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Burlington Self-Survey on Human Relations: Final report, 1950

Burlington Self-Survey on Human Relations

BURLINGTON SELF-SURVEY OF HUMAN RELATIONS  

This report is the result of work over a two year period in which more than 800 Burlington citizens have taken part. It began when a small group met to discuss how well democracy is working as it affects the minority group of some 300 Negro citizens. While individuals present held a variety of strong impressions based on personal experience, these impressions were not in agreement and the plain fact was that no one knew the whole story.
   There was, however, agreement on one thing: though Negroes number a small percentage in our community, their opportunity for economic, cultural, and social self-realization is important to everyone. The greater the earning capacity of every individual, the greater is the prosperity of the community. Our city’s self-respect is in direct proportion to the dignity and self-respect of the individual citizens.
A second point of agreement was that should any 300 citizens be receiving differential treatment based on race or creed, the facts must be gathered and carefully assessed, as the basis for any corrective action—if that action is to be constructive and sound.
      The result: A fact-finding body called The Burlington Self-Survey Committee was organized. They engaged as consultant Dr. Herman Long of Fisk University, who had helped other groups do scientific and objective surveys now recognized as important sociological studies. The necessary facts were gathered under the guidance of five local sub- committees and sent to Fisk University. This material was returned in the form of a statistical report. The local committees then, after careful study and extensive discussion, put those facts into their final form. Here is a home-grown report of our own community about practices which Burlingtonians themselves have reported. No recommendations for improving these practices have been included. The Self-Survey Committee has merely held up a mirror so that Burlington can look at itself in the belief that by individual and group action, responsible citizens will correct undemocratic practices which are brought to their attention.

Self-Survey Officers
Chairman, Rev. R.G. Bock; Secretary, Mrs. Gerald Schwartz; Treasurer, Cecil Rideout.

Self-Survey Committees
Education
Chm. Mrs. Mark Pistorius
Ray H. Bracewell
Rhoda Coates
Rev. Henry Corcoran
Rev. Robert Hamill
Rev. Bruce Masselink
Milton C. Meuler
Mrs. Kent Northrup
Cecil Rideout

Housing
Chm. Marshall Meuler
Jack Flam
Paul Fulton
George Heffner
Edward Hirsch
Clarence Hoelzen
Floyd Mitchell
Mrs. Thomas Reed
De Edwin White

Employment
Chm. John Klein
George Flaatton [?]
Chester Hunger
William Kottcamp
Ray Larson 
James Lewis
Paul Peterson
Mrs. Donald Putney
Frank Schramm

Public Accommodation
Chm. Rev. Deano Chapman
Harold Ashby
Ray Baxter
Joseph Braun
Mrs. Ruth Eaton
Lloyd Eberhart
Ray Pashen
R.E. Pettigrew
P.L. Mennen

Health
Chm. Dr. Martin Hicklin
Dr. F.H. Aid
Adelaide Beers
Dr. R. H. Buescher
Dr. W. M. Crawford
Mrs. J. R. Green
Dr. R. W. Gregg
Mrs. George Hensen
Dr. Wayne Lee
Sister Maurice
Dr. C. V. Orr
Sister Philiberta
Mrs. De Edwin White
Mrs. Martha White
Dr. G. W. Wilkinson

(Self-Survey Sponsors Attached)

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BURLINGTON SELF-SURVEY OF HUMAN RELATIONS This report is the result of work over a two year period in which more than 800 Burlington citizens have taken part. It began when a small group met to discuss how well democracy is working as it affects the minority group of some 300 Negro citizens. While individuals present held a variety of strong impressions based on personal experience, these impressions were not in agreement and the plain fact was that no one knew the whole story. There was, however, agreement on one thing: though Negroes number a small percentage in our community, their opportunity for economic, cultural, and social self-realization is important to everyone. The greater the earning capacity of every individual, the greater is the prosperity of the community. Our city’s self-respect is in direct proportion to the dignity and self-respect of the individual citizens. A second point of agreement was that should any 300 citizens be receiving differential treatment based on race or creed, the facts must be gathered and carefully assessed, as the basis for any corrective action—if that action is to be constructive and sound. The result: A fact-finding body called The Burlington Self-Survey Committee was organized. They engaged as consultant Dr. Herman Long of Fisk University, who had helped other groups do scientific and objective surveys now recognized as important sociological studies. The necessary facts were gathered under the guidance of five local sub- committees and sent to Fisk University. This material was returned in the form of a statistical report. The local committees then, after careful study and extensive discussion, put those facts into their final form. Here is a home-grown report of our own community about practices which Burlingtonians themselves have reported. No recommendations for improving these practices have been included. The Self-Survey Committee has merely held up a mirror so that Burlington can look at itself in the belief that by individual and group action, responsible citizens will correct undemocratic practices which are brought to their attention. Self-Survey Officers Chairman, Rev. R.G. Bock; Secretary, Mrs. Gerald Schwartz; Treasurer, Cecil Rideout. Self-Survey Committees Education Chm. Mrs. Mark Pistorius Ray H. Bracewell Rhoda Coates Rev. Henry Corcoran Rev. Robert Hamill Rev. Bruce Masselink Milton C. Meuler Mrs. Kent Northrup Cecil Rideout Housing Chm. Marshall Meuler Jack Flam Paul Fulton George Heffner Edward Hirsch Clarence Hoelzen Floyd Mitchell Mrs. Thomas Reed De Edwin White Employment Chm. John Klein George Flaatton [?] Chester Hunger William Kottcamp Ray Larson James Lewis Paul Peterson Mrs. Donald Putney Frank Schramm Public Accommodation Chm. Rev. Deano Chapman Harold Ashby Ray Baxter Joseph Braun Mrs. Ruth Eaton Lloyd Eberhart Ray Pashen R.E. Pettigrew P.L. Mennen Health Chm. Dr. Martin Hicklin Dr. F.H. Aid Adelaide Beers Dr. R. H. Buescher Dr. W. M. Crawford Mrs. J. R. Green Dr. R. W. Gregg Mrs. George Hensen Dr. Wayne Lee Sister Maurice Dr. C. V. Orr Sister Philiberta Mrs. De Edwin White Mrs. Martha White Dr. G. W. Wilkinson (Self-Survey Sponsors Attached)