and coaches since the merger has been the inability of the Negro schools to schedule regular season games with the white schools in football and basketball. The main reason given by the white schools for not scheduling regular season games with Negro schools was that their regular season schedules were filled out for three and four years in advance. The coaches have their doubts about the reasonJ Before the merger of the two athletic Associations there were approximately 365 schools belonging to the Alabama High School Athletic Association and 195 schools that held membership with the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. When the Associations merged, the non-accredited schools that belonged to the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association were not eligible to join the Merger Association. There were approximately forty of these schools in this category. Most of these schools were small and wholly Inadequate to be designated as bonafide high schools. During the meeting of the merger committees, Superintendent Ernest Stone had informed both groups that most of the unaccredited schools would either be discontinued or consolidated with some of the larger schools. Before the merger occurred on July 1, 1968, all of the 195 Negro schools that held membership with the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association were permitted to participate in the track and field 173 programs that were sponsored by the Alabama High School Athletic Association. This permission to participate was granted during the month of April, 1968. In addition to the regular senior high schools that held member ship with the Alabama High School Athletic Association, all of the white junior high schools were given associate membership. In comparing the competition between the membership of the two athletic Associations, it can be readily seen that the opportunity for white athletes was more extensive and offered a wider variety of activities in the athletic program. The primary sports that were conducted in a majority of the Negro schools were football and basketball. About fifty percent of the member schools of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association participated in track. Some of the larger white schools engaged in golf, tennis, swimming, wrestling, as well as football, basketball and baseball. Conclusions 1. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the National High School Athletic Association were founded because of segregated school systems. 2. Many of the problems that the Negro high schools faced as they attempted to promote interschool athletics prior to 1947, would have been minimized if they had been affiliated with a strong state high school athletic association. 3. The Negro colleges in Alabama have contributed significantly toward the development of interschool athletics among the Negro high schools of 174 Alabama. This Is especially true of Alabama State College and Tuskegee Institute. 4. Tennessee State College, Nashville, Tennessee was a strong supporter of the National High School Athletic Association. 5. The National High School Athletic Association was organized to give recognition to athletic performances in predominately Negro high schools and to promote a national high school champion in basketball each year. 6. The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was kept alive through the use of volunteer help. 7. The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations has contributed significantly toward raising the standards of athletic participation among the high schools of the United States, but not for Negroes until very recently. 8. The functions of the National High School Athletic Associations were exceedingly minute in comparison to those of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. 9. The United States Supremen Court's Decision on School Desegregation in 1954 contributed significantly toward shaping the history of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the National High School Athletic Association. 10. The officers of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association were dedicated to the trust that had been placed upon them by member schools of the Association. 175 11. Due to inadequate financial support, the overall program of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association was seriously curtailed. 12. The merger of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association provided wider athletic participation for Negro athletes in "All Negro" high schools in Alabama. This was possible because it brought the Negro athletes into a stronger organization that sponsored a more extensive athletic program. It also provided for more integrated athletic contests. It also gave the Negro athletes an opportunity to have their athletic 4 performances recognized by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. Some Significant Dates and Events Associated With This Study 1919 The establishment of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. 1920 The establishment of the Midwestern Federation of State High School Athletic Association in Chicago. 1922 The name of the Midwestern Federation of State High School Athletic Associations changed to the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. 1927 Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama, held its first track and field carnival. 1928 Tuskegee Institute invites high school teams to participate in its track and field carnival. 1928 The "Baby Hornets" of Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, played an "All Star" football game against high school students at Hartwell Field, Mobile, Alabama. 1934 A national high school basketball tournament for boys and girls was started at Tuskegqe Institute. 176 1942 The National High School Basketball Tournament was discontinued at Tuskegee Institute. 1945 National High School Basketball Tournament started at Tennessee State College, Nashville, Tennessee. 1945 The National High School Athletic Association was established at Tennessee A. & T. College, Nashville, Tennessee. 1946 The Jefferson County Athletic Association was organized. 1947 The establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association with George Bell, Principal of Calhoun County Training School, as President. 1947 Ulysses "Big Dumas" Williams was elected first Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. (Teacher at Booker T. Washington High School, Montgomery, Alabama.) 1948 0. F. Frazier, Principal of Conecuh County Training School, Evergreen, Alabama, was elected second Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 1950 The Alabama State Department of Education recognized the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association as the official state high school athletic association for the Negro high schools of Alabama. 1954 The United States Supreme.Court issued its order on School Desegregation. 1956 W. H. Coston, Principal of Alabama State College Laboratory High School, elected Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 1957 The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association began the publication of a newsletter. 1964 Severne A. Frazier, Associate Professor of Physical Education, Alabama State College, was elected fourth and last Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 1964 The Jefferson County Athletic District withdrew from the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 1965 The National High School Basketball Tournament moved to Montgomery, Alabama. Games were played at Booker T. Washington High School and at Alabama State College. 177 1966 The Jefferson County Athletic Association rejoined the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. 1967 The National High School Basketball Tournament discontinued. 1968 Dual high school state athletic associations in Alabama were abolished by orders of the Federal Court. 1968 The National High School Athletic Association dissolved at a meeting held at the Regency Hyatt House, Atlanta, Georgia in June. 1968 The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Alabama High School Athletic Association became officially merged on July 1. 1968 James Hall, Jr., former President of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, assumed new position as Associate Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association on July 1. APPENDIX A 179 This questionnaire was sent to former officers of these associations. QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THE HISTORY AND FUNCTIONING OF THE ALABAMA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSPCIATION ______ 1. In what year wasyyour association organized? 2. Do you know of an effort to organize an athletic association of your type prior to the establishment of your association? 3. What were some of the basic problems encountered by the various high schools in their attempt to provide interscholastic competition among the various Negro schools? 4. How many schools were members of your association during its first year of operation?______ 5. What were the membership dues? 6. How did these dues compare with the dues that were paid for membership in the white athletic association?______ 7. Did any of your member schools ever apply for membership in the white athletic association?______ 8. If your answer to the above question is Yes, what happened to the application?______ 9. If your answer to question number seven (7) is No, what reasons could you give for the schools not applying for membership? 10. Was your organization of the independent, voluntary type or regulated by the State Board of Education? 11. What were the prerequisites for membership in your association? 12. Who originated the idea for the establishment of an athletic association?______ 13. What were the purposes for the establishment of such an organization? 180 14. What type of relationship existed between your organization and the white athletic association? 15. How many executive secretaries have served your organization? 16, Did they receive pay for their services?______If so, how much? 17. Are these executive secretaries elected or appointed? 18. Has your organization always retained its original name?______ 19. If your answer to the above question is No, what other name or names did your association have? 20. What type of aid is given to your association by the State Board of Education?______ 21. Were there other types of activities (student) sponsored by your association besides athletics? If so, what were they 22. Why did your association discontinue interscholastic athletics for girls?______ 23. What would you consider to be the highlights of your association's history?______ 24. What do you consider to be your association's greatest weaknesses? 25. When did your association officially become merged with the white association? ______ 26. What was the initial reaction of the white association's power structure toward the merging of the two associations? 27. What was the initial reaction of the Negro athletic association toward the merger?______ 28. What is the present ratio of Negro schools to white schools in the newly merged association? 29. How did the merger of the two athletic associations affect the officials' association? 30. How did the merger of the associations affect the coaches?" association? 181 31. In the merger of the two associations do predominately Negro schools schedule athletic contests with predominately white schools? 32. Is your organization affiliated with the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations?______ 33. Did any Negro athletes participate in athletic contests with white athletes prior to the merger of the two state associations?______ 34. Do Negro officials and white officials work as teams in officiating athletic contests? 35. If your answer to the above question is in the affirmative, how has this arrangement been received by the general public?______ 36. Were records made by those athletes in predominately Negro schools recognized by the Federation of State High School Athletic Associations? 37. Which of the following athletic events are conducted by your association? (a) Football championships (b) Basketball tournaments (c) Baseball championships (d) Track and Field meets (e) Swimming meets (f) Tennis tournaments (g) Golf tournaments (h) Others 38. What type of integrated athletic contests have occurred since the merger of the two associations?______ 39. How would you rate the performance of the Negro athletes as compared to the performance of the white athletes?______. 40. How would you rate the general performance of Negro athletes as members of integrated teams to their performance as members of all Negro schools?______ 41. List some things that you would recommend for the improvement of the athletic program conducted by your association. 42. What predictions do you have for the future of your association? APPENDIX B 183 Questionnaire For Principals and Coaches of Schools Sponsoring Interscholastic Athletics Prior To The Establishment of The Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. Name of School______Principal or Coach______. 1. Is interscholastic athletics carried on in your school?____ When Started?______. 2. Did your school belong to any athletic association or conference prior to the establishment of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association?______. 3. If your answer to the above question is Yes, what was the name of the association or Conference?______. 4. Were the coaches at your school physical education majors?______. 5. Is your school state-supported?______Privately supported?_____ , 6. How many Negro schools sponsored interscholastic athletics within a radius of 50 miles of your school?______100 miles radius?______ 7. Did your school sponsor interscholastic athletics for girls?______ 8. Which of the following varsity sports are sponsored by your school? (a) Football______(b) Baseball______ (c) Basketball______(d) Track and field (e) Others______. 9. Below is a list of some common problems that schools have been confronted with in attempting to sponsor interscholastic athletics. Please check these problems that your school has been directly confronted with. (a) Lack of sufficient funds______. (b) Inadequate playing areas such as gymnasiums or playing fields in which an admission charge could be levied______. (c) Shortage of male students for various sports______. (d) Seasonal dropouts______. (e) Overemphasis on varsity athletics______. 184 (f) Inadequate police protection at athletic contests______ (g) Distortion of the school's program______. (h) Player eligibility______. (i) Lack of uniformity in the opening and closing dates for the various sport seasons______. (j) Questionable officiating______. (k) Over emphasis on "All Star" games and tournaments______ (1) Lack of uniformity in regard to the number, and the length of per-season practice sessions^______. (m) Undue influence by non-school persons______. (n) Infringement upon the physical education program______. 10. Please list any other problems that were unique to your school. 11. Did your school hold membership with the Alabama interscholastic Athletic Association prior to the 1967-68 school term?______ 12. What year did your school become affiliated with the AIAA?______ 13. Are there any comments that you would like to give concerning the athletic program at your school?______ 14. If your answer to the above question is Yes, Please write your comments below. APPENDIX C 186 Questionnaire sent to the Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. ’ QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THE HISTORY AND FUNCTIONING OF THE ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.______ 1. In what year was your association organized?______ 2. Do you know of any effort to organize a State Athletic Association before your association was organized?______ 3. What were some of the basic problems facing the schools prior to the establishment of the AHSAA? 4. What were the approximate number of schools belonging to the association during its first year of operation______five years______ 5. Membership dues______ 6. Was your organization of the independent, voluntary type or regulated by the State Board of Education? (underscore) 7. What were the pre-requisites for membership in your association? 8. Who originated the idea for the establishment of a State Athletic Association? 9. Is your association recognized by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Association?______ 10. What were the purposes for the establishment of the association? 11. What was the name of the first president of the association? 12. What was the name of the first Executive Secretary? 13. How many executive secretaries have served the association since its establishment?_____ ~______ 14. Were the Executive Secretaries salaried officers? g______ 15. Were the Executive Secretaries elected or appointed?______ 16. Has your organization always retained its original name?______187 17. If your answer to the above question is no, what was the original name of the association?______ 18. Were any other types of student activities sponsored by your organization besides athletics?______ 19. If your answer to the above question is yes, what were they? 20. Did your association sponsor athletics for girls?______ 21. Why was athletics for girls discontinued?______ 22. Do predominately Negro High Schools hold membership in the AHSAA? 23. What was the approximate date that predominately Negro High Schools became members of the Alabama High School Athletic Association?_ 24. Do the predominately Negro schools operate in the association as the predominately white schools?______ 25. What was the membership enrollment of the Alabama High School Athletic Association at the beginning of the 1968-69 school term?______ 26. What was the effective date of the merger of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Alabama High School Athletic Association? 27. Did predominately Negro schools schedule regular games with predominately white schools during the 1968-69 school year?______ 28. Were ther any unique problems associated with the predominately Negro schools that did not manifest themselves among the white schools? 29. Did the merger of the AHSAA and the AIAA affect the Officials' Association?______ 30. Are ther any Negroes serving in any official capacities in the merged association?______ 31. Is your organization affiliated with the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations?______ 32. Did any Negro athletes participate in athletic contests with white athletes prior to the merger of the two state associations?______ 33. Do Negro officials.'and ’white officials work as teams in officiating athletic contests?______188 34. If your answer to the above question is in the affirmative, how has thifif-arrangement been received by the general public?______ 35. Were records made by those athletes in predominately Negro schools recognized by the Federation of State High School Athletic Association? 36. Which of the following athletic events are conducted by your association? (a) Football championships (b) Basketball tournaments (c) Baseball championships (d) Track and Field meets (e) Swimming meets (f) Tennis tournaments (g) Golf tournaments 37. What type of integrated athletic contest have occurred since the merger of the two associations?______ 38. How would you rate the performance of the Negro athletes as compared to the performance of the white athletes?______ 39. How would you rate the general performance of Negro athletes as members of integrated teams to their performance as members of all Negro schools?______ 40. List some things that you would recommend for the improvement of the athletic program conducted by your association. 41. What predictions do you have for the future of your association? APPENDIX D 190 CONSTITUTION OF THE ALABAMA. INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION ARTICLE - NAME The name of this organizagion shall be the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association. ARTICLE II - OBJECT The object of this association shall be the maintenance of the high standards of scholarship, amateur standing and good sportsmanship in athletics among the high schools of Alabama. ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP AND DUES Section I - Membership: All high schools listed in the State Educational Directory, whether accredited or not, are eligible to membership in this association under the following conditions: Between September 1, and Octoberl, the principals of those schools which wish to maintain membership in the association for the current year shall sign membership renewal applications on the forms to be provided by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer. By signing the membership renewal applications, each principal binds himself, and the members of his faculty to familiarize themselves with the Constitution, and regulations of the Association and to instruct the students in them, especially those who are candidates for interscholastic activities, to keep on file detailed scholastic, athletic, and attendance records of all students; to forward promptly to the Executive Secretary - Treasurer all eligibility lists, reports, and records required; and to enforce the provisions of this constitution within his school. All information called for on the renewal blank shall be furnished. A school must be a member of its local athletic district in order to become a member of the State Athletic Association. Section 2 - Dues the membership fee shall fluctuate between a minimum fee of $20,00 for any school with an enrollment of less than 200 pupils and a maximum fee of not more than $150.00 irrespective of the enrollment. All schools with enrollments above 200 pupils will pay on the basis of 10$ per pupil based on the school’s enrollment in grades 7-12 of the Annual Report of the previous year. Failure to pay dues by October 1st shall forfeit a school's membership in the association. Reinstatement may be made upon payment of dues, and payment of a fine. The district secretary must submit membership fees to the State Office by October 10 on the forms provided by the Executive Secretary. 191 Section 3 - District membership: Each District Association shall pay to the State Association 10% of the gross receipts of its annual district basketball tournament. ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES Section 1 - Officers: The officers of this Association shall be President, a Vice-President, the Executive Secretary-Treasurer, and a recording secretary. All officers, with the exception of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer, shall be elected by ballot during the spring meeting by the members of the General Legislative Assembly. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected upon recommendation by the Central Board of Control. This recommendation must be approved by the Legislative Body. Section 2 - Duties of Officers: The President shall have general executive power during the meeting of the Association. He shall call and preside over all legislative meetings of the Association, including the Central Board of Control; serve as the official representative of the association oh the executive committee of the Alabama State Teachers Association; and perform any other duties pertaining to the office of the President of the Association. He shall file a statement of expenditures incurred by his office before each annual meeting. The Vice-President shall act as President in the absence of the President, and perform any other duties usually pertaining to the office of the Vice-President. He shall file a statement of expenditures incurred by his office before each annual meeting. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all funds of the association; disburse all funds within the budget fixed by the Central Board of Control; keep an accurate record of all funds received, and disbursed; make a complete financial report to the Legislative Assembly, and such additional reports as may be required, investigate all alleged violations of the rules of the association which come to his attention, and see that schools are penalized according to the laws of this Association; review all controversies between members, and render decisions, prepare, and issue to members necessary forms and supplies, and receive and check all reports from members. He shall have full power to enforce the Constitution during the interim of meetings, and perform such other related duties. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be bonded for at least one thousand dollars ($1,000). This amount shall fluctuate according to the amount in the treasury. 192 The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be paid twelve hundred dollars per year. The accounts of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be audited annually by an auditing committee appointed by the President. The Recording Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all the meetings of the General Delegate Assembly, and of the actions taken by the Central Board of Control, and assist with other duties designated by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer. Section 3 - Term of Office: The officers of this association (with the exception of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer) shall be elected annually. No person (with the exception of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer) shall be elected for the same office for more than two consecutive years. ARTICLE V - THE CENTRAL BOARD OF CONTROL The Central Board of Control shall consist of eleven members, one representative from each of the"districts, elected by members of the district, and the President and Secretary of the Association. The President of the Association shall be chairman of the Central Board of Control and the Secretary shall act as Secretary of the Board. The Central Board of Control shall meet twice a year, during the annual meeting of the Alabama State Teachers Association, and between September 1, and 30th, Other meetings of the Board shall be held at the discretion of the President as often as is necessary to handle matters of the Association under its jurisdiction. The Central Board of Control shall have full authority to propose laws, and rules which shall be uniformly effective and binding upon all members of the Association provided said rules, and laws are not in contrast to the provisions of this constitution, and have been approved by the General Delegate Assembly. A Quorum shall consist of six district elected members and the President and Secretary of the Association. The President and Secretary shall be non-voting members except in the case of a tie vote in the Board of Control, in which case the President shall have one vote. The decisions of the Central Board of Control shall be binding upon members subject to the approval of the General Legislative Assembly. Travel expense of the members of the Board of Control shall be paid by the Districts. 193 ARTICLE VI - GENERAL DELEGATE ASSEMBLY The legislative body of the Association shall be a General Delegate Assembly composed of one representative from each of the member schools. This body shall meet twice each year: During the annual meeting of the Alabama State Teachers Association, and on a designated date in September. The Athletic Association year begins October 1, and ends the following September 30, of each calendar year. ARTICLE VII - ADMINISTRATION Section 1 - The Principal: The principal of a school shall be held responsible in all matters in his school which concern inter school contests. No drastic decision shall be made by a coach immediately preceding or during a contest without conference with, and consent of, his principal. The principal shall be responsible for the actions of the coach. Section 2 - The principal shall countersign all contracts to engage in inter-school contests. When contracting for a contest, provisions must be made for forfeiture to be paid by the school that fails to carry out the arrangement made as well as for games forfeiture. There shall be no cancellation of a contract once entered into, except by mutual agreement, unless forfeiture provided by the contract is paid. Section 3 - Schools which take their team or teams off the field or floor on account of poor officiating (or for any other cause), may not expect to collect their expenses or guarantees, and will be considered guilty of displaying unsportsman like conduct. Registered officials should be agreed upon by the schools concerned before the game begins. When the game begins, each school waives all its rights as far as objecting to the officials concerned. Section 4 - In the event a team leaves the floor, or field of play, the school will be suspended from the Association for one year in all sports, from the date of the walk-off, and fined one hundred dollars ($100) reinstatement fee. ARTICLE VIII - APPEALS Sect ion".1 - Schools in the same district: appeals from the district association involving schools in the same district may be filed with the Executive Secretary-Treasurer, by the complaining school after the decision of the District Association has been rendered. The school filing the appeal to the local athletic district may appeal to the State Athletic Association in the event the local athletic association does not act on the appeal within the ten school days after receiving the appeal. 194 The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall review the final decision unless this decision of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer is not satisfactory to the complaining party, or parties. If the complaining party desires further deliberation, appeal may be then made to the Board of Control. The decision of the Central Board of Control shall be final. Acts not covered in the local constitution may be taken directly to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer. Section 2 - Schools of Different Districts: In case of a disputed decision between schools of two different districts that cannot be settled by the officials to the satisfaction of both teams, the dissatisfied team is to continue the game under protest. The team playing under protest may send grievance, or grievances to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer who shall review the case, and render the decision in the settlement of the dispute. If the decision rendered by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer is not satisfactory to the complaining school, the appeal may then be made to the Central Board of Control. The decree of the Central Board of Control shall be final. ARTICLE IX - ELIGIBILITY AND GRADES OF PARTICIPANTS Section 1 - Eligibility: A student becomes ineligible for participation in interscholastic athletics on the day he reaches his twentieth birthday. Section 2 - No pupil shall take part in inter-high school athletic contests for more than six years, or more than six seasons in any one sport, after he enters Junior I Class, or more than five years after entering Junior II Class, or four years after entering Junior III Class, or three years after entering Senior I Class, or two years after entering Senior II Class, or one year after entering Senior III Class. A student's academic progress must run concurrently with his eligibility years. A student loses a year of eligibility every time he ^repeats a grade unless his failure can be verified due to an extreme case of illness. A student's eligibility ceases when his class graduates irrespective of whether or not he has made up the necessary grades in the repeated class. An affidavit by a licensed physician must be sent along with each request for extended eligibility years, and this must be approved by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer before such an extension Is granted. Pupils must positively pass in studies requiring at least 15 prepared recitation periods per week (three full semester credits) or if pupils are below Junior III grade, they must pass in three- fourths of their required subjects. 195 A contestant must have maintained from the beginning of the semester, up to the end of the week preceding that in which the contest occurs, a passing grade of "D" in studies requiring at least fifteen prepared recitations per week. No special recitation, or tests are to be given for the purpose of making a pupil eligible. All pupils to be eligible for interscholastic athletics must be maintaining a passing grade in at least three new units of work from the beginning of the semester up to one week preceding a game. The principal should provide a certified eligibility liafc to school being played five days before said contest. ARTICLE X - ENROLLMENT A student shall not participate in athletics during any term unless he is duly enrolled in the school. A pupil whose parents move from one community to another ^ _ may transfer all his rights, and privileges to his new residence or closest approved high school. A student who transfers from one school in the school district to another school in the same school district shall be eligible only after one (1) semester in the residence to the school he is enrolled. ARTICLE XI - CONTESTS Section 1 - Member schools shall refrain from entering contests with Alabama High Schools that are not members of the Association, or with schools under suspension. Participation in benefit affairs (invitational Tournaments) should be approved by the Association. Violation of these rules shall be sufficient grounds for suspension. Section 2 - No inter-district or interstate athletic contest involving more than two schools shall be permitted without the written sanction of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer. Section 3 - All rules, and rulings of the Association apply equally to reserve or "B" teams as to the varsity or first teams of member schools; and to so-called "practice" inter-school games as to regularly scheduled games. Section 4 - No pupil shall be allowed to dress in the uniform of his school for a contest if he is not eligible to participate. 196 Section 5 - The Association has adopted as the official football rules for all inter-school games the Interscholastic football rules sponsored by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations. ARTICLE XII - PROFESSIONALISM When a player receives from any source, a salary or its equivalent in return for his athletic services, he shall be classified as a professional; and thus forfeits his right to participate in interscholastic competition. Penalty - Ineligible Players: Any school using an ineligible player, or players as defined in Article IX, X, XI, and XII will be suspended from the Association for one year in all sports from the date of the violation. a r t i c l e x i i i - r e p o r t s Section 1 - A principal shall, when requested, furnish to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer such information as he may desire bearing upon the eligibility of contestants from his schools. A failure to comply within ten days shall forfeit a school's membership in the Association. Reinstatement may be made upon filing of such report and payment of five dollars ($5.00). Section 2 - Within the first twenty days of each semester and not later than five days before playing of first interscholastic athletic contest the principal of the school must submit to the State Executive Secretary-Treasurer in DUPLICATE, a list of all pupils, who will engage in interscholastic athletics, with such information as listed on the official Association forms. Additional names may be added to the list in like manner at the beginning of the basketball, baseball, track, etc. seasons, provided they are submitted, and recdipt acknowledged five days previous to use in any interschool game. The penalty for failure to file such reports shall be forfeiture of membership in the Association. Reinstatement may be made upon filing of such report and payment of five dollars ($5.00). Section 3 - At the close of the playing season of each sport, the principal of each school shall send to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer, a list-of the players who have participated in any part of any game. Every pupil who has participated in even one play of a game must be listed in participating reports. Failure to submit such reports to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer will subject the school to a fine of five dollars ($5.00). 197 ARTICLE XIV - GAME OFFICIALS Section 1 - The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare a list of approved officials by methods in use in progressive State Associations, and publish same for use of principals. Principals shall be jointly responsible for the selection of officials for any contest. Section 2 - Only officials who are registered with the Association may be used by member schools as officials in football, basketball, and baseball games. Violation of this rule shall subject the school, or schools to a minimum fine of ten dollars ($10.00), or a maximum fine of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each offense. ARTICLE XV - PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE All parliamentary procedure shall be based on Robert fs Rule of Order. ARTICLE XVI - AMENDMENTS This constitution may be amended by votes of two-thirds of the members of the General Delegate Assembly any member of the Association may submit a proposed amendment to the Executive Secretary- Treasurer in writing at least thirty days prior to the meeting of the General Delegate Assembly. APPENDIX E 199 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION Constitution ARTICLE I— Name Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the National High School Athletic Association. ARTICLE II--Purpose Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be: (A) To Stimulate athletic activities of the various state and regional high school associations. (B) That a greater emphasis be manifested in health and physical education, including competitive sports, on the part of all concerned. (C) That all persons concerned will be greater awakened to the acuteness of the problem of physical fitness. (D) That high school youth be stimulated to put forth greater efforts to become more efficient in the various sports. (E) This organization may have the responsibility to promote national tournaments and meets. ARTICLE III--Membership Dues Section 1. The membership fee per state or other organizations shall be twenty-five ($25.00) dollars. States with more than 25 schools shall pay an additional one ($1.00) dollar per school above the twenty-five ($25.00) dollars. 200 (A) On or before February 1st annually, each state or other organization shall send to the Executive Secretary the membership list and annual dues. (B) For not complying with A above a late registration fee of $10.00 and possible denied right of participation in the National Tournament shall be imposed. Section 2. The executive Board of the state desiring membership shall officially indicate its willingness to comply with the constitution and by-laws of the National High School Athletic Association and make application to the Secretary-Treasurer of the National High School Athletic Association. Section 3. The application must be accompanied with the current membership dues.• Section 4. The application must receive a vote of two-thirds of the members present when the application is acted upon. Section 5. A copy of the constitution and by-laws of the state organization must be submitted with the application and the organization must be such as to indicate proper regulation and control of the in scholastic activities of the state so that there will be no more than one membership granted to a state. ARTICLE IV— Representation Section 1. Invitations will be extended only to teams whose states are members of the National High School Athletic Association. Section 2. The Secretary-Treasurer shall have the power to invite teams from states whose state organizations prohibit affiliation with the national organization. 201 Section 3. A late registration fee of $10.00 or possible denied right of participation in the national tournament be imposed. Section 4. On or before March 1, the President shall furnish member schools with an annual list of membership schools. ARTICLE V— Meetings of Executive Committee Section 1. Notices of all meetings shall be forwarded to all members of the Executive Committee at least fifteen days prior to the meeting. Section 2. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held on Wednesday night of the tournament week at 6:30 p.m. Section 3. Representation of a majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum of this body. Section 4. On or before February 1, the Executive Secretary shall furnish to member schools an annual list of National High School Athletic Association members. Section 5. In the event more than one team Is invited from a state, the tournament manager must clear with state organization as to which team shall represent. ARTICLE VI— Officers and Duties Section 1. The officers shall be the President, Vice President, « Executive Secretary, Director of Public Relations, State Representatives, Commissioner, and Assistant Commissioner. (A) All officers shall be elected (except the Commissioner and State Representative or Member Representative) to serve for a term of two years. (B) The Commissioner shall be appointed by the governing body or Executive Committee for a period of ten years. 202 (C) The State Representative or Member Representative shall be elected or appointed by the state organization they represent. These representatives are members of the Executive Committee. (D) The election of officers shall take place every two years at regular meetings by ballot. Elected officers will remain in office until their successors are named. DUTIES President 1. Preside over all meetings. 2. Call meetings. 3. Organize and integrate activities of the association. 4. Represent the organization on such occasions where the organization needs representation. Vice-President 1. Preside in the absence of the President 2. Conduct drawings and perfect brackets. 3. Work with the Finance Manager on ticket sales. Director of Public Relations 1. Stimulate interest through publicity. 2. Keep accurate records of all meetings and tournament dates. 3. Perform other duties as may be assigned. Assistant Director of Public Relations 1. News releases. 2. Other duties as may be assigned. Business Manager or Finance and Housing 1. Select and assign ticket seller. 2. Make report on all ticket sales. 203 Secretary-Treasurer or Executive Secretary 1. Receive all funds of the National High School Athletic Association. 2. Turn said fund over to Chief Finance Officer:of Tennessee A. and I. State University (Business Manager) who will receipt the organization. 3. The Finance Officer will be the custodian of the money but with no authority but that given by the National High School Athletic Association. 4. The Secretary-Treasurer will make a report annually and send a copy to the President and Chief Finance Officer of the university. Commissioner 1. Rule on all cases of disputes. 2. Receive all eligibility data of participating teams.: 3. Serve as Director of tournament play and see that all things are carried out according to Federation rules. Section 2. A copy of all protests shall be presented to the President, the Commissioner, and to the school being protested against. Section 3. The State Representatives shall encourage activity; shall be the official representatives of the National Association at all state and district events; and are members of the Executive Committee of the National High School Athletic Association. Section 4. The Executive Committee shall have the power to locate and conduct National, Regional or State meetings when necessary and act as a law-making body. The President shall have the power to call special meetings upon the request of three members of the Executive Committee. 204 ARTICLE VII— Eligibility and Reports Section 1. All players who are eligible to play in events sponsored by their organization are eligible to play in events sponsored by the National Organization. Section 2. All member states or other organizations shall file a copy of its constitution with the Assistant Commissioner ARTICLE VIII--Non-Member Schools Section 1. Invitation will be extended only to teams whose states are members of the National High School Athletic Association. Section 2. The Secretary-Treasurer or Tournament Manager shall have the power to invite teams from states whose state organizations prohibit affiliation with National organizations. ARTICLE IX— Contracts Games not contracted for on the official interstate blank shall be considered invalid. A contract shall not be cancelled except by mutual consent of the parties to the contract. In case of failure of the parties to reach agreement concerning cancellation, the matter shall be referred to the Commissioner for adjudication. His decree or the decree of the Executive Committee in case of appeal shall be final and the provisions of the decree shall be carried out by the parties of the contract. 205 ARTICLE X--Amendments Section 1. Amendments may be made to the Constitution by a two-thirds majority vote of the members of the Executive Committee present. Section 2. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee thirty days prior to the annual meeting. BY-LAWS AND RULES 1. The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of the National High School Athletic Association. A committee of the Board shall work with the Tournament Manager to check tournament receipts and disbursements. 2. Tournament passes shall be mailed by the Executive Secretary to the following people of participating schools: The Principal and one guest, the Athletic Director and one guest, and the Coach and one guest. 3. Member states through their Executive Secretary, shall furnish the Assistant Commissioner a list of member schools by March 1, and an eligibility list of champions immediately (Sunday) after state tournament. 4. All requests for rulings on eligibility shall be made in writing. 206 BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Research Council, Research Methods in Health Physical Education and Recreation, Washington, D.C.: American Association For Health Physical Education and Recreation, 1959. Forsythe, Charles E. Administration of High School Athletics, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1962. Henderson, Edward B. The Negro in Sports, Washington, D.C.: Associated Publishers, Inc., 1939. Hughes, William L., and William, Jesse F. Sports: Their Organization and Administration, New York: A. S. Barnes and Company, 1949. Rice, Emmett A., Hutchinson, John L., and Lee, Mabel. A Brief History of Physical Education, 4th ed. New York: Ronald Press, 1952 Scott, Harry A. Competitive Sports in Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1961. Van Dalen, Deobold B., Mitchell, Elmer D., and Bennett, Bruce L. A World History of Physical Education, New York: Prentice Hall, 1953. Voltmer, Edward F., and Esslinger, Arthur A. The Organization and Administration of Physical Education, New York: Appleton Century Crofts, Inc., 1958. Whitney, Frederick L. The Elements of Research, New York: Prentice Hall, 1950. Williams, Jesse L. The Principles of Physical Education, 8th ed., PhtlAdelptiiil W. B. Saunders Company, 1964. Constitutions Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Constitutions. 1954, 1961, 1966-67. National High School Athletic Association, Constitution, 1962-63. 207 Court Orders Anthony T. Lee et al., United States of America, versus Macon County Board of Education et al., Defendants, Civil Action 604-E, January 28, 1963, p. 4-5. Anthony T. Lee et al., Plaintiffs, United States of America and Amicus Curiae versus Macon County Board of Education, Alabama, 231 F. Supp, 743, July 13, 1964. Anthony T. Lee et al., versus Macon County Board of Education, "Writ of Injunction," Civil Action 604-E, April 1, 1968, p. 3-4. Anthony T. Lee et al., Plaintiffs, versus Macon County Board of Education, Civil Action 604-E, May 3, 1968, p. 1-2. United States versus Wallace, 222 F. Supp. 485 September 1963, Lee versus Macon County Board of Education, Order of February 3, 1964, United States versus Rea, 231 F. 772, February 1964. (These three cases are tied into one) Handbooks Alabama Educational Directory, 1945-46. Alabama State Department of Education, Handbook, Bulletin No. 9, 1967-68. National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations, Handbook, 1967-68. Letters Letter to author from George Bell, first President of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, December 10, 1968. Letter to author from J. D. Cooke, Executive Secretary of the Central Alabama Athletic District, December 11, 1968. Letter to author from W. H. Cos ton, third Executive Secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, December 9, 1968. Letter to author from 0. F. Frazier, second Executive Secretary Of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, December 11, 1968. 208 Letter to Montgomery County Board of Education from Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr., Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama, February 25, 1968. Letter to author from Rueben "Chick" Lewis, three-letter athlete of Alabama State Teachers College from 1924-27, November 29, 1968. Letter to author from A. J. Rowser, former Principal of U.S. Jones High School, Demopolis, Alabama and first President of the Southwest Alabama Interscholastic Conference, October 8, 1968. Letter to author from Herman L. Scott, Executive Secretary of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, April 16, 1968. Letter to author from Dr. Ernest Stone, Alabama State Superintendent of Education, April 5, 1968. Letter to Dr. Ernest Stone from Honorable Frank M. Johnson, Jr., Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama, April 9, 1961 Letter from Dr. Ernest Stone to County and City Superintendents of 99 School Systems Under the Court Order of March 22, 1967, April 15, 191 Newsletters Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter. Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, I, (January,1967), p. 2. Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, I, (March 1957), p. 1. Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, II, (November 1957), p. 1. Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Newsletter, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, IV, (January 1960), p. 2. Tuskegee Institute, Newsletter, 1942. Newspapers Bryant, William 0. "Athletic Group Open Doors," Alabama Journal, (Montgomery March 24, 1968, p. 1. 209 Chicago Defender. May 12, 1956 and November 9, 1957. Editorial. "The Athletic Merger," Montgomery Advertiser, (Montgomery), April 3, 1968. Gale, Mary E. "Alabama High School Athletic Association Still Thinks It's Dangerous." Southern Courier, (Montgomery), March 30-31, 1968, p. 2. Helm, Judith. "School Sport Integration is Sought," Alabama Journal, (Montgomery), March 9, 1968, p. 1. Land, Charles. "Alabama High School Athletic Association Official is Hopeful," Alabama Journal, (Montgomery), August 18, 1968, p. 6. Massey, Raymond. "Judge Gives County Ten Days to Desegregate Athletics," Alabama Journal, (Montgomery), April 15, 1968, p. 15. McGregor, Jim. "Court Tells White and Negro Athletic Groups to Merge," Montgomery Advertiser, (Montgomery), April 24, 1968, p. 1-2. McGregor, Jim. "Judge Hits Montgomery County School Board," Montgomery Advertiser, (Montgomery), February 25, 1968, p. 1-2. Periddicals Baley, James. "Physical Education and Athletics Belong Together." Physical Educator, XXIII (May, 1966), $7.77. Bucher, Charles A. "Needed a New Athletic Program." Physical Educator, XXIII (October, 1966), 99.'V. Crase, Darrel. "A Case For College Athletics." Physical Educator, XXVI (May, 1968), 80. Grambeau, Rodney J. "Safety Measures in Athletics." Physical Educator, (March, 1964), 28. Ludlow, Robert. "Making the Grade in Junior High Athletics." Physical Educator, XXI (March, 1964), 28. Moore, Allen C. "The Coach." Physical Educator, XXI (May, 1964), 62. Programs National High School Athletic Association, Basketball Tournament, Souvenir Program, 1950, National High School Athletic Association, Basketball Tournament, Souvenir Program, 1946, National High School Athletic Association, Basketball Tournament, Souvenir Program, 10th Anniversary, 1955. National High School Athletic Association, Basketball Tournament, Souvenir Program, 1966. Tuskegee Institute, Relays, Souvenir Program, May 1928. Theses Hall, James Jr., "A Study of Eligibility Controls Relating to Interscholastic Athletics in CITS' Negro High Schools of Alabama," Unpublished Master's Thesis, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, 1961. Montgomery, James A. "The Development of the Interscholastic Movement in the United States 1890-1940." Unpublished Master's Thesis, George Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee, June 1960. Sullivan, Wilson. "A Study of Administrative Policies and Practices in Interschool Athletics." Unpublished Master's Thesis, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, 1961. Western, Alphonsa, "A Survey of Problems of Coaches Attending Summer School at Three Alabama Colleges During the Summer of 1964," Unpublished Master's Thesis, Alabama State College, Montgomery, Alabama, 1964. Other Sources Brown, James. "Administering and Financing Interscholastic Athletics in Seven Negro High Schools of Jefferson County, Alabama, 1956-57. (Mimeographed.) 211 Unclassified Sources Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary, "Financial Statement Summary," 1963, Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary, "Financial Report," 1965. Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary, "Savings Account," 1967. (Mimeographed.) Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Report of the Executive Secretary, 1968. (Mimeographed.) Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association, Track and Field Records, "Summary Sheet of Results," 1964.