Regarding Dianne Yarbrough Murphy’s (’57) letter in your fall issue about North Texas integration, I was editor of the student newspaper, the Campus Chat, in the spring of 1956.

President Matthews called me to his office and asked me how the Chat was going to cover the enrollment of the first black undergraduate.

I asked him “How do you want me to handle it?” He said, “Treat that student just like you would treat any other student.”

I said, “I’m any other student, and nobody put my name in the Chat when I enrolled. So there won’t be any coverage at all.”

I remember distinctly that Dr. Matthews peered over the top rim of his spectacles and said, “Good thought.” End of conversation. He seemed relieved that it was my decision and not his.

Yes, he drew as little attention as possible to desegregation.

Willie Jacobs (’56)
Sherman
 

I read with interest the letter on integration by Ms. Murphy. I was in a childhood psychology class in 1958. The first thing the teacher did in class was to ask each student how many children we had.

When it came to my turn, I replied that I was not married. The 6 foot, 2 inch, rather husky classmate behind me said out loud, “White boy, that was not the question.”

I have laughed about this comment for more than 50 years.

James Rice (’60 M.Ed.)
Columbia, S.C.