HomeMy WebLinkAbout1969-03-01-LCSR-min.pdf LEXINGTON COMMISSION ON SUBURBAN RESEO1vSIBILITY 1 March 1969
A meeting of the Commission was held on Saturday, 1 March 1969, in
the Conference Room of the School Administration Building at 10 A M.
Present were Bernier, Christensen, Clarke , Conroy, Earsy, Graham,
Greeley , Harding, Levingston, Rosenfield (for Lundberg ) , Riffin,
and -Smith
Kr. Reiner, Chairman of the Yetco Comnunity Committee , gave a METCO
brief historical account of the program to date 25 secondary
pupils., no extreme problems the first tv.o years, lots of social
involvement with host families and at school; enlar_ement in
1968 with 65 elementary students, lower tuition, plans for continu-
ous program This fall, there was a marked change in relationships
at the high school Several Metco leaders have adopted a Black Na-
tionalist attitude White hostility has been more common and more
overt, partly because the black students eepar ted themselves
Tensions culminated in troubles at the high school three weeks ago
Mr Kent, MCC board member, related these problems to the community
as well as the school iCrs Batson, Metco Director, told the MCC
last week that there is more name-calling by far in Lexington than
in any other participating community, and that it was the job of
the MCC to work on community attitudes to change this -Mrs Batson
also observed that the business-as-usual attitude of many school
administrators was wrong the Netto students are different and need
special attention She believes thlt name-calling is a home problem
Mr Kent believes it is also a school problem
Mr Kent explained that the Metco nro..ram in Lexington ;had met with
general receptiveness and tolerance , but no positive action to
assure its success The program keeps the core city crisis before
us The time has come to do a better job through positive community
action. Hence the appeal to LOSR.
Mrs Donovan, another MCC board member, has already undertaken. to
involve the clergy They are going to meet with Mrs Batson and
then develop ways of affecting the attitudes of their high school
age parishioners on a small-group basis It is urgent to get at
white students as soon as possible
All present participated ;in a lengthy discussion It was generally
agreed that everybody - parents , teachers , administrators , and white
students - needs to develop more sensitivity to r•./cial problems and
prejudice; the problem is a very basic one of dealing with human
differences in all relationships, both in school, Et home acid in the
community It was also generally c- reed that pro-Metco people should
take a strong leadership stance , encouraging "latent bigots" to express
their hostility, thereby mobilizing hitherto passive and negative
supporter's to express their op9inions and take positive action
It was unanimously VOTED That the Commission request its representa-
tive from the Lexington Council of Cbarc• es uo assemble i,e'.ington
clergymen to address the question of community at1itu0es toward
minority groups and to make recommendations tr the LCSR for action
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It was unanimously AGREED To direct the Education Task Force ,
au,mented by, volunteers from among those present and representa-
tives of students 1.nd staff, to discuss the question sand made
recommendations to the Commission Mr Bernier was asked to con-
vene the ,roup, consisting of X1Y3MAXAXXR€:(4XNAKXXlfXiCUX14XXXXX
the following people
Prom LCSR - Bernier, Clarke , Conroy, Harding, Levingston,
Lundberfc , Skov, Smith
Others - Mrs J Keith Butters , Mr Maurice Donovan, Mrs
Edwin J. Donovan, Mr Edwin Kellogg, Dr William
Marcuse , Mrs E. M. Snyder and HS students and
staff to be named
The Commission also solicited firm recommendations soon from the
:etco Community Committee with reagard to expansion and changes
in the Metco program
J. Greeley reported that Town Counsel had given no legal CO_iT7;T
opinion on the proposed specification requiring the J14S COMILL\NCE
contractor to hire black workers :-:r LeLro has raised
questions about its legality and has serious doubts , feeling
that questions would be raised on Beacon Hiol, jeopardizing
the sale of bonds There is some question whether approval
of Town Counsel is needed for inclusion of the specification
Commission members felt that the presence of black workers on
t_^is project was very important and that strong action should
be taken to bring this about It wEs decided to meet as soon
as possible the chairman of the Permanent Building Committee
and the LCRC proponents of the contract clause , preliminary
to determining LCSR action.
his Christensen distributed copies of the findings from the HOUSING
79 useful questionnaires returned hr Graham reported
that none were returned from riders on the Route 128 buses Questionnaire
Eacn ricer was personally approached by the MBTS Community
Relations ()nicer (black) , who received only cynical and
hostile responses
;Ars Riffin and Mrs Jones reported the results of inquiries
about the number of children in Framingham' s 536 housing
units built under 221 (d ) (3 ) In 81 one-bedroom , 252 two-bedroom ,
nd 193 three-bedroom units , there are 96 school-age children
in grades 1/12, plus 250 pre-school children The general ratios
hc.ve been true over a period of five years ;!'urther research
will be done to determine who the renters are and where from
Mr Graham reported that LARCH is mailing materials to .11 Task Force
Town .. etJ,L` 6uor 's He further rpoerted that telephone
calls reveal the we. ke=,t 1 nk to 1;e the bsence of assurance
that rocerate-income housing will actually be built; several
have su;,gested that te withdraw the article because we ' re ,oing
to lose it It was unanimously AGREED to keep the article and
work for its passage , to encourage discussion of the issue ; and
to appeal to Mr Flynn of the PHA in Boston to supply in writing
some evidence of FHA interest or intention.
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:'' Com,7 sion' s objective remains Provision of more housing
for black people from Boston While it is recognized thc,t
the owner cannot discriminate in tenant selection and therefore
most residents will be Lexington residents of moderate income ,
still Lhe White :p.art„ents -ill Uen t: e housii choice c-ad
tend. toi.nrc, relief of the metropolitan housing problem
i, sis Greeley .nL ?'pulley reported that the Selectmen felt REPORTS
they were not kept informed of Commission activities TO
While they do not expect to be consulted on all actions , SELECTMEN
comments or concurrence should be sought on such things as
euLmittin3 a ,;arrant article The ,secretary was instructed
to place the other four Selectmen on the wailing list
It was La felt that the misiniforwation given out at _.;ELIC
Candidates Night concerning tax income from the White COnrL,C'ilCT
a, artoenus should be corrected publicly Mr Graham will
write a letter to, the editor of the Minute-Man and send copies
c the Selectmen
The meeting adjourned at 12: 35 P H.
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