Evening Compass broadcast
This asset hasn't been digitized yet.
Request Digitization
Description:
Evening Compass newscast during the first week of Phase II desegregation of Boston schools. Ed Baumeister reads school attendance statistics and gives a summary of the day's events relating to the schools. Pam Bullard reports on efforts by the Boston School Committee, the Boston Home and School Association, and the City of Boston to appeal the Phase II busing plan in court. Bullard notes that the chances of overturning the plan are slim. Paul deGive interviews Father William Joy (St. Mary's Parish) about the residents of and the atmosphere in the Bunker Hill housing project in Charlestown. Joy says that the Catholic Church has not responded to the needs of the project residents. DeGive also interviews teenage project resident Danny Sullivan. Sullivan says that youth in the housing project do not deserve their bad reputation. Gary Griffith interviews Joseph Timilty (mayoral candidate) about the upcoming election. Timilty says that he avoids busing as a campaign issue. Bullard interviews Kathleen Sullivan (Boston School Committee). Sullivan accuses Superintendent Marion Fahey of making school appointments based on politics rather than performance.
This tape has audible time code on track 2 and visible time code burned in at the top of the picture.
19:30:00: Ed Baumeister introduces the show. Opening credits roll. Baumeister reports that the school week closed quietly; that 52,062 students out of 76,127 attended school today (68.4%); that peaceful protest marches were held in Charlestown, Hyde Park and South Boston; that there was a scuffle at South Boston High School. Baumeister reports that an appeal of the Phase II desegregation plan was heard in court today. 19:31:34: Bullard reports that today is the third time that the US Court of Appeals has heard matters related to Judge Garrity's court order to desegregate Boston schools. Bullard reports that the court denied the first appeal of Garrity's verdict; that the US Supreme Court refused to hear the case; that the Court of Appeals denied a stay of the court order for the 1975-76 school year; that the defendants went to the court today to appeal the Phase II desegregation plan. Bullard reports that Thayer Fremont-Smith (attorney, Boston Home and School Association) argued that the scope of the plan was too broad; that it would not bring about equality in education; that the court should adopt the plan drawn up by the Boston Home and School Association. Visual: Court drawing of Fremont-Smith. Bullard reports that Matthew Connolly (attorney, Boston School Committee) urged the adoption a plan drawn up by the committee. Bullard notes that Connolly said that the court plan usurps the power of the school committee. Bullard reports that Kevin Maloney (attorney, City of Boston) argued that the court should adopt the court-appointed Master's Plan. V: Court drawing of Connolly. Court drawing of Maloney. Bullard reports that the court has already upheld Garrity's rejection of the Master's Plan. John Leubsdorf (attorney for the plaintiffs, Morgan v. Hennigan) argued that the plan should be allowed to stand as is. V: Court drawing of Leubsdorf; of the courtroom. Bullard reports that the judges in the court of appeals (Chief Judge Frank Coffin, Justice Levin Campbell and Justice Edward McEntee) supported the Phase II plan when they denied the stay over the summer; that the three lawyers bringing the appeal admit that their chances of success are slim. 19:34:19: Paul deGive reports on the Bunker Hill Housing Project near Bunker Hill Street in Charlestown. DeGive reports that the housing project has been associated with the violence on Charlestown streets since the beginning of the school year; that kids evade the police by retreating into the housing project. DeGive says that he toured the project with Father William Joy (St. Mary's Parish). V: Footage of deGive walking through the project with Joy. Kids play in the streets of the projects. Joy says that the project is ignored by city officials; that the project has no real name; that many people feel unsafe there in the evening; that the streetlights are broken or do not work; that a small number of people are causing trouble in the project; that the kids in the project do not deserve their bad reputation; that he objects to people calling them "project rats." DeGive interviews a teenager, Danny Sullivan (project resident). Sullivan says that there are only a few kids causing violence in the projects; that a few kids start trouble and others are drawn in; that antibusing parents make the situation worse by fueling the emotions of the kids. Sullivan stands in front of a wall with "IRA and "Stop Busing" graffiti. DeGive interviews Joy again. Joy says that the project has been neglected by the government, social institutions and the church; that the church has not lived up to its responsibilities to the project; that the schools and police need to pay more attention to project residents. Kids gather around Joy and deGive. 19:40:07: Gary Griffith reports that preliminary elections in the mayoral race will be held on September 23; that the preliminary elections have not received a lot of media coverage due to the busing crisis; that Joseph Timilty (mayoral candidate) needs to do well in the elections; that Kevin White (Mayor, City of Boston) has a good chance of being re-elected; that events in the busing crisis may affect White's performance at the polls. Griffith reports that White is vulnerable to criticism of the Tactical Patrol Force (TPF) in South Boston and Charlestown; that white voters may be sensitive to the fact that the Boston school population now has a non-white majority. Griffith reports that Timilty does not seem to be exploiting those issues. V: Footage of Griffith interviewing Timilty. Timilty says that voters are concerned with school issues, not with the election; that he sees no new issues developing in the campaign; that there are always complaints against the TPF; that complaints must be investigated; that he has picked up support in the African American community; that the White administration has deserted the African American community and other communities. Timilty says that it would be irresponsible for him to capitalize on the busing issue in his campaign; that the mayor is capitalizing on the issue; that political rhetoric would only inflame the issue. 19:43:45: Baumeister reports that Marion Fahey (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) has come under criticism from many quarters since her appointment on September 1. V: Footage of Bullard interviewing Kathleen Sullivan (Boston School Committee). Sullivan says that she does not agree with the administrative appointments made by Fahey; that she voted against them because of the past performance records of the individuals concerned. Bullard reports that Fahey consults regularly with the Boston School Committee; that Sullivan and others accuse Fahey of promoting and demoting individuals according to the whims of certain members of the Boston School Committee; that Fahey has transferred Carmen Necheles, Herbert Hambleton and John Coakley; that Judge Garrity has urged Fahey to keep Coakley in his present position as top desegregation planner until the end of September. Bullard reports that Coakley is unpopular with the school committee because he opposes their fundraising practices. V: Footage of Sullivan saying that Coakley was very good at his job; that he was demoted for political reasons. Bullard reports that John Kerrigan (Boston School Committee) has said that he needs to take care of his people; that some promotions have been hand-picked by Kerrigan and others; that Sullivan and city hall officials are concerned by some of the appointments. Bullard reports that Sullivan is openly critical of the appointments of Associate Superintendents John Kelly, Robert McCabe and Charles Leftwich, and the appointments of District Superintendents Frank Laquidara and George Murphy. V: Footage of Sullivan saying that two of the men have had poor performances in the area of vocational education; that one of the men has been harshly criticized for his performance in the area of career education; that she has observed the poor job performances of two other candidates. Sullivan says that these promotions were made for political reasons not for professional performance; that Boston schools are in need of good leadership. Bullard reports that Fahey stands behind her appointments. 19:49:53: Baumeister reports that the term "other minority" applies to Chinese Americans, Hispanics and many other minority groups. Judy Stoia reports that Chinese American students boycotted school during the first part of the week to pressure school officials into hiring more Chinese American teachers and aides. V: Footage of Chinese American parents and children in the South End. Stoia reports that school officials agreed to increase Chinese American staff; that 2000 Chinese American students are to be bused; that Chinese American parents are concerned about busing. V: Footage of Louisa Lock talking about the Kent School in Charlestown, where her child will be bused. Lock says she that she is happy with the school; that she does not mind busing if the safety of children is assured; that she is concerned with quality education. Footage of Chinese American students in buses. Footage of buses picking up children in Chinatown. Stoia reports that Chinese American parents are concerned that busing makes the school day longer; that many Chinese American students attend Chinese school for two hours after school every day. V: Footage of Albert Lau (Bilingual Coordinator) saying that students need to see more Chinese American role models among school personnel. More footage of children on buses. Stoia reports that the federal court order requires the hiring of more African American school staff; that the court order does not require the hiring of "other minority" teachers. V: Footage of Peter Chan (Chinatown Little City Hall) saying that the federal court order does not allow for adequate representation of Chinese Americans and other minorities on the parent councils for the schools. 19:53:48: Greg Pilkington reports that the specter of "white flight" has been raised by attendance figures which show the Boston school population to be majority non-white. Pilkington says that the projected enrollment for Boston schools this year was 50.6% white and 49.4% non-white; that the white majority was expected to be slim; that there has been a white majority at the high schools and a slight non-white majority at the elementary and middle schools. Pilkington says that school officials are expecting both white and African American students to return to the schools if the situation remains calm; that no one has commented on low African American attendance as an indicator of "black flight." Pilkington reports that the Boston school population was 23% non-white in 1964-65; that the population was 38.5% non-white in 1973-74; that the African American population is growing; that the African American population has a higher birthrate than the white population. Pilkington reports that Bob Schwartz (Educational Advisor to the Mayor) is worried that whites will pull their children out of school if there appears to be a non-white majority; that the absence of middle-class white children will cause a decline in the quality of education. Pilkington says that African American leaders disagree with Schwartz; that Paul Parks (State Secretary for Educational Affairs) does not believe that whites will leave the school system in large numbers; that Ellen Jackson (Freedom House) believes that the speculation concerning "white flight" encourages the idea where it may not have existed; that Percy Wilson (Roxbury Multi-Service Center) calls the speculation concerning "white flight" a scare tactic to escalate racial anxieties. 19:57:59: Baumeister closes the show. Credits roll.
19:30:00: Ed Baumeister introduces the show. Opening credits roll. Baumeister reports that the school week closed quietly; that 52,062 students out of 76,127 attended school today (68.4%); that peaceful protest marches were held in Charlestown, Hyde Park and South Boston; that there was a scuffle at South Boston High School. Baumeister reports that an appeal of the Phase II desegregation plan was heard in court today. 19:31:34: Bullard reports that today is the third time that the US Court of Appeals has heard matters related to Judge Garrity's court order to desegregate Boston schools. Bullard reports that the court denied the first appeal of Garrity's verdict; that the US Supreme Court refused to hear the case; that the Court of Appeals denied a stay of the court order for the 1975-76 school year; that the defendants went to the court today to appeal the Phase II desegregation plan. Bullard reports that Thayer Fremont-Smith (attorney, Boston Home and School Association) argued that the scope of the plan was too broad; that it would not bring about equality in education; that the court should adopt the plan drawn up by the Boston Home and School Association. Visual: Court drawing of Fremont-Smith. Bullard reports that Matthew Connolly (attorney, Boston School Committee) urged the adoption a plan drawn up by the committee. Bullard notes that Connolly said that the court plan usurps the power of the school committee. Bullard reports that Kevin Maloney (attorney, City of Boston) argued that the court should adopt the court-appointed Master's Plan. V: Court drawing of Connolly. Court drawing of Maloney. Bullard reports that the court has already upheld Garrity's rejection of the Master's Plan. John Leubsdorf (attorney for the plaintiffs, Morgan v. Hennigan) argued that the plan should be allowed to stand as is. V: Court drawing of Leubsdorf; of the courtroom. Bullard reports that the judges in the court of appeals (Chief Judge Frank Coffin, Justice Levin Campbell and Justice Edward McEntee) supported the Phase II plan when they denied the stay over the summer; that the three lawyers bringing the appeal admit that their chances of success are slim. 19:34:19: Paul deGive reports on the Bunker Hill Housing Project near Bunker Hill Street in Charlestown. DeGive reports that the housing project has been associated with the violence on Charlestown streets since the beginning of the school year; that kids evade the police by retreating into the housing project. DeGive says that he toured the project with Father William Joy (St. Mary's Parish). V: Footage of deGive walking through the project with Joy. Kids play in the streets of the projects. Joy says that the project is ignored by city officials; that the project has no real name; that many people feel unsafe there in the evening; that the streetlights are broken or do not work; that a small number of people are causing trouble in the project; that the kids in the project do not deserve their bad reputation; that he objects to people calling them "project rats." DeGive interviews a teenager, Danny Sullivan (project resident). Sullivan says that there are only a few kids causing violence in the projects; that a few kids start trouble and others are drawn in; that antibusing parents make the situation worse by fueling the emotions of the kids. Sullivan stands in front of a wall with "IRA and "Stop Busing" graffiti. DeGive interviews Joy again. Joy says that the project has been neglected by the government, social institutions and the church; that the church has not lived up to its responsibilities to the project; that the schools and police need to pay more attention to project residents. Kids gather around Joy and deGive. 19:40:07: Gary Griffith reports that preliminary elections in the mayoral race will be held on September 23; that the preliminary elections have not received a lot of media coverage due to the busing crisis; that Joseph Timilty (mayoral candidate) needs to do well in the elections; that Kevin White (Mayor, City of Boston) has a good chance of being re-elected; that events in the busing crisis may affect White's performance at the polls. Griffith reports that White is vulnerable to criticism of the Tactical Patrol Force (TPF) in South Boston and Charlestown; that white voters may be sensitive to the fact that the Boston school population now has a non-white majority. Griffith reports that Timilty does not seem to be exploiting those issues. V: Footage of Griffith interviewing Timilty. Timilty says that voters are concerned with school issues, not with the election; that he sees no new issues developing in the campaign; that there are always complaints against the TPF; that complaints must be investigated; that he has picked up support in the African American community; that the White administration has deserted the African American community and other communities. Timilty says that it would be irresponsible for him to capitalize on the busing issue in his campaign; that the mayor is capitalizing on the issue; that political rhetoric would only inflame the issue. 19:43:45: Baumeister reports that Marion Fahey (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) has come under criticism from many quarters since her appointment on September 1. V: Footage of Bullard interviewing Kathleen Sullivan (Boston School Committee). Sullivan says that she does not agree with the administrative appointments made by Fahey; that she voted against them because of the past performance records of the individuals concerned. Bullard reports that Fahey consults regularly with the Boston School Committee; that Sullivan and others accuse Fahey of promoting and demoting individuals according to the whims of certain members of the Boston School Committee; that Fahey has transferred Carmen Necheles, Herbert Hambleton and John Coakley; that Judge Garrity has urged Fahey to keep Coakley in his present position as top desegregation planner until the end of September. Bullard reports that Coakley is unpopular with the school committee because he opposes their fundraising practices. V: Footage of Sullivan saying that Coakley was very good at his job; that he was demoted for political reasons. Bullard reports that John Kerrigan (Boston School Committee) has said that he needs to take care of his people; that some promotions have been hand-picked by Kerrigan and others; that Sullivan and city hall officials are concerned by some of the appointments. Bullard reports that Sullivan is openly critical of the appointments of Associate Superintendents John Kelly, Robert McCabe and Charles Leftwich, and the appointments of District Superintendents Frank Laquidara and George Murphy. V: Footage of Sullivan saying that two of the men have had poor performances in the area of vocational education; that one of the men has been harshly criticized for his performance in the area of career education; that she has observed the poor job performances of two other candidates. Sullivan says that these promotions were made for political reasons not for professional performance; that Boston schools are in need of good leadership. Bullard reports that Fahey stands behind her appointments. 19:49:53: Baumeister reports that the term "other minority" applies to Chinese Americans, Hispanics and many other minority groups. Judy Stoia reports that Chinese American students boycotted school during the first part of the week to pressure school officials into hiring more Chinese American teachers and aides. V: Footage of Chinese American parents and children in the South End. Stoia reports that school officials agreed to increase Chinese American staff; that 2000 Chinese American students are to be bused; that Chinese American parents are concerned about busing. V: Footage of Louisa Lock talking about the Kent School in Charlestown, where her child will be bused. Lock says she that she is happy with the school; that she does not mind busing if the safety of children is assured; that she is concerned with quality education. Footage of Chinese American students in buses. Footage of buses picking up children in Chinatown. Stoia reports that Chinese American parents are concerned that busing makes the school day longer; that many Chinese American students attend Chinese school for two hours after school every day. V: Footage of Albert Lau (Bilingual Coordinator) saying that students need to see more Chinese American role models among school personnel. More footage of children on buses. Stoia reports that the federal court order requires the hiring of more African American school staff; that the court order does not require the hiring of "other minority" teachers. V: Footage of Peter Chan (Chinatown Little City Hall) saying that the federal court order does not allow for adequate representation of Chinese Americans and other minorities on the parent councils for the schools. 19:53:48: Greg Pilkington reports that the specter of "white flight" has been raised by attendance figures which show the Boston school population to be majority non-white. Pilkington says that the projected enrollment for Boston schools this year was 50.6% white and 49.4% non-white; that the white majority was expected to be slim; that there has been a white majority at the high schools and a slight non-white majority at the elementary and middle schools. Pilkington says that school officials are expecting both white and African American students to return to the schools if the situation remains calm; that no one has commented on low African American attendance as an indicator of "black flight." Pilkington reports that the Boston school population was 23% non-white in 1964-65; that the population was 38.5% non-white in 1973-74; that the African American population is growing; that the African American population has a higher birthrate than the white population. Pilkington reports that Bob Schwartz (Educational Advisor to the Mayor) is worried that whites will pull their children out of school if there appears to be a non-white majority; that the absence of middle-class white children will cause a decline in the quality of education. Pilkington says that African American leaders disagree with Schwartz; that Paul Parks (State Secretary for Educational Affairs) does not believe that whites will leave the school system in large numbers; that Ellen Jackson (Freedom House) believes that the speculation concerning "white flight" encourages the idea where it may not have existed; that Percy Wilson (Roxbury Multi-Service Center) calls the speculation concerning "white flight" a scare tactic to escalate racial anxieties. 19:57:59: Baumeister closes the show. Credits roll.
