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Normal Again Lumberton, Oct. 17. -- Negro students returned to classes at Thompson Institute hero today following a nine-day walkout in protest of building conditions. Principal George H. Young of Thompson reported a "normal" attendance and d clared "Everything is normal again." He said the students seemed interested in their work and appeared ready to apply themselves to their studies again.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION RALEIGH October 10, 1946

Mr. N. C. Newbold State Department Public Instruction Raleigh, North Carolina

Dear Mr. Newbold: Your letter of October 9, enclosing copies of letter taht you wrote to Superintendents Lohr and Green of Lumberton and Roberson County, respectively, on October 8, and correspondence between the Honorable Cutler Moore and Superintendent Erwin, is received. There is really not much that I can say about the Lumberton Negro school sitaution that I have not said on numerous occasions. It is of recod that I inspected the Red Stone Academy building and the Thompson Institute building on Tuesday, November 26, 1940. At that time I made the following statements: "The school officials of Lumberton and Robeson County are confronted with the urgent necessity of improving the school plant facilities for the entire Negro population of Lumberton". I further reported as follows: "I also feel it my duty to again mention the fact that the colored children of Lumberton are miserably housed, and that they have never received more than a meagre sum to improve their condition". Prior to this report and subsequent to it, I have visited Lumberton, inspected sites, and conferred with school officials about the construction of new cshool plant facilities for the Negroes at Lumberton. In my survey of the Negro schools of the State made in 1945, I stated that "both of these buildings are antiquated and badly in need of repairs", and estimated the cost at prewar prices at $125,000.00. In all fairness to the Robeson County officials, it should be states that during the past three or four years definite and concrete plans have been under way for the construction of adequate school plant facilities for the Negro children at Lumberton, and a capital outlay fund to finance the undertaking has been accumulating uing this time. But for the war and the consequent abnormal building conditions I am of the fixed and fir pinion that adequate buildings would have been completed before this time.

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It should further be borne in mind that on May 1, 1940, the State Insurance Department condemned the primary building that was being used by the white children. This was in a more serious condition in many ways than the two Negro school buildings were at the time, although on the visitation mentioned above in November of 1940, I urgently recommended that the Negro school situation be corrected.

I conferred with the State Works Projects Administration about aid on all these projects on November 27, 1940. The white school was replaced but, due to the preparedness program and war years and termination of the WPA, work did not get underway on the colored school plants.

Finally, I have detected no disposition on anybody's part to discount the need for improved school buildings for the Negroes of Lumberton, nor to evade the obligation for financing the undertaking once building conditions will permit.

Very sincerely yours,

[? signature of W. F. Credle]

W. F. Credle Director Schoolhouse Planning

WFC G

Robeson County has the following record for Rosenwald Fund Schools:

No. Bldgs. 15 Teacher Capacity 55 Pupil Cpacity 2,475

Total Cost $98,280.00

Contributions Negroes $13,146.00 Public $71,084.00 Rosenwald $14,050.00 ______________ Total $98,280.00

During the above building program Thompson Institute was being aided, supervised and perpetuated under the auspices of the American Baptist Home Mission Society and nine trustees elected by the Lumber River Baptist Association.

Superintendent B. E. Lohr Lumberton North Carolina

Dear Mr. Lohr:

Dr. Erwin has received a letter, the first paragraph of which is as follows:

¨I am enclosing an article from our local paper in regard to the Negro Schools in Lumberton. I feel that you should know the conditions under which the colored children are trying to get an education.¨

The writer gave a further description of conditions at the colored schools. Replying to the letter, Dr. Erwin made among other statements the following:

¨I am glad to have your letter of October 4. I, too, am distressed about the situation to which you refer and will try to do all I can to help get it cleared up. I am asking Dr. Newbold to look into this matter and to give me an unbiased report about it. After I get that report I will then see what I can do.¨

These two paragraphs introduce the subject of my statement. I think perhaps it woud be wise for a trip to Lumberton as early next week as possible. I would go this week, but I have an appointment in South Carolina Thursday and Friday, and have to leave omorrow afternoon to get there. I shall be very glad if you will gve me any information available in regard to the whole matter. Either send it to me this week, or hold it until some time next week, probably Wednesday, October 16th.

If you end your board think it is wise to haev a meeting with you and them, or any other persons, I shall be glad to do what you and they want. Please give me any information which you think we should have, this week. I will be in the office tomorrow, and Saturday.

With best wishes, I am

Very sincerely yours,

N. C. NEWBOLD

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